- 1. The Emperor of All Maladies: A Biography of Cancer, written by Siddhartha Mukherjee, is a profound exploration of the history, science, and personal narratives surrounding cancer, framing the disease as an evolving entity that has been part of humanity's experience for centuries. Mukherjee, a physician and researcher, intertwines personal stories and historical accounts with detailed medical insights, effectively illustrating both the struggle of individuals against cancer and the larger scientific quest for understanding and treating this complex illness. The book is organized into various chapters that chronologically and thematically depict significant developments in cancer treatment and research, ranging from ancient civilizations' superstitions about diseases to contemporary advances in genetics and immunotherapy. Through vivid storytelling, the author portrays cancer not merely as a medical challenge, but as a social and psychological phenomenon that impacts patients' lives, families, and societal perceptions. Mukherjee's eloquent prose and meticulous research offer a comprehensive examination of the 'imperial' nature of cancer, advocating for empathy, patience, and perseverance in the ongoing battle against this pervasive illness, ultimately suggesting that we must continue to learn and adapt in our approach to cancer care and treatment.
What is the subtitle of 'The Emperor of All Maladies'?
A) The Story of a Cell
B) The War on Disease
C) A History of Medicine
D) A Biography of Cancer
- 2. Who is the author of 'The Emperor of All Maladies'?
A) Atul Gawande
B) Siddhartha Mukherjee
C) Oliver Sacks
D) Paul Kalanithi
- 3. What prestigious award did the book win in 2011?
A) The Nobel Prize in Literature
B) The Pulitzer Prize for General Nonfiction
C) The National Book Award
D) The Booker Prize
- 4. The book traces the history of cancer back to which ancient physician?
A) Galen
B) Aristotle
C) Imhotep
D) Hippocrates
- 5. What does the term 'carcinoma' etymologically derive from?
A) The Greek word for crab
B) The Egyptian word for tumor
C) The Persian word for curse
D) The Latin word for poison
- 6. Who was the patient whose story opens the book and provides a narrative thread?
A) Mary Lasker
B) Carla Reed
C) George Papanicolaou
D) Sidney Farber
- 7. Sidney Farber is considered a pioneer in the development of what?
A) Palliative care
B) Chemotherapy
C) Preventive vaccines
D) Radiation therapy
- 8. What was the first chemical Farber found to induce remission in childhood leukemia?
A) Aminopterin
B) Mustard gas
C) Tamoxifen
D) Cisplatin
- 9. The book describes the 'War on Cancer' as being officially declared by which U.S. President?
A) Lyndon B. Johnson
B) Jimmy Carter
C) John F. Kennedy
D) Richard Nixon
- 10. What was the name of the legislation that launched the War on Cancer?
A) The Health Security Act
B) The Cancer Eradication Act
C) The National Cancer Act
D) The Medical Research Act
- 11. Who was the influential socialite and philanthropist who tirelessly lobbied for cancer research funding?
A) Mary Lasker
B) Barbara Bush
C) Eleanor Roosevelt
D) Carla Reed
- 12. The Pap smear, a critical tool for cervical cancer screening, was developed by?
A) William Halsted
B) Emil Freireich
C) George Papanicolaou
D) Sidney Farber
- 13. The radical mastectomy was a famously aggressive surgical procedure pioneered by?
A) William Halsted
B) Vincent DeVita
C) Sidney Farber
D) Bernard Fisher
- 14. The book discusses the development of Gleevec, a targeted therapy effective against?
A) Melanoma
B) Lung cancer
C) Chronic Myeloid Leukemia (CML)
D) Pancreatic cancer
- 15. Gleevec works by targeting a specific abnormal protein caused by a genetic mishap called the?
A) BRCA mutation
B) Philadelphia chromosome
C) p53 gene
D) RAS oncogene
- 16. The 'cell cycle' is described as a clock-like mechanism that regulates?
A) Cell division
B) Cell death
C) Cell communication
D) Cell metabolism
- 17. What are the two major classes of genes that, when mutated, can lead to cancer?
A) Oncogenes and tumor suppressor genes
B) Enzymes and hormones
C) Antigens and antibodies
D) Receptors and transmitters
- 18. The p53 gene is a famous example of what type of gene?
A) DNA repair gene
B) Housekeeping gene
C) Oncogene
D) Tumor suppressor gene
- 19. The idea of targeting angiogenesis to treat cancer was notably championed by?
A) Harold Varmus
B) Robert Weinberg
C) Judah Folkman
D) Sidney Farber
- 20. What is the name given to the ability of cancer cells to break off and spread to distant organs?
A) Angiogenesis
B) Metastasis
C) Apoptosis
D) Mitosis
- 21. The book argues that the future of cancer treatment lies in?
A) Preventive isolation
B) More radical surgery
C) Targeted therapies
D) Higher dose chemotherapy
- 22. What is a major theme of the book regarding the fight against cancer?
A) It was won in the 20th century.
B) It is a simple problem with a simple solution.
C) It is primarily a failure of willpower.
D) It is a constant battle of adaptation.
- 23. Besides a doctor, what other profession does the author use as a metaphor for his role?
A) A detective
B) A biographer
C) A general
D) An archaeologist
- 24. The book suggests that cancer is essentially a disease of?
A) Viruses
B) The immune system
C) Toxins
D) Genes
- 25. What common cancer is strongly linked to smoking and saw a rise in the 20th century?
A) Prostate cancer
B) Lung cancer
C) Breast cancer
D) Leukemia
- 26. The book describes the creation of the first chemotherapy combination regimens, known as 'VAMP', for treating?
A) Leukemia
B) Lung cancer
C) Breast cancer
D) Lymphoma
- 27. What is the name of the targeted therapy drug developed for Chronic Myeloid Leukemia (CML)?
A) Avastin
B) Gleevec (imatinib)
C) Rituxan
D) Herceptin
- 28. What was the first chemical ever shown to cause cancer (a carcinogen)?
A) Benzene
B) Tobacco
C) Soot
D) Asbestos
- 29. What is the overall tone of the book regarding the fight against cancer?
A) Indifferent
B) Cautiously optimistic
C) Deeply pessimistic
D) Triumphant
- 30. What year did 'The Emperor of All Maladies' win the Pulitzer Prize for General Nonfiction?
A) 2011
B) 2013
C) 2009
D) 2015
- 31. What is a carcinogen?
A) An immune cell
B) A cancer-causing agent
C) A type of tumor
D) A cancer-treating drug
- 32. The book describes the work of epidemiologists Richard Doll and Austin Bradford Hill, who established a definitive link between cancer and what?
A) Alcohol
B) Smoking
C) Processed foods
D) Asbestos
- 33. What viral cause of cancer did Peyton Rous discover?
A) Epstein-Barr virus
B) Hepatitis B virus
C) Human papillomavirus (HPV)
D) Rous sarcoma virus
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