Basics Flashcards
What is cancer ?
A disease where cells lose normal growth regulation, proliferate abnormally from their counterparts and invade other tissues.
What is clonality ?
One cell leads to the proliferation of many malignant cells
What is autonomy ?
Growth is resistant to normal regulation
What is anaplasia ?
Cell differentiation is less or not at all coordinated
What is metastasis ?
Malignant cells disseminate and grow discontinously to other parts of the body
What is hyperplasia ?
Increase in number of cells within an organ or tissue
What is hypertrophy ?
Increase in size of cells within an organ or tissue
What is dysplasia ?
Pre-malignant changes in cells and is seen as dysfunctional cell growth and morphological changes in cell nuclei.
Losing specific characteristics from their tissue of origin.
What is metaplasia ?
The reversible replacement of one cell type by another. ( may not be cancer and may be reversed upon removal of stimulus )
What is carcinoma in situ ?
Dysplastic cells involve the entire epithelial thickness and push against the basement membrane.
High grade dysplasia
Pre-malignant, non-malignant as the basement membrane is still intact
What is malignant neoplasm ?
Dysplastic cells have broken past the basement membrane
Cells are invasive as the basement membrane is no longer intact
What does the grade of a neoplasm refer to ?
The histological and pathological features of the cells in the neoplasm.
What does each letter in the TNM staging stand for ?
Tumour
Node
Metastasis
What are the 3 mechanisms of cancer spread ?
Local
Lymphatic
Haematogenous
What are the principals of a good screening test for cancer ?
Major health problem
More treatable if detected earlier
Test should be acceptable
Test should be inexpensive
Test should have high sensitivity and specificity
