Biology · Human Health and Diseases · NEET
In biopsy, a piece of the suspected tissue is cut into thin sections, stained, and examined under a microscope by a pathologist. This is called histopathological study. It confirms whether the cells are cancerous, so NEET treats biopsy as the basic, most direct detection method.
Yes. NCERT clearly says radiography (X-rays), CT (computed tomography) and MRI (magnetic resonance imaging) are very useful to detect cancers of the internal organs. This exact line was tested in NEET 2025, so remember both CT and MRI are correct.
CT (computed tomography) uses X-rays to make a three-dimensional image of the inside of the body. MRI uses strong magnetic fields and non-ionising radiations to detect changes in living tissue. Memory point: CT = X-rays; MRI = magnetic field + non-ionising radiation.
Leukemia is detected by blood and bone marrow tests that show an increased blood cell count. NEET traps students by saying counts 'decrease' — that is wrong. In leukemia the cell counts increase, which is why the tests look for a rise.
α-interferon is a biological response modifier. Tumor cells can hide from the immune system, so the patient is given α-interferon, which activates their own immune system and helps destroy the tumor. This is part of immunotherapy, not chemotherapy.
In radiotherapy (radiation therapy), tumor cells are irradiated (given radiation) lethally while protecting nearby normal tissue. In chemotherapy, drugs are used to kill cancerous cells; many of these drugs cause side effects like hair loss and anemia. Most cancers use a combination of surgery, radiotherapy and chemotherapy.
No. Chemotherapeutic drugs are used to kill cancerous cells, not non-cancerous ones. NEET 2025 used this exact wrong statement as a trap. Some drugs are specific for particular tumors, but their target is cancer cells.
Which are correct: A. Computed tomography and magnetic resonance imaging detect cancers of internal organs. B. Chemotherapeutics drugs are used to kill non-cancerous cells. C. α-interferon activate the cancer patients' immune system and helps in destroying the tumour. D. Chemotherapeutic drugs are biological response modifiers. E. In the case of leukemia blood cell counts are decreases.
Now a days it is possible to detect the mutated gene causing cancer by allowing radioactive probe to hybridise its complementary DNA in a clone of cells, followed by its detection using autoradiography because:
Try the real previous-year questions from this chapter — each with the answer and a full solution.
Biopsy with histopathological study, blood and bone marrow tests (for increased cell count in leukemias), and imaging techniques — radiography (X-ray), CT and MRI. Antibodies against cancer-specific antigens and molecular biology techniques are also used.
The common approaches are surgery, radiation therapy (radiotherapy) and immunotherapy. Chemotherapy uses drugs to kill cancer cells. Most cancers are treated by a combination of surgery, radiotherapy and chemotherapy.
MRI uses strong magnetic fields and non-ionising radiations. CT uses X-rays, which are ionising. This difference is a common NEET point.
Tumor cells can avoid detection and destruction by the immune system. α-interferon is a biological response modifier that activates the patient's immune system so it can destroy the tumor.
Many chemotherapeutic drugs cause side effects such as hair loss and anemia. Some drugs are specific for particular tumors, but they target cancer cells, not normal cells.
