DP Biology (first assessment 2025)

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Question 20N.1A.HL.TZ0.4

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Date November 2020 Marks available [Maximum mark: 1] Reference code 20N.1A.HL.TZ0.4
Level HL Paper 1A Time zone TZ0
Command term Question number 4 Adapted from N/A
4.
[Maximum mark: 1]
20N.1A.HL.TZ0.4

What would show that a person has developed metastatic cancer?

A. Alveolus cells forming a tumour in the lungs

B. Cancer cells producing the skin pigment melanin in the liver

C. A tumour in the prostate gland increasing levels of prostate-specific antigen

D. Cancerous lymphocytes in blood plasma

[1]

Markscheme

B

Examiners report

This also had a low discrimination index, but for the opposite reason – most candidates struggled with it. Metastasis is included in sub-topic 1.6 of the program, so candidates could be expected to know that it is the spread of cancer to form secondary tumours. Three of the four answers were describing primary tumours, so were not correct. The expected answer was that cancer cells in the liver producing the skin pigment melanin indicate metastasis. Perhaps candidates did not realise that cells producing melanin must have originated from skin cells.

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