GMS 6540 Updated Actual Exam Question
and Answer (2026/2027) | A+ Verified
• Genetic changes are required for which of the following to occur? Select all that
apply. -✓✓ Initiation/Transformation of a cell
Formation of a malignant tumor from a pre-neoplastic lesion
Formation of clinical cancer from a malignant tumor
Metastasis of a clinical cancer
• What effect would a G12V mutation in Ras have on ERK? -✓✓ It would lead to
increased activation of ERK
• Are cancers more likely to develop mutation that activate or inactivate Rb? -✓✓
Inactivate
• Metabolites of nicotine commonly result in DNA point mutations. Which type of
DNA instability is this an example of? -✓✓ Genetic instability
• If a human cell underwent endoreduplication followed by failed cytokinesis, how
many chromosomes would you expect that cell to now contain? -✓✓ 184
• Which of the following statements is true regarding apoptosis. -✓✓ Cancer cells
must avoid it
• Which statement best describes the Warburg effect? -✓✓ The switching of cancer
cells from oxidative phosphorylation to aerobic glycolysis
• A patient undergoes an FdG-PET scan. Will a tumor contain more or less
18fluorodeoxyglucose than normal the surrounding tissue? -✓✓ More
• Angiogenesis is __________________. -✓✓ the process of creating new blood
vessels from current blood vessels
• Is inflammation harmful or beneficial to cancer? -✓✓ Beneficial
• If a cell expresses a mutant form of EGFR, would this be considered a tumor
specific antigen or a tumor associated antigen? -✓✓ Tumor specific antigen
, • Which statement best describes how cancer cells overcome the Hayflick limit? -
✓✓ They upregulate telomerase
• What chemical causes the most cigarette-related DNA mutations? -✓✓
Benzo[a]pyrene
• The Epstein-Barr virus, most famous for causing mononucleosis, also plays a
prevalent role in the formation of what type of cancer? -✓✓ Burkitt's lymphoma
• What viral protein is capable of inhibiting p53? -✓✓ E6
• Which class of cancer drugs is the least selective towards cancer cells? -✓✓
Chemotherapy
• Is chemotherapy generally more effective when tumors are small or large? -✓✓
Small
• A tumor contains 10^9 cells. After a dose of chemotherapy, there are 750,000
cells remaining. When the second chemotherapy dose is given, the tumor has
grown to 800,000 cells. How many cells do you expect to remain after the next
dose of chemotherapy? -✓✓ 600
• Which statement best summarizes the treatment ramifications of the Goldie-
Coldman hypothesis? -✓✓ Cancers must be treated with more than one drug
• Does drug resistance increase or decrease the therapeutic index of cancer drugs? -
✓✓ Decrease
• An inhibitor of what enzyme would be expected to increase the sensitivity of
cancer cells to vincristine? -✓✓ MDR
• Based on their toxicity profiles, what drug is likely to be excluded from use to
treat lung cancer? -✓✓ Bleomycin
• What is the shared target of cyclophosphamide and cisplatin? -✓✓ DNA
and Answer (2026/2027) | A+ Verified
• Genetic changes are required for which of the following to occur? Select all that
apply. -✓✓ Initiation/Transformation of a cell
Formation of a malignant tumor from a pre-neoplastic lesion
Formation of clinical cancer from a malignant tumor
Metastasis of a clinical cancer
• What effect would a G12V mutation in Ras have on ERK? -✓✓ It would lead to
increased activation of ERK
• Are cancers more likely to develop mutation that activate or inactivate Rb? -✓✓
Inactivate
• Metabolites of nicotine commonly result in DNA point mutations. Which type of
DNA instability is this an example of? -✓✓ Genetic instability
• If a human cell underwent endoreduplication followed by failed cytokinesis, how
many chromosomes would you expect that cell to now contain? -✓✓ 184
• Which of the following statements is true regarding apoptosis. -✓✓ Cancer cells
must avoid it
• Which statement best describes the Warburg effect? -✓✓ The switching of cancer
cells from oxidative phosphorylation to aerobic glycolysis
• A patient undergoes an FdG-PET scan. Will a tumor contain more or less
18fluorodeoxyglucose than normal the surrounding tissue? -✓✓ More
• Angiogenesis is __________________. -✓✓ the process of creating new blood
vessels from current blood vessels
• Is inflammation harmful or beneficial to cancer? -✓✓ Beneficial
• If a cell expresses a mutant form of EGFR, would this be considered a tumor
specific antigen or a tumor associated antigen? -✓✓ Tumor specific antigen
, • Which statement best describes how cancer cells overcome the Hayflick limit? -
✓✓ They upregulate telomerase
• What chemical causes the most cigarette-related DNA mutations? -✓✓
Benzo[a]pyrene
• The Epstein-Barr virus, most famous for causing mononucleosis, also plays a
prevalent role in the formation of what type of cancer? -✓✓ Burkitt's lymphoma
• What viral protein is capable of inhibiting p53? -✓✓ E6
• Which class of cancer drugs is the least selective towards cancer cells? -✓✓
Chemotherapy
• Is chemotherapy generally more effective when tumors are small or large? -✓✓
Small
• A tumor contains 10^9 cells. After a dose of chemotherapy, there are 750,000
cells remaining. When the second chemotherapy dose is given, the tumor has
grown to 800,000 cells. How many cells do you expect to remain after the next
dose of chemotherapy? -✓✓ 600
• Which statement best summarizes the treatment ramifications of the Goldie-
Coldman hypothesis? -✓✓ Cancers must be treated with more than one drug
• Does drug resistance increase or decrease the therapeutic index of cancer drugs? -
✓✓ Decrease
• An inhibitor of what enzyme would be expected to increase the sensitivity of
cancer cells to vincristine? -✓✓ MDR
• Based on their toxicity profiles, what drug is likely to be excluded from use to
treat lung cancer? -✓✓ Bleomycin
• What is the shared target of cyclophosphamide and cisplatin? -✓✓ DNA
