Target Exam

CUET

Subject

Biology

Chapter

Human Health and Disease

Question:

Read the following passage carefully and answer the given questions.

Cancerous cells just continue to divide giving rise to masses of cells called tumors. Benign tumors normally remain confined to their original location and do not spread to other parts of the body and cause little damage. The malignant tumors, on the other hand are a mass of proliferating cells called neoplastic or tumor cells. Transformation of normal cells into cancerous neoplastic cells may be induced by physical, chemical or biological agents. Ionising radiations like X-rays and gamma rays and non-ionizing radiations like UV cause cancer. Cancer-causing viruses are called oncogenic viruses which have viral oncogenes. The substances to which an immune response is produced are called allergens. The antibodies produced to these are of IgE type. Common examples of allergens are mites in dust, pollens, animal dander, etc. The primary lymphoid organs are bone marrow and thymus. The secondary lymphoid organs provide the sites for interaction of lymphocytes with the antigen, which then proliferate to become effector cells.

Which one of the followings cannot cause cancer:

Options:

Chemicals present in tobacco

Oncogenic viruses

Physical contact with the cancer patient

Ionizing radiation like X-rays and gamma rays

Correct Answer:

Physical contact with the cancer patient

Explanation:

The correct answer is Option (3) → Physical contact with the cancer patient 

Transformation of normal cells into cancerous neoplastic cells may be induced by physical, chemical or biological agents. These agents are called carcinogens. Ionising radiations like X-rays and gamma rays and non-ionizing radiations like UV cause DNA damage leading to neoplastic transformation. The chemical carcinogens present in tobacco smoke have been identified as a major cause of lung cancer. Cancer causing viruses called oncogenic viruses have genes called viral oncogenes. Furthermore, several genes called cellular oncogenes (c-onc) or proto oncogenes have been identified in normal cells which, when activated under certain conditions, could lead to oncogenic transformation of the cells.

Cancer is not a contagious disease. Physical contact (touching, hugging, sharing food, or living with a cancer patient) does not spread cancer.