What is a key concept of cancer related to cellular structure?

Prepare for the Oncology Nursing Test. Study with detailed flashcards and multiple-choice questions, complete with hints and explanations. Enhance your knowledge and get ready for success!

The key concept of cancer related to cellular structure is indeed reflected in the characteristic of the impaired immune system. Cancer cells often evade the body's immune system, allowing them to grow and spread without being detected and destroyed. This evasion occurs due to various mechanisms, such as expressing certain proteins that inhibit immune responses or creating a microenvironment that suppresses immune cell activation.

Understanding this concept is crucial because it helps explain why treatments such as immunotherapy are becoming increasingly important in oncology. These therapies work to enhance the immune system's ability to recognize and fight cancer cells effectively, addressing the fundamental issue of immune evasion common in many cancers.

The other choices do not capture the critical element of how cancer affects cellular behavior and the body's defense mechanisms. For instance, excessive cell adhesion (the first choice) may increase the potential for metastasis but does not fundamentally reflect cancer's relationship with cellular structure at the level of immune evasion. Normal chromosomal patterns and regular apoptosis represent characteristics of healthy cellular function, which are often disrupted in cancer cells. Therefore, the impaired immune system's role in facilitating cancer development and progression is the most relevant concept in this context.

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