How to treat cancers by knowing about their pathology Flashcards
Does a basal skin carcinoma spread?
Only invades locally, never to other parts of the body
How could you treat a basal skin carcinoma?
Complete local excision → cure
Does leukaemia spread?
Yes always, WBC circulate around the body, so tumour will
How are axillary lymph nodes related to breast cancer?
Axillary lymph nodes are site where breast drains to (other than medial breast)
Which cancers commonly spread to bone?
Breast, prostate, lung, thyroid and kidney
How could you diagnose breast cancer?
Core biopsy of tissue to diagnose invasive cancer
Why would you do an ultrasound of the axilla in breast cancer?
To see if it has spread
What is needed if breast cancer has spread to axilla?
Axillary node clearance
What investigation would be needed if breast cancer has spread to the axilla?
Bone scan
What treatment would be needed if breast cancer has spread to the rest of the body?
Systemic chemotherapy
What treatment would be needed if breast cancer hasn’t spread to the rest of the body?
Surgery with or without axillary node clearance
True or false: if a tumour is completely excised micro metastases could be present
True
What is adjuvant therapy?
Extra treatment given after surgical excision eg. radiotherapy
What hormones are breast epithelial sensitive to?
Oestrogen and progesterone
What do nuclei of breast epithelial cells produce?
Oestrogen receptor protein
