A few decades ago, Knudsen and colleagues proposed a theory that, for a normal cell to become a cancer cell, a minimum of two genetic changes had to occur in that cell. Knudsen was studying retinoblastoma, a childhood cancer of the eye.

A few decades ago, Knudsen and colleagues proposed a theory that, for a normal cell to become a cancer cell, a minimum of two genetic changes had to occur in that cell. Knudsen was studying retinoblastoma, a childhood cancer of the eye. 



Two children are born from the same parents. Child one inherits a predisposition to retinoblastoma (one of the mutations) and child two does not. However, both children develop the retinoblastoma. Which of the following would you expect? 

A) an earlier age of onset in child one
B) a history of exposure to mutagens in child one but not in child two
C) a more severe cancer in child one
D) increased levels of apoptosis in both children
E) decreased levels of DNA repair in child one


Answer: A


In colorectal cancer, several genes must be mutated in order to make a cell a cancer cell, supporting Knudsen's hypothesis. Which of the following kinds of genes would you expect to be mutated? 

A) genes coding for enzymes that act in the colon
B) genes involved in control of the cell cycle
C) genes that are especially susceptible to mutation
D) the same genes that Knudsen identified as associated with retinoblastoma
E) the genes of the bacteria that are abundant in the colon


Answer: B


Knudsen and colleagues also noted that persons with hereditary retinoblastoma that had been treated successfully lived on but then had a higher frequency of developing osteosarcomas (bone cancers) later in life. This provided further evidence of their theory because 

A) osteosarcoma cells express the same genes as retinal cells.
B) p53 gene mutations are common to both tumors.
C) both kinds of cancer involve overproliferation of cells.
D) one of the mutations involved in retinoblastoma is also one of the changes involved in osteosarcoma.
E) retinoblastoma is a prerequisite for the formation of osteosarcoma later in life.


Answer: D


One of the human leukemias, called CML (chronic myelogenous leukemia), is associated with a chromosomal translocation between chromosomes 9 and 22 in somatic cells of bone marrow. Which of the following allows CML to provide further evidence of this multistep nature of cancer? 

A) CML usually occurs in more elderly persons (late age of onset).
B) The resulting chromosome 22 is abnormally short; it is then known as the Philadelphia chromosome.
C) The translocation requires breaks in both chromosomes 9 and 22, followed by fusion between the reciprocal pieces.
D) CML involves a proto-oncogene known as abl.
E) CML can usually be treated by chemotherapy.


Answer: C


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