It begins as a single cell and grows into a merciless disease that claims millions of lives year after year. But scientists are steadily unlocking its mysteries, and the fight against it may now have reached a dramatic turning point. New discoveries promi

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Q: 129 (IAS/1995)
“It begins as a single cell and grows into a merciless disease that claims millions of lives year after year. But scientists are steadily unlocking its mysteries, and the fight against it may now have reached a dramatic turning point. New discoveries promise better therapies and hope in the war against ...” The disease referred to in the above quotation is

question_subject: 

Science

question_exam: 

IAS

stats: 

0,67,38,67,26,8,4

keywords: 

{'disease': [4, 2, 0, 0], 'merciless disease': [0, 1, 0, 0], 'cancer': [2, 0, 0, 1], 'tuberculosis': [1, 0, 0, 0], 'aids': [4, 0, 1, 3], 'single cell': [1, 1, 0, 1], 'better therapies': [0, 1, 0, 0], 'war': [5, 3, 9, 10], 'above quotation': [0, 2, 0, 0], 'new discoveries': [0, 1, 0, 0], 'lives year': [0, 1, 0, 0], 'scientists': [2, 2, 8, 11]}

The question revolves around a disease that begins as a single cell and grows into a merciless disease claiming millions of lives each year, with scientists continually unlocking its mysteries. The appropriate answer would be a disease that fits this description.

Option 1: Cancer - is in point of fact a group of many related diseases that begin as a single mutated cell which grows out of control. This fits with the description given, which makes it the correct answer.

Option 2: AIDS - is caused by the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) which attacks the immune system, making the body more susceptible to infections and diseases. It does not start as a single cell but as a virus infestation and therefore doesn`t match the description provided.

Option 3: Tuberculosis - is an infectious disease that primarily affects the lungs. It is caused by the bacterium Mycobacterium tuberculosis and not by a single cell that grows out of control.

Option 4: Alzheimer’s disease - is a progressive brain disorder that affects memory, thinking skills, and the ability to carry out simple tasks. It is not a single-cell mutation, rather, it is typically characterized by the buildup of proteins in the brain over time.

Therefore, the correct answer is cancer.