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Human Health and Disease
Cancer and its Treatment
1 question from 1 paper, each with its answer.
- question
- 1
- paper
- 1
- of Human Health and Disease
- 0.83%
Concepts tested
- Radiosensitivity of dividing cells
All Questions
2004 AIPMT 1 question
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Cancer cells are more easily damaged by radiation than normal cells because they are -Cancer cells have lost the normal controls on cell division (contact inhibition), so they divide rapidly and continuously.
Cells are most sensitive to radiation while they are dividing, because their DNA is being replicated and the chromosomes are condensing; radiation damage to DNA at this time stops division and kills the cell.
So radiotherapy damages rapidly dividing cancer cells more than normal cells, most of which divide slowly or not at all. (This is also why rapidly dividing normal cells, such as those of hair follicles and bone marrow, are affected during radiotherapy.)
So cancer cells are more easily damaged by radiation because they are undergoing rapid division.