MCQ Detailed View

Cancer is a group of diseases characterized by uncontrolled growth and spread of abnormal cells in the body. Unlike infections, which are treated with antibiotics or vaccines, cancer requires more specialized treatments that target rapidly dividing cells. The two most common methods are chemotherapy and radiotherapy.

Chemotherapy involves the use of powerful chemical drugs that circulate in the bloodstream and attack rapidly dividing cells. Since cancer cells divide faster than most normal cells, they are especially vulnerable to these drugs. However, chemotherapy may also affect healthy fast-growing cells, such as those in hair follicles and the digestive system, leading to side effects like hair loss, nausea, and fatigue. Despite these drawbacks, chemotherapy is an effective method for shrinking tumors, preventing the spread of cancer, and sometimes curing it completely.

Radiotherapy, also known as radiation therapy, uses high-energy radiation (such as X-rays, gamma rays, or proton beams) to damage the DNA of cancer cells. When the DNA is damaged, cancer cells lose their ability to reproduce and eventually die. Radiotherapy can be applied externally using radiation machines, or internally through radioactive implants placed near the tumor. It is often used in combination with surgery or chemotherapy for maximum effectiveness.

The incorrect options are:

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  Antibiotics & Vaccines → Antibiotics treat bacterial infections, not cancer. Vaccines may prevent certain virus-linked cancers (like HPV vaccine for cervical cancer), but they are not a direct treatment.

  
  


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  Radiotherapy & Antibiotics → Antibiotics have no role in cancer treatment.

  
  


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  Antibiotics & Chemotherapy → Partial overlap, but antibiotics are not used for cancer treatment.

  
  

Thus, the most accurate and widely used treatment methods for cancer are chemotherapy and radiotherapy.