Question

Which action explains how a somatic cell mutation can harm an organism

Answer 1

Somatic mutations are acquired after birth in non-reproductive cells. These changes occur in only certain cells of the body and can be caused by tobacco use, ultraviolet radiation, viruses, chemicals and age. Acquired mutations are the most common cause of cancer.

Humans experience many somatic mutations over a lifetime, and the human body is normally able to correct most of these changes. This is why there is only a small chance of one mutation causing cancer. It normally takes many mutations over a lifetime to cause cancer. This is why older people are the most likely group to get cancer, as they have had more chances for mutations to build up.