Lecture 7 - Brain Cancer Flashcards

1
Q

What is a frequent complication of cancer/cancer treatment?

A

Cognitive impairment

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2
Q

In which three cancer patient types does cognitive impairment most commonly show up?

A

Primary brain tumours, secondary brain tumours and cancer outside the CNS

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3
Q

What are primary brain tumours?

A

Tumours arising from cells within the CNS

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4
Q

What is the most common benign (non-malignent) tumour?

A

Meningioma’s (which I think start in the menginus)

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5
Q

What is the most common malignant tumour?

A

Glioma’s (in the glial cells surrounding neurons)

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6
Q

The WHO has different classifications for brain tumours (1-4, 1 being benign), what often happens when a tumour starts out as a 2?

A

Lower grade malignant tumours often come back and change to a higher grade

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7
Q

The WHO’s classification is dependent on molecular parameters, what does the presence of mutation in IDH gene usually mean for prognosis

A

IDH mutant has a better prognosis than wildtype (idk wtf this means)

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8
Q

The WHO’s classification is dependent on molecular parameters, what does 1p/19q codelation for the prognosis?

A

Codelated has a better prognosis, it responds better to chemo treatment

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9
Q

The WHO’s classification is dependent on molecular parameters, what does MGMT promotor methylation mean for prognosis?

A

Better response to chemotherapy

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10
Q

What are the three most common locations for brain tumours?

A

Frontal lobe, Temporal lobe and parietal lobe

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11
Q

Name some common types of brain tumours?

A

Meningioma, Glioma, neuroma (neurons), pituitary ademona

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12
Q

What are 5 common/important clinical presentations of brain tumours?

A

Memory loss, cognitive changes, language, personality changes and visual changes

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13
Q

What three functions are a priority for patients and caregivers to retain?

A
  1. Brain functioning, 2. Basic physical tasks (like walking) and 3. Reducing pain
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14
Q

What are five causes of cognitive impairment in braim tumour patients?

A

Tumours, treatment, meds, distress and fatigue

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15
Q

Why do tumours cause cognitive impairments?

A

Affects healthy brain tissue, affects blood flow, edema (swelling) and possible pressure

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16
Q

What is a primary brain tumour?

A

The first cancerous tumour originated in the brain (as opposed to in another part of the CNS or body which then spread to the brain)

17
Q

In what two tumours types is cognition generally worse?

A

Left-side tumours and more agressive tumours

18
Q

About 75% of RTL and LTL glioma patients have learning, memory and executive problems, what is this indicative of?

A

Bilaterality of verbal memory processes

19
Q

What problems do three quarters of LTL glioma patients have?

A

attention and languge problems

20
Q

Which cancer treatment can cause the “most” cognitive impairment and how does it do so?

A

Radiotherapy, it attacks healthy cells (as well as cancerous cells) which diminish cognitive functioning

20
Q

What is cognitive impairment in brain tumours most related to?

A

molecular characteristics of the tumour (IDH1-wildtype tumours tend to, for instance, present with greater cognitive dysfunction)

21
Q

There are three “phases” of CNS radiation toxicity, explain and what impairments are related to it?

A

Acute (1-3 weeks): Edema, focal deficits, steroids

Subacute (1-6 months): Demyelination, subcortical profile

Late (>6 months): White matter injury, necrosis, irreversible cognitive impairment

22
Q

How does chemotherapy differ from radiotherapy?

A

Both aim to kill off cancerous cells, but chemo focuses on dividing cells (cancerous cells divide much more often, however healthy cells are still affected)

23
Q

Which brain disorder often co-occurs with glioma tumours?

A

Epilepsy

24
Q

What is treatment benefit a combination of?

A

Survival (disease control) and how a patient feels/functions

25
Q

Which cancer treatment can help with cognitive impairment? For which type of cancer is it most useful and for which less so?

A

Meningioma patients show improvement after surgery. Can also be useful in glioma patients, but permanent cognitive decline is possible