Question

Assertion (A): Cancer cells are virtually immortal until the body in which they reside dies.

Reason (R): Cancer is caused by damage to genes regulating the cell division cycle.

• A. Both A and R are correct and R is the correct explanation of A
• B. Both A and R are correct, but R is not the correct explanation of A
• C. A is correct, but R is incorrect
• D. Both A and R are incorrect

Answer 1

The correct option is A

Both A and R are correct and R is the correct explanation of A

Cancer is caused by damage to genes regulating the cell division cycle. It is an uncontrolled proliferation of the cells.

All types of cancer have five basic characteristics:

(i) Uncontrolled cell growth

(ii) Loss of cell differentiation (specialisation)

(iii) Invasion of normal tissues

(iv) Metastasis or spread to multiple sites

(v) Loss of contact inhibition

All these characteristics make the cancer immortal until the body in which it resides dies.