Non-communicable Diseases

• What is the difference between correlation and causal mechanisms?


  Correlations only suggest a link or relationship between two factors but a causal mechanism explains how one factor influences another through a biological process
• What are tumours?

  Cells developed from an uncontrollable sequence of the cell cycle and they grow abnormally
• How do tumour cells respond differently to the cell cycle?

  They have little non-dividing time and they live longer
• What are benign tumours?


  Tumour cells that don't invade other parts of the body however they do grow very large and fast therefore causing pressure/damage to an organ
• What are malignant tumours?

  Tumour cells that invade neighbouring healthy tissues after the initial tumour splits up releasing small clumps of cells into the bloodstream or lymphatic system. They circulate where they may lodge in another organ and continue their uncontrolled division forming secondary tumours disrupting normal tissues
• What are the causes of cancer? (4)

  1) Genetic risk factors

  2) Mutations (changes in genetic material)

  3) Ionising radiation e.g., UV, X-rays interrupting the normal cell cycle

  4) Virus infections e.g., cervical cancer from HIV
• What are melanomas?

  Malignant tumours triggered by exposure to UV
• What are the 2 main ways to cure cancer?

  1) Radiotherapy - targeted doses of radiation destroying cancer cells stopping mitosis in them but can also damage healthy cells

  2) Chemotherapy - chemicals used to stop the cells from dividing or making them self-destruct
• Why is carbon monoxide bad?

  It takes up the oxygen-carrying capacity of the blood as the blood will be carrying carbon monoxide instead of oxygen
• What can smoking during pregnancy cause?

  Stillbirths, low weight, premature births
• Why are the chemicals in tobacco smoke bad?

  They paralyse the cilia and bronchi that move mucus, bacteria, and dirt from the lungs so the mucus builds up causing coughing and the bacteria and dirt move down into the lungs increasing risk of infection
• Why is the tar in cigarettes bad?

  They accumulate in the lungs and it is makes smokes susceptible to bronchitis
• What is COPD, what is it caused by, and what does it lead to?

  Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease is caused by the breakdown in the structure of the alveoli due to the build up of tar in the delicate lung tissue reducing the alveoli's surface area to volume ration leading to breathlessness and eventually death
• What does smoking do to the heart and blood vessels?

  Narrows the blood vessels ageing the skin, nicotine increases heart rate, other chemicals damage the lining of the arteries
• How does alcohol work?

  The ethanol is absorbed into the blood from the gut and passes easily into the bodily tissues, including the brain
• What are some problems alcohol can cause?

  1) Cirrhosis - scarring of the liver

  2) Alcohol is a carcinogen

  3) Brain damage as the brain becomes soft and pulpy so the brain structures are lost
• What is the difference between correlation and causal mechanisms?

  Correlations only suggest a link or relationship between two factors but a causal mechanism explains how one factor influences another through a biological process
• What are tumours?

  Cells developed from an uncontrollable sequence of the cell cycle and they grow abnormally
• How do tumour cells respond differently to the cell cycle?

  They have little non-dividing time and they live longer
• What are benign tumours?


  Tumour cells that don't invade other parts of the body however they do grow very large and fast therefore causing pressure/damage to an organ
• What are malignant tumours?

  Tumour cells that invade neighbouring healthy tissues after the initial tumour splits up releasing small clumps of cells into the bloodstream or lymphatic system. They circulate where they may lodge in another organ and continue their uncontrolled division forming secondary tumours disrupting normal tissues
• What are the causes of cancer? (4)

  1) Genetic risk factors

  2) Mutations (changes in genetic material)

  3) Ionising radiation e.g., UV, X-rays interrupting the normal cell cycle

  4) Virus infections e.g., cervical cancer from HIV
• What are melanomas?

  Malignant tumours triggered by exposure to UV
• What are the 2 main ways to cure cancer?

  1) Radiotherapy - targeted doses of radiation destroying cancer cells stopping mitosis in them but can also damage healthy cells

  2) Chemotherapy - chemicals used to stop the cells from dividing or making them self-destruct
• Why is carbon monoxide bad?

  It takes up the oxygen-carrying capacity of the blood as the blood will be carrying carbon monoxide instead of oxygen
• What can smoking during pregnancy cause?

  Stillbirths, low weight, premature births
• Why are the chemicals in tobacco smoke bad?

  They paralyse the cilia and bronchi that move mucus, bacteria, and dirt from the lungs so the mucus builds up causing coughing and the bacteria and dirt move down into the lungs increasing risk of infection
• Why is the tar in cigarettes bad?

  They accumulate in the lungs and it is makes smokes susceptible to bronchitis
• What is COPD, what is it caused by, and what does it lead to?

  Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease is caused by the breakdown in the structure of the alveoli due to the build up of tar in the delicate lung tissue reducing the alveoli's surface area to volume ration leading to breathlessness and eventually death
• What does smoking do to the heart and blood vessels?

  Narrows the blood vessels ageing the skin, nicotine increases heart rate, other chemicals damage the lining of the arteries
• How does alcohol work?

  The ethanol is absorbed into the blood from the gut and passes easily into the bodily tissues, including the brain
• What are some problems alcohol can cause?

  1) Cirrhosis - scarring of the liver

  2) Alcohol is a carcinogen

  3) Brain damage as the brain becomes soft and pulpy so the brain structures are lost