This higher tier covers Cancer Treatments Higher within Cancer and Cell Division Control for GCSE Biology. Cancer development, cell cycle control mechanisms, tumor formation, risk factors, prevention methods, and treatment approaches It is section 15 of 18 in this topic. This section is most useful once the core foundation idea is secure, because it adds the detail that pushes answers higher.
Cancer Treatments Higher
There are three main approaches to treating cancer, each working in a different way:
Surgery involves physically removing the tumour from the body. It is most effective when the cancer is localised (has not spread). The surgeon may also remove some surrounding healthy tissue to ensure all cancer cells are eliminated.
Chemotherapy uses drugs that target rapidly dividing cells. Because cancer cells divide much more frequently than most normal cells, they are preferentially killed. However, some normal body cells also divide rapidly — including hair follicle cells, gut lining cells, and bone marrow cells. This is why chemotherapy causes side effects such as hair loss, nausea, and reduced immunity.
Radiotherapy uses targeted beams of high-energy ionising radiation aimed directly at the tumour. The radiation damages the DNA of cancer cells, preventing them from dividing. Careful targeting minimises damage to surrounding healthy tissue.
Many patients receive a combination of these treatments. Modern targeted therapies also exist, which use drugs designed to interfere with specific molecules involved in cancer growth — causing fewer side effects than traditional chemotherapy.
Practice questions for Cancer and Cell Division Control
In a healthy cell, cell division is controlled by:
Explain the difference between benign and malignant tumors.