Question

Fiona, a 67-year-old lady, suffers from a condition wherein her red blood cells multiply at an exponential rate. Her doctor pronounces that alterations in protein synthesis have resulted in changes in her DNA. He diagnoses her condition as blood cancer. In this scenario, which of the following is most likely to be the cause of blood cancer?

a. Denaturation
b. Epigenetics
c. Malnutrition
d. Mutation

Answer 1

Mutation is the most likely cause of Fiona's blood cancer, as it refers to a permanent change in the DNA that can lead to uncontrolled cell proliferation and cancer.

Step-by-step explanation:

The condition described for Fiona suggests that her red blood cells are multiplying at an abnormal rate, which her doctor identifies as blood cancer. The cause of this type of blood cancer is most likely to be d. Mutation. A mutation refers to a permanent change in the DNA of a cell which can disrupt normal cell function. If a mutation occurs in essential genes that regulate cell proliferation, such as those coding for cyclin proteins, it may result in uncontrolled cellular division and eventually cancer. These mutations can arise from various factors, including environmental agents, infectious agents, or errors in the DNA replication process that accumulate with age. In Fiona's case, the cancer is due to such a genetic alteration rather than denaturation, epigenetics, or malnutrition.