From 1600BC to 21st-century breakthroughs: how much do you know about cancer research?

1. Which ancient civilization is the first known to have recorded a case of cancer?

   1. The Roman Empire.

   2. Ancient Egypt.

   3. The Chinese Han dynasty.

2. How many different types of cancers are there?

   1. 20.

   2. 100.

   3. More than 200.

3. Which of these animals is naturally resistant to cancer?

   1. Naked mole-rat.

   2. Capybara.

   3. Red squirrel.

4. Chemotherapy has been a mainstay of cancer treatment for decades, but the first ever chemotherapy drug was the result of an accidental discovery. What happened?

   1. It was isolated from a fungus found growing in a scientist’s messy laboratory.

   2. It was created from mustard gas chemicals following a naval tragedy in the second world war.

   3. It was based on a toxin found in spoiled sausages.

5. The NHS has been trialling a new form of cancer diagnostic, known as a liquid biopsy, which might be able to detect the disease at a much earlier stage. How does this work?

   1. It identifies mutations in cancer-linked genes.

   2. It looks for DNA that is released into the blood as tumours grow.

   3. It picks up different toxins that are secreted by cancer cells.

6. Scientists are looking to accelerate cancer drug development through organoids. But what are they?

   1. A new form of immunotherapy.

   2. Miniature organs created using patient stem cells.

   3. The inner centre of a tumour.

7. PARP inhibitors – such as olaparib – are a relatively new class of cancer drug, which treat thousands of patients around the world with advanced breast and ovarian cancer. How do they work?

   1. They stop cancer cells from repairing themselves.

   2. They deliver a highly targeted dose of ionising radiation.

   3. They activate the immune system against the tumour.

8. 

   Drug repurposing has become an important means of discovering new cancer treatments. Researchers are now using a former Alzheimer's drug to tackle brain cancer, but what makes this medicine so powerful?

   1. It makes chemotherapy more potent.

   2. The process of brain deterioration in Alzheimer's bears similarities to cancer.

   3. It can pass through the layer of cells separating the bloodstream from the brain.

9. Cancers evolve over time to become resistant to drugs, which is one of the biggest challenges in cancer treatment. How do doctors try to overcome this?

   1. Surgery.

   2. Rapid diagnostics.

   3. Giving patients a combination of different therapies.

10. How much have cancer survival rates improved in the UK between the 1980s and now?

    1. 25%.

    2. 75%.

    3. 100%.

Solutions

1:B - While the word cancer is credited to the Greek physician Hippocrates (well, the terms he used, karkinos and karkinoma, were later translated into Latin as cancer), the first known description of the disease is more than thousand years older. A manuscript from ancient Egypt, written around 1600BC and known as the Edwin Smith Papyrus, describes attempts by a surgeon to cauterise breast tumours., 2:C - There are more than 200 types and subtypes of cancer. They are classified according to where they start in the body, for example breast or liver cancer. They are also classified based on the type of cells that are malfunctioning, so leukaemia refers to cancer of the white blood cells, and myeloma begins in cells of the immune system., 3:A - These subterranean creatures, who live in burrows in East Africa, do not feel pain, display few signs of ageing and almost never get cancer. Scientists are still trying to understand why – some theories suggest they may produce a chemical that stops cells clumping together into tumours. It is hoped that further research into the biology of naked mole-rats will yield future cancer drugs., 4:B - All three of these incidents resulted in gamechanging drugs, but (a) and (c) are penicillin and botox. The first chemotherapy originated during the second world war. An American naval ship carrying mustard gas shells was bombed by the Nazis, with the toxic gases contributing to many deaths. Autopsies revealed that the gas had wiped out the soldiers’ white blood cells, leading doctors to speculate whether it could do the same for cancer cells. The study of mustard gas chemicals subsequently led to the first chemotherapy drug, mechlorethamine, which was created to treat lymphoma., 5:B - This DNA, called circulating tumour DNA, can reveal the state of a tumour, its location and potentially its weaknesses, which could be used to select tailored treatments., 6:B - Organoids are grown in a dish, yet still resemble what tissue structures look like in people. Researchers are using them to understand how a patient's tumour interacts with the surrounding tissue, how it might continue to grow, and how novel drugs might be able to exploit weaknesses., 7:A - All three answers are different forms of cancer treatments, but the aim of PARP inhibitors is to prevent tumours from repairing themselves, which can either help initiate cancer cell death or make them more vulnerable to chemotherapy. Discovery research funded by Worldwide Cancer Research, a charity based in Edinburgh, laid the groundwork for the development of olaparib., 8:C - One of the challenges for scientists tackling brain cancer is that most drugs simply cannot reach the tumour, because the molecules are too large to pass through the blood-brain barrier. The drug azeliragon has been found to sensitise cancer cells to radiotherapy, and is capable of penetrating deep into the brain., 9:C - The main way to overcome drug resistance is the use of multi-pronged therapies, where patients receive treatments such as immunotherapy in combination with other drugs that make the tumour more vulnerable. Better understanding why drug resistance happens is one of the ways researchers funded by Worldwide Cancer Research are hoping to reveal new cancer treatments., 10:C - Through improved diagnosis and treatment, cancer survival rates have doubled in the UK in the last 40 years.

Scores

1. 10 and above.

   You're certainly knowledgeable about cancer research. Stay on top of the latest innovations and research breakthroughs – head to the Worldwide Cancer Research website.

2. 9 and above.

   You're certainly knowledgeable about cancer research. Stay on top of the latest innovations and research breakthroughs – head to the Worldwide Cancer Research website.

3. 8 and above.

   You're certainly knowledgeable about cancer research. Stay on top of the latest innovations and research breakthroughs – head to the Worldwide Cancer Research website.

4. 7 and above.

   Good going. But cancer research is an ever-evolving frontline – to stay up to speed, visit the Worldwide Cancer Research website.

5. 6 and above.

   Good going. But cancer research is an ever-evolving frontline – to stay up to speed, visit the Worldwide Cancer Research website.

6. 5 and above.

   Good going. But cancer research is an ever-evolving frontline – to stay up to speed, visit the Worldwide Cancer Research website.

7. 4 and above.

   There's plenty more to learn about this complex and evolving disease – and the constant efforts to research it and find answers. Find out more at the Worldwide Cancer Research website.

8. 3 and above.

   There's plenty more to learn about this complex and evolving disease – and the constant efforts to research it and find answers. Find out more at the Worldwide Cancer Research website.

9. 2 and above.

   There's plenty more to learn about this complex and evolving disease – and the constant efforts to research it and find answers. Find out more at the Worldwide Cancer Research website.

10. 0 and above.

    There's plenty more to learn about this complex and evolving disease – and the constant efforts to research it and find answers. Find out more at the Worldwide Cancer Research website.

11. 1 and above.

    There's plenty more to learn about this complex and evolving disease – and the constant efforts to research it and find answers. Find out more at the Worldwide Cancer Research website.

Find out more about the search for new cures being funded by Worldwide Cancer Research and how you can support the charity’s work