Read the following passage and answer the following questions:
Cancer is one of the most dreaded diseases of human beings and is a major cause of death all over the globe. More than a million Indians suffer from cancer and a large number of them die from it annually. The mechanisms that underlie development of cancer or oncogenic transformation of cells, its treatment and control have been some of the most intense areas of research in biology and medicine. Normal cells show a property called contact inhibition by virtue of which contact with other cells inhibits their uncontrolled growth. Cancer cells appear to have lost this property. As a result of this, cancerous cells just continue to divide giving rise to masses of cells called tumors. Transformation of normal cells into cancerous cells may be induced by carcinogens. Radiations cause DNA damage leading to neoplastic transformation. Cancer causing viruses called oncogenic viruses have genes called viral oncogenes. Cancer detection is based on biopsy and histopathological studies of the tissue and blood and bone marrow tests for increased cell counts in the case of leukemias. Techniques like radiography, CT and MRI are very useful to detect cancers of the internal organs. The common approaches for treatment of cancer are surgery, radiation therapy and immunotherapy.
Which of the following biological response modifiers is given to cancer patients?
Answer & explanation
Correct answer: option 2
The correct answer is Option (2) → α-interferon
Tumour cells can avoid detection and destruction by the immune system. To help the body fight back, cancer patients are given biological response modifiers, substances that activate the patient’s own immune system. The passage only says that immunotherapy is one approach; it does not name the substance.
Option (1) Antitoxin — Incorrect. An antitoxin is a preparation of preformed antibodies against a toxin. It gives passive immunisation, for example in tetanus, and is not used to activate the immune system against a tumour.
Option (2) α-interferon — Correct. α-interferon is the biological response modifier named in the book. It activates the immune system and helps in destroying the tumour.
Option (3) Anti-histamine — Incorrect. Anti-histamines are drugs that quickly reduce the symptoms of allergy. They do not activate the immune system against cancer cells.
Option (4) Immuno-suppressants — Incorrect. Immuno-suppressants lower the activity of the immune system. A transplant patient takes them so that the graft is not rejected, which is the opposite of what a cancer patient needs.
NCERT Extract:
Cancer – “… Several chemotherapeutic drugs are used to kill cancerous cells. Some of these are specific for particular tumors. Majority of drugs have side effects like hair loss, anemia, etc. Most cancers are treated by combination of surgery, radiotherapy and chemotherapy. Tumor cells have been shown to avoid detection and destruction by immune system. Therefore, the patients are given substances called biological response modifiers such as α-interferon which activates their immune system and helps in destroying the tumor.”