What is the term for the ability to cause cancer?

What is the term for the ability to cause cancer?

• A. Carcinogenesis
• B. Oncogenesis
• C. Tumorigenesis
• D. Metastasis

Answer: (A)

Think about the process by which cells become cancerous. That process is carcinogenesis, which covers how normal cells are transformed and progress toward malignancy. It captures the cancer-causing potential in terms of initiation and development of cancer. Oncogenesis and tumorigenesis describe the development or formation of tumors more generally, not specifically the initiating ability to cause cancer. Metastasis is about cancer spreading to other parts of the body, not its origin.

Think about the process by which cells become cancerous. That process is carcinogenesis, which covers how normal cells are transformed and progress toward malignancy. It captures the cancer-causing potential in terms of initiation and development of cancer.

Oncogenesis and tumorigenesis describe the development or formation of tumors more generally, not specifically the initiating ability to cause cancer. Metastasis is about cancer spreading to other parts of the body, not its origin.