GMS 6540 STUDY GUIDE 2025/2026 QUESTIONS WITH
SOLUTIONS RATED A+
✔✔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
Tumor associated antigen - ✔✔Tumor specific antigen
✔✔Which statement best describes how cancer cells overcome the Hayflick limit?
They upregulated p53
They downregulate p53
They upregulate telomerase
They downregulate telomerase - ✔✔They upregulate telomerase
✔✔What chemical causes the most cigarette-related DNA mutations?
Benzo[a]pyrene
5-Methylchrysene
Chrysene
Benz[a]anthracene
Benzo[e]pyrene - ✔✔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?
Non-small cell lung cancer
Clear cell renal carcinoma
Acute myelogenous leukemia
Head and neck squamous cell carcinoma
Burkitt's lymphoma - ✔✔Burkitt's lymphoma
✔✔What viral protein is capable of inhibiting p53?
E3
E4
E5
E6
E7 - ✔✔E6
✔✔Which class of cancer drugs is the least selective towards cancer cells?
Chemotherapy
Targeted therapy
, Immunotherapy - ✔✔Chemotherapy
✔✔Is chemotherapy generally more effective when tumors are small or large?
Small
Large - ✔✔Small
✔✔A tumor contains 109 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?
550,000
600
7,5000
8,000
109 - ✔✔600
✔✔Which statement best summarizes the treatment ramifications of the Goldie-
Coldman hypothesis?
Chemotherapy kills one log of cells per dose
Cancers must be treated with chemotherapy when they are small
Chemotherapy kills faster growing cells more efficiently
Cancers must be treated with more than one drug - ✔✔Cancers must be treated with
more than one drug
✔✔Does drug resistance increase or decrease the therapeutic index of cancer drugs?
Increase
Decrease - ✔✔Decrease
✔✔An inhibitor of what enzyme would be expected to increase the sensitivity of cancer
cells to vincristine?
MDR
TOPO II
dihydrofolate reductase
DNA polymerase
Thymidylate synthetase - ✔✔MDR
✔✔Based on their toxicity profiles, what drug is likely to be excluded from use to treat
lung cancer?
Paclitaxel
SOLUTIONS RATED A+
✔✔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
Tumor associated antigen - ✔✔Tumor specific antigen
✔✔Which statement best describes how cancer cells overcome the Hayflick limit?
They upregulated p53
They downregulate p53
They upregulate telomerase
They downregulate telomerase - ✔✔They upregulate telomerase
✔✔What chemical causes the most cigarette-related DNA mutations?
Benzo[a]pyrene
5-Methylchrysene
Chrysene
Benz[a]anthracene
Benzo[e]pyrene - ✔✔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?
Non-small cell lung cancer
Clear cell renal carcinoma
Acute myelogenous leukemia
Head and neck squamous cell carcinoma
Burkitt's lymphoma - ✔✔Burkitt's lymphoma
✔✔What viral protein is capable of inhibiting p53?
E3
E4
E5
E6
E7 - ✔✔E6
✔✔Which class of cancer drugs is the least selective towards cancer cells?
Chemotherapy
Targeted therapy
, Immunotherapy - ✔✔Chemotherapy
✔✔Is chemotherapy generally more effective when tumors are small or large?
Small
Large - ✔✔Small
✔✔A tumor contains 109 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?
550,000
600
7,5000
8,000
109 - ✔✔600
✔✔Which statement best summarizes the treatment ramifications of the Goldie-
Coldman hypothesis?
Chemotherapy kills one log of cells per dose
Cancers must be treated with chemotherapy when they are small
Chemotherapy kills faster growing cells more efficiently
Cancers must be treated with more than one drug - ✔✔Cancers must be treated with
more than one drug
✔✔Does drug resistance increase or decrease the therapeutic index of cancer drugs?
Increase
Decrease - ✔✔Decrease
✔✔An inhibitor of what enzyme would be expected to increase the sensitivity of cancer
cells to vincristine?
MDR
TOPO II
dihydrofolate reductase
DNA polymerase
Thymidylate synthetase - ✔✔MDR
✔✔Based on their toxicity profiles, what drug is likely to be excluded from use to treat
lung cancer?
Paclitaxel
