Cancer often involves excessive and uncontrolled mitosis, resulting in a tumour. Some of the chemotherapeutic agents used in cancer therapy inhibit DNA replication. a) Propose and explain two specific steps in DNA replication that chemotherapy drugs can impact negatively. b) Side effects can occur when using chemotherapy drugs such as hair loss. If these drugs are used to attack cancer cells, what other effects can they have on the body at a cellular level. Note: Be sure to relate it to the content covered in this course directly
Added by Cassandra G.
Close
Step 1
a) Chemotherapy drugs can impact DNA replication negatively by targeting two specific steps: Show more…
Show all steps
Your feedback will help us improve your experience
Jennifer Stoner and 60 other Biology educators are ready to help you.
Ask a new question
Labs
Want to see this concept in action?
Explore this concept interactively to see how it behaves as you change inputs.
Key Concepts
Recommended Videos
Madhur L.
Cancerous tumors are characterized by abnormal cell division. Normal cells only divide when presented with an external stimulus and they stop dividing when they come into contact with like cells. Cancer cells do not exhibit contact inhibition and they bypass the normal checkpoints in the cell cycle that control and limit cell division. The ability of chemotherapy to kill cancer cells depends on its ability to halt cell division. Usually, cancer drugs work by damaging the RNA or DNA that tells the cell how to copy itself in division. If cancer cells are unable to divide, they die. The faster that cancer cells divide, the more likely it is that chemotherapy will kill the cells, causing the tumor to shrink. Unfortunately, chemotherapy does not know the difference between cancer cells and normal cells. When chemotherapy affects normal cells, side effects such as hair loss, mouth sores, low blood counts, and nausea can occur. Which statement provides the most accurate description of why these side effects are most commonly associated with chemotherapy? A) These side effects are found at the site of the most common form of cancer: GI tract, blood, and skin. B) Chemotherapy targets fast growing cells, including cancer cells, skin cells, GI cells, and blood cells. C) The chemotherapy kills off the smallest, weakest cells including cancer, GI cells, blood cells, and skin cells. D) Side effects are most likely to occur in areas exposed to the outside environment including: GI tract, blood, and skin.
Recommended Textbooks
Biology for AP Courses
Objective Biology for NEET
Introduction to General, Organic and Biochemistry
Transcript
Watch the video solution with this free unlock.
EMAIL
PASSWORD