Deck 10: Tumor Immunology

Question 1

In a given species, when chemical carcinogens cause histologically identical tumors, these tumors can

A)possess completely different tumor antigens.
B)possess the same tumor antigens.
C)be successfully transplanted between members of the same species.
D)A and B.
E)B and C.

Answer 1

A and B.

Question 2

Each of the following observations supports the hypothesis of "immune surveillance" or constant activity by the immune system to detect and destroy abnormal tissues and tumors except

A)The incidence of tumors in humans is highest when the immune system is not functioning optimally (young children and the elderly).
B)Many tumors are infiltrated by lymphocytes, and spontaneous remission of tumors has been observed.
C)Tumors caused by viruses occur more frequently in immunocompromised patients.
D)The incidence of clinically undetectable tumors in human autopsies is higher than would be expected from actual rates of cancer in particular populations.

Answer 2

Tumors caused by viruses occur more frequently in immunocompromised patients.

Question 3

What is (are)advantage(s)of identifying a specific tumor associated antigen on a particular tumor?

A)A monoclonal antibody can be used to fight the tumor.
B)A monoclonal antibody coupled to a cytotoxin can be used to fight the tumor.
C)A monoclonal antibody coupled to a radioisotope can be used to fight the tumor.
D)All of the above.

Answer 3

All of the above.

Question 4

The tumor associated antigen HER- 2/neu falls into which category?

A)Cancer- testes antigens
B)Tumor virus antigens
C)Nonmutated, shared, overexpressed antigens
D)Melanoma- melanocyte differentiation antigens
E)Mutated antigens

Question 5

Cervical cancer tumors should be checked for

A)tumor virus antigens.
B)nonmutated, shared, overexpressed antigens.
C)mutated antigens.
D)cancer- testes antigens.
E)melanoma- melanocyte differentiation antigens.

Question 6

What is the difference between a tumor specific antigen (TSA)and a tumor associated antigen (TAA)?

A)TSAs are never found in normal tissue, and TAAs can be found in both normal tissue and tumor tissue.
B)There is no difference and these terms can be used interchangeably.
C)TAAs are never found in normal tissue, and TSAs can be found in both normal tissue and tumor tissue.
D)TSAs are only found on malignant tumors, and TAAs are only found on benign tumors.

Question 7

What is currently the best advantage of isolating the particular gene that expresses a tumor associated antigen?

A)Retroviral therapy can be used to inactivate the DNA sequence.
B)A molecular probe can be constructed to test tissue for expression of the DNA sequence.
C)Anticancer drugs can be directed at the DNA sequence.
D)A vaccine can be directed at the DNA sequence.

Question 8

What characterizes a tumor as malignant?

A)Site of the tumor
B)Ability to invade surrounding tissue
C)Rapid growth
D)Large size

Question 9

The tumor associated antigen MART falls into which category?

A)Tumor virus antigens
B)Nonmutated, shared, overexpressed antigens
C)Cancer- testes antigens
D)Melanoma- melanocyte differentiation antigens
E)Mutated antigens

Question 10

The majority of in vitro research on the human immune response against tumor cells has been conducted on cell lines propagated from

A)melanomas.
B)liver adenocarcinomas.
C)lung carcinomas.
D)breast adenocarcinomas.
E)colon adenocarcinomas.

Question 11

Research on the immune response against tumor associated antigens has largely focused on

A)CD4+ T helper cells.
B)monocytes/macrophages.
C)B lymphocytes.
D)CD8+ T suppressor cells.
E)CD8+ T cytotoxic cells.

Question 12

Dr. Thierry Boon isolated the MAGE- 1 gene that produces a tumor associated antigen from which cancer cell line?

A)Hepatocellular carcinoma
B)Muscle sarcoma
C)Melanoma
D)Breast adenocarcinoma
E)Colon carcinoma

Question 13

Mouse monoclonal antibodies against human tumor cells are useful for

A)developing clinical assays for tumor associated antigens using the monoclonal antibodies.
B)developing therapeutic agents against tumors.
C)identifying previously unknown tumor associated antigens.
D)All of the above.

Question 14

Ionizing radiation is particularly associated with cancers of

A)neurological origin.
B)squamous cell origin.
C)endocrine origin.
D)columnar epithelial origin.
E)hematopoietic origin.

Question 15

Each virus below is paired correctly with a cancer it is associated with except

A)human immunodeficiency virus/adult T cell leukemia.
B)human papilloma virus/cervical cancer.
C)hepatitis B virus/liver cancer.
D)Epstein- Barr virus/nasopharyngeal carcinoma.

Question 16

BRCA1 and BRCA2 are

A)genes that induce cancer.
B)genes that when mutated induce cancer.
C)genes that prevent cancer.
D)genes that when mutated prevent cancer.

Question 17

What does it mean when a tumor is metastatic?

A)Its cells originate from epithelium.
B)Its cells originate from glandular tissue.
C)Its cells originate from connective tissue.
D)Its growth is extremely rapid.
E)Cells have left the primary tumor site and established secondary tumor sites elsewhere in the body.

Question 18

A malignant tumor of a muscle would be classified as a

A)myeloma.
B)sarcoma.
C)adenocarcinoma.
D)adenoma.
E)carcinoma.

Question 19

All of the following are cancers of white blood cells except

A)lymphoma.
B)leukemia.
C)retinoblastoma.
D)myeloma.

Question 20

The tumor associated antigens produced by the MAGE genes fall into which category?

A)Nonmutated, shared, overexpressed antigens
B)Melanoma- melanocyte differentiation antigens
C)Mutated antigens
D)Cancer- testes antigens
E)Tumor virus antigens

Question 21

The tumors caused by specific oncogenic viruses usually express the same tumor antigens.

Question 22

In which situation(s)is (are)immunotherapy most likely to be effective and worthwhile against a cancer?

A)When the cancer is at high risk for reoccurrence
B)After debulking of a tumor and standard chemotherapy or radiation therapy
C)When eliminating minimal residual disease is necessary
D)All of the above

Question 23

An important barrier(s)against the development of a "cancer vaccine" is (are)

A)many tumor associated antigens are similar to normal human antigens.
B)tumors of the same cell type can produce completely different antigens in different people.
C)tumors can express multiple antigens and it is less likely that a vaccine against a single antigen would be effective, especially in all people.
D)the antigens expressed by tumors can vary over time within the same patient.
E)All of the above.

Question 24

Most nonviral tumor associated antigens are very close in structure to normal human antigens.

Question 25

Describe Dr. Thierry Boon's work in elucidating the cytotoxic T lymphocyte (CTL)reaction against tumor antigens.

Question 26

All of the following are mechanisms by which tumor cell escape the immune response except

A)increased expression of MHC class I receptors.
B)production of immunosuppressive molecules and cytokines.
C)continuous production of genetic variants with different antigen expression.
D)reduction of cell surface expression of tumor associated antigens.

Question 27

Exposure of skin to chemicals such as methycholanthrene and benzanthracene is associated with malignant melanoma.

Question 28

An essential characteristic of tumor cells necessary for immunotherapy to be effective is a good blood supply.

Question 29

BRCA1 and BRCA2 genes are recessive genes transmitted on the sex chromosomes. This why women carrying mutations in these genes are more prone to breast cancer.

Question 30

Cancers are staged clinically on a scale of I to IV based on the location of the cancer (confined to the site of origin, local penetration, metastases, etc.)where the worst prognosis is stage I and the best prognosis is stage IV.

Question 31

The vast majority of patients who contract the hepatitis B virus are at high risk for hepatocellular carcinoma.

Question 32

What evidence is there that hormones can influence whether a person develops cancer?

Question 33

One cancer immunotherapy that has been attempted is pulsing _ with peptides to increase cytotoxic T lymphocyte activity against tumor cells.

A)B lymphocytes
B)T helper cells
C)dendritic cells
D)natural killer cells
E)monocyte/macrophages

Question 34

Development of a "cancer vaccine" is difficult at least in part because there are so many mechanisms by which cancer cells can evade the immune response.

Question 35

The kind of tumor in which cells originate from epithelium is called adenoma.

Question 36

Describe how antibodies to cancer are being used to identify potential tumor associated antigens.

Question 37

The product of the MAGE- 1 gene that was discovered in melanomas is not expressed in normal tissue or tumors from other cell lines.

Question 38

Explain concomitant immunity in the context of tumor immunology.

Question 39

Which of the following is a good strategy for developing trial cancer vaccines?

A)Combine all the known tumor associated antigens into a single vaccine and administer it to a random population of healthy adults.
B)Target populations that have a particular cancer and create a vaccine using tumor associated antigens common to that particular cancer.
C)Combine all the known tumor associated antigens into a single vaccine and administer it to a random population of cancer patients.
D)Target healthy populations that are genetically predisposed to developing a particular cancer and create a vaccine using tumor associated antigens common to that particular cancer.

Question 40

Explain how viruses are postulated to cause cancer.

Question 41

The process in which viral, environmental, and physical factors convert normal cells to tumor cells is called cellular _.

Question 42

The antigen associated with ovarian cancer is .

Question 43

Burkitt's lymphoma is associated with virus.

Question 44

A chemical that causes cancer is called a .

Question 45

Malignant tumors arising from glandular tissue are called .