Deck 12: Cancer

Question 1

The WHO estimates that approximately 35 per cent of cancer deaths are related to ________.

A) sociodemographic factors
B) lifestyle choices
C) genetic risk factors
D) environmental factors

Answer 1

B

Question 2

DNA damage does not occur as a result of ________.

A) damage from carcinogens
B) genetic processes
C) metastasis
D) damage from viruses

Answer 2

C

Question 3

If cancer is appraised as a threat or a challenge, a(n) ________ coping style is more likely to be used to deal with the stressor.

A) problem-focused
B) emotion-focused
C) avoidant
D) positive reappraisal

Answer 3

A

Question 4

To induce cancer, DNA damage must be present in ________.

A) genes regulating cell division
B) genes not regulating cell division
C) genes in non-nuclear DNA (mitochondria)
D) genes regulating metabolism

Question 5

The essential difference between malignant and benign tumours is that ________.

A) malignant tumours grow three times faster than benign tumours
B) malignant tumours never lead to death, while benign tumours always do
C) malignant tumours produce metastases and/or invade neighboring tissues, while benign tumours do not
D) benign tumours produce metastases and/or invade neighboring tissues, while malignant tumours do not

Question 6

Trends in cancer statistics indicate that ________.

A) the number of new cases diagnosed have decreased
B) incidence rates are decreasing significantly
C) mortality rates are decreasing
D) the number of cancer-rated deaths have decreased

Question 7

The lag in lung cancer incidence decrease and mortality rate decrease between women and men is primarily due to ________.

A) psychological differences
B) differences in eating habits
C) biological differences
D) differences in smoking behaviour

Question 8

________ is the most commonly diagnosed cancer among North American men.

A) Prostate cancer
B) Lung cancer
C) Stomach cancer
D) Pancreatic cancer

Question 9

Leukemia is cancer of ________.

A) connective tissues
B) the central nervous system
C) blood-forming tissue
D) the lymphocytes

Question 10

________ is not a medical treatment for cancer.

A) Chemotherapy
B) Cognitive behavioural therapy
C) Surgery
D) Radiation

Question 11

Mutations in the BRCA1 and BRCA2 genes confer an increased risk of ________.

A) breast and ovarian cancers
B) prostate and testicular cancers
C) colon and rectal cancers
D) stomach and esophageal cancers

Question 12

When age is taken into account, men generally have ________ cancer incidence and ________ mortality rates than women.

A) lower; lower
B) higher; higher
C) higher; lower
D) lower; higher

Question 13

________ in the US are more likely to develop breast cancer than any other race/ethnicity group.

A) Non-Hispanic White women
B) Japanese-American women
C) African-American women
D) Asian-American women

Question 14

Breast cancer incidence is highest in ________.

A) Western countries
B) Africa
C) Asia
D) South America

Question 15

The following is not one of the reasons that it is difficult to establish a causal link between psychosocial factors and cancer onset: ________.

A) The long delay between the development of and the detection of cancer obscures causal links between psychosocial factors and cancer onset
B) While cancer patients who are asked to recall past life events remember these events consistently, this is not indicative of a causal link
C) It is possible that the disease was present before and during stressful life events
D) The use of retrospective research designs can limit our ability to make causal conclusions

Question 16

Current research indicates that cancer patients experiencing fatigue should be encouraged to ________.

A) rest
B) exercise
C) avoid lifting heavy objects
D) refrain from exerting themselves

Question 17

Following a cancer diagnosis, the dysphoria phase is characterized by ________.

A) disbelief and denial
B) anxiety and depression
C) adjustment and adaptation
D) healing and moving forward

Question 18

The immune system's detection and destruction of cancerous cells is referred to as ________.

A) metastasis
B) carcinoma
C) immunosurveillance
D) cell death

Question 19

Stress hormones and immunosuppression can influence cancer by ________.

A) inhibiting DNA damage
B) promoting programmed cell death in cancer cells
C) facilitating angiogenesis
D) increasing immunosurveillance

Question 20

________ is a secondary cancer prevention measure.

A) Getting a colonoscopy
B) Wearing sunscreen
C) Exercising regularly
D) Avoiding smoking

Question 21

The following statement regarding cancer screening tests is not true: ________.

A) They sometimes result in false positives
B) They have benefits for morbidity and mortality
C) They can be painful and invasive
D) They never result in false negatives

Question 22

Psychosocial adaptation to cancer is a(n) ________ process.

A) static
B) simple
C) ongoing
D) quick

Question 23

Recent research has shown that ________.

A) cancer patients who are less distressed benefit the most from psychological intervention
B) all cancer patients benefit from some type of psychological intervention
C) cancer patients who are more distressed benefit the most from psychological intervention
D) psychological interventions for cancer patients cannot prevent distress

Question 24

Supportive-expressive group therapy does not focus on ________.

A) expressing emotions
B) exploring existential concerns like fear of dying
C) physiotherapy
D) generating social support among group members

Question 25

Briefly describe the arguments for and against the patenting and commercializing of breast cancer susceptibility genes.

Question 26

Briefly describe the three classes of treatments currently used against cancer.

Question 27

Briefly explain why age is a risk factor for cancer.

Question 28

Briefly describe how stress hormones and immunosuppression can lead to cancer.

Question 29

Briefly describe three common behavioural/lifestyle risk factors for cancer.

Question 30

Briefly describe and discuss some of the demographic risk factors for cancer.

Question 31

Describe the pros and cons of insisting on commonalities among cancer support group members.

Question 32

Briefly describe the common initial reactions to a cancer diagnosis.

Question 33

Describe three possible mechanisms through which psychosocial factors might affect cancer initiation, progression, and mortality.

Question 34

Briefly discuss the pros and cons of screening for cancer.

Question 35

Describe the genetic risk factors for cancer and the choices currently available for the general population to mitigate this risk.

Question 36

Discuss the observation that the risk for breast cancer is much higher among women in North-America and Europe than in South-East Asia, and the possible sources of this difference.

Question 37

Briefly summarize and discuss the evidence showing that progression of cancer and its mortality are influenced by psychosocial factors.

Question 38

Discuss the distinct coping strategies employed by cancer patients to face different types of stressors.

Question 39

Using a specific example, describe and discuss the psychosocial impact of treatment decisions cancer patients often need to make.