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3.5 Changes to Cell’s DNA (Sec 2.5 pg 53) • Your DNA provides the instructions for how to build and run your body. It is like the operating system. • Can it get altered? If so, what happens when it gets altered? • It turns out it can be altered. When DNA is being copied it can be altered in a way similar to how you might copy a word down wrong from the board. Also chemicals that we eat or come in contact with can alter our DNA. This is called a mutation. • Mutations can be classified as beneficial (good), neutral, or harmful. • Genetic diseases are caused by a harmful mutation that causes a needed protein to function poorly or not at all. Cystic Fibrosis is a genetic disease that allows mucus to fill the lungs. • Harmful mutations can also cause cancer. Cancer is a disease in which cells grow out of control and divide very rapidly. • They outgrow the healthy cells around them and they can form a tumor (growth) • If they continue to invade new areas of the body we say that the cancer has metastasized. Benign – • These tumors do not interfere with the normal functioning of the body. They are usually contained in one location and are not invading neighboring tissues. Malignant • These tumors interfere with the normal functioning of the body and cause it harm. They also invade surrounding tissues and organs. • What can cause cancer? • Anything that alters the DNA can cause cancer. We call these things Carcinogens. • How do we fight cancer? • We can use surgery to remove the tumor. • We can use drugs (chemotherapy) • We can use radiation to kill the tumor.