Intro to Cancer and Hallmarks of Cancer (Keith Spriggs) Flashcards
What is Cancer?
A group of diseases
Common features is uncontrolled abnormal cell growth
Typically life threatening if untreated
Underpinned by genetic changes (mutation)
Cancers change; adapt in response to selection pressures similarly
What does neoplasm mean?
New - creation
What does hyperplasia mean?
Increased proliferation of (otherwise normal) cells.
What does cancer mean?
Neoplasm capable of invasive growth (invasive = capable of spreading to other parts of the body).
What is a tumour?
Proliferation of abnormal cells
What does benign mean?
Incapable of invasive growth
What does malignant mean?
Capable of invasive growth
What is the most common origin cell of cancer?
Epithelial cells
What does carcinoma refer to?
Epithelial origin i.e. skin, breast, lung, prostate
What does sarcoma refer to?
Mesenchymal origin e.g. bone, fat, muscle
What does lymphoma refer to?
Bone marrow cells in the lymphatic system
What does leukaemia refer to?
Bone marrow cells in the blood
What is normal cell behaviour?
Multiply/divide only when told to
Commit suicide when required (apoptosis)
Stay where they should
Communicate and cooperate with other cells
- including with the immune system
Senesce after a number of divisions (Hayflick limit 40-60 generations)
What are the Hallmarks of Cancer?
Sustained proliferative signalling Resisting cell death Evading growth suppressors Activating invasion and metastasis Enabling replicate immortality Inducing angiogenesis
Does cancer evolve?
Selection pressure for survival and reproduction
The most ‘successful’ cancer cells proliferate
