19/27

Question

Which of these is MOST LIKELY an indication that cells may have become cancerous?
Cells undergoing slower rates of mitosis.
Cells not responding to checkpoints in the cell cycle.
Cells with few or no mutations.
Cells with decreased rates of protein synthesis.

Answer 1

The option that is MOST LIKELY an indication that cells may have become cancerous is:

Cells not responding to checkpoints in the cell cycle.

In cancerous cells, the normal regulatory mechanisms that control the cell cycle are often disrupted, allowing the cells to proliferate uncontrollably. This can include ignoring the checkpoints that monitor for DNA damage, ensuring proper cell size, and determining if the cell is ready to divide. The other options do not typically indicate cancerous behavior:

• Slower rates of mitosis may be a sign of healthy aging or other factors, but not specifically cancer.
• Few or no mutations would generally indicate normal, healthy cells.
• Decreased rates of protein synthesis are not a common characteristic of cancer cells, which often have altered metabolism and increased protein synthesis.