Question

Cancer is thought to arise when a cell accumulates an unlucky set of deleterious mutations, by chance, that switches the cell from being a harmonious part of a multicellular body to being a "parasite." Like true parasites, a dividing population of cancer cells uses materials and resources entirely for their own advantage, disrupting the health and integrity of the rest of the body. In addition, cancer cells have high mutation rates, and face a problem of a steady accumulation of deleterious mutations. This can become so severe that some cancer populations die out simply due to their own mutations - a Muller's ratchet effect.

A. Refer to the paragraph above in answering this question. In general, do parasites tend to reproduce sexually or asexually? Why?

Answer 1

Parasites tend to reproduce asexually.

Step-by-step explanation:

Parasites tend to reproduce asexually. Asexual reproduction involves the production of offspring that are genetically identical to the parent organism. This is advantageous for parasites because it allows them to quickly increase their population size and colonize new hosts without the need for a mate.