Cancer Flashcards
(51 cards)
1
Q
What is Cancer?
A
A family of complex diseases with manifestations that vary according to body system and type of tumor cells
2
Q
Which ethnic or racial group is most likely to develop cancer in the US?
A
African Americans
3
Q
What is oncology?
A
The study of cancer
4
Q
What is a neoplasm?
A
Mass of new tissue that grows independently of its surrounding structures and has no purpose. Interchangeable with tumor.
5
Q
What does benign mean?
A
Growth that does not endanger life or health
6
Q
What does malignant mean?
A
Growth that, if not treated, will recur, continue to grow, and spread to other sites in the body (metastasize), ending in death.
7
Q
Characteristics of a benign neoplasm
A
- solid mass
- well defined borders
- encapsulated
- often stop growing when they reach the border of another tissue (contact inhibition)
- slow growth
- does not recur
- easily removed
8
Q
Characteristics of malignant neoplasms
A
- grow agressively
- not cohesive, irregular shape
- cut through surrounding tissues (invasion)
- invasive
- invades and destroys surrounding tissue
- metastiasizes to distant sites
- not easily removable
- can recur
9
Q
What does metastasis mean?
A
The process by which spreading of malignant neoplasms occurs; the transfer of disease from one organ or part to another
10
Q
Characteristics of malignant cells
A
- loss of regulation of the rate of mitosis
- loss of specialization and differentiation (perform similar to parent tissue, but in excessive amounts)
- loss of contact inhibition
- become “immortal”
- irreversible
- altered structure
- only there to divide and conquer
- transplantability (breaks away and travels throughout the body
- promote own survival by stealing blood supply from other tissues
11
Q
Qualities of aggressive tumors
A
- ability to cause pressure atrophy (kills surrounding tissue with pressure)
- ability to disrupt the basement membrane of normal cells
- motility
- response to chemical signals from adjacent tissues
12
Q
Most common sites of metastasis
A
- lymph nodes
- liver
- lungs
- bone
- brain
13
Q
Presentation of a cancer patient
A
- fatigued
- weight loss
- anemia
- pallor
- dehydration
- electrolyte imbalances
14
Q
Causative agents
A
External -chemicals -radiation -viruses (Think about where the patient works, lives, if they have been in contact with carcinogens)
Internal
- hormones
- immune conditions
- inherited mutations
15
Q
HSV-1 and -2 are linked to which cancers?
A
- Carcinoma of the lip
- Cervical carcinoma
- Kaposi sarcoma
16
Q
Human Cytomegalovirus is linked to which cancers?
A
- Kaposi sarcoma
- Prostate cancer
17
Q
Epstein-Barr virus is linked to which cancers?
A
-Burkitt lymphoma
18
Q
Human Herpesvirus 6 (HHV-6) is linked to which cancers?
A
-lymphoma
19
Q
Hepatitis B virus is linked to which cancers?
A
-Primary hepatocellular cancer
20
Q
Papillomavirus (HPV) is linked to which cancers?
A
- malignant melanoma
- cervical, penile, and laryngeal cancers
21
Q
Human T-lymphotropic Viruses (HTLV) are linked to which cancers?
A
- adult T-cell leukemia and lymphoma
- T-cell variant of hairy-cell leukemia
- Kaposi sarcoma
22
Q
Nonmodifiable Risk Factors
A
- age
- gender
- heredity
23
Q
Modifiable risk factors
A
- poverty
- stress
- diet
- occupation
- infection
- tobacco use
- alcohol use
- recreational drug use
- obesity
- sun exposure
24
Q
Teaching prevention (primary)
A
- healthy diet
- exercising
- smoking cessation
- decrease alcohol consumption
- wear sunscreen
- wash hands and have good hygiene
- reduce promiscuity
25
Common clinical manifestations
- Disruption of function (bowel obstruction with bowel cancer, renal failure with kidney cancer)
- Hematologic alterations (immature leukocytes cannot fight infection)
- infection (invasion can cause fistulas, causing infection)
- hemorrhage
- anorexia (malnourished)
- paraneoplastic syndromes (rare)
26
Most common Oncologic Emergencies
```
-tumor lysis syndrome
(hyperkalemia, hyperuricemia, hyperphosphatemia causing cardiac arrhythmias, renal failure, and death)
-septic shock
-brain herniation
-spinal cord compression
-superior vena cava compression
```
27
What are the clinical manifestations of direct tumor involvement resulting in pain?
How do we treat this pain?
- the patient experiences pain, often severe in nature and described as any type
- narcotic analgesics
28
What are the clinical manifestations related to anorexia-cachexia?
How do we treat this?
- muscle wasting, weight loss, emaciated appearance, weakness, fatigue
- nutritional counseling, increase caloric intake, reduce activity level, provide nutritional supplements (liquid formulas)
29
What are the clinical manifestations of infection related to cancer?
How do we treat this?
- fever, malaise, fatigue, septicemia
| - teach prevention techniques (hand washing, cough etiquette, crowd avoidance), antimicrobial meds, monitor and hydrate
30
What are the clinical manifestations of paraneoplastic syndromes?
How do we treat these?
- dependent on system affected, increased hormone production, hypersecretion
- surgical intervention, palliative care, pain management, support services
31
What tissue of origin do Carcinomas come from?
Epithelial tissues
| -adenocarcinoma
32
Where do we find Sarcomas?
Connective or supportive tissue
- Bone (osteosarcoma)
- Cartilage (chondrosarcoma)
- Adipose (liposarcoma)
- Smooth muscle (leiomyosarcoma)
- Skeletal muscle (rhabdosarcoma)
- Fibrous tissue (fibrosarcoma)
- Cavity membranes (mesothelial sarcoma)
- blood vessels (angiosarcoma)
33
Where do we find myelomas?
Plasma Cells (myeloma)
34
Where do find lymphomas?
Lymphocytes
- Non Hodgkin
- Hodgkin (Reed-Sternberg Cell)
35
Where do we find Leukemia?
Bone marrow
- myelogenous
- lymphocytic
36
What to do for Primary prevention?
Teaching, always teach how to prevent cancer
- healthy diet
- exercise
- sun screen
37
What to do for secondary prevention?
- identifying high risk patients
| - cancer screening (breast exam, testicular exam, colonoscopy (50 yo), PAP test)
38
What diagnostic tests can be used to diagnose cancer?
- X-ray
- CT
- ultrasound
- MRI
- biopsy
- sputum testing
- PSA (prostate)
- CEA (blood antigen test)
39
Describe stage 1 cancer
- a small invasive mass or tumor
- no spread to lymph nodes or other tissues
- sometimes called early-stage or "localized"
40
Describe stage 2 cancer
- cancer has started to affect nearby tissue
- mass may have grown in size
- spread to lymph nodes near the mass
41
Describe stage 3 cancer
- cancer affects more surrounding tissue
- mass may have grown in size
- spread to distant lymph nodes away from the mass
42
Describe stage 4 cancer
- cancer has spread to other tissues or organs beyond the region where it originated
- sometimes called "advanced" or "metastatic"
43
What does TNM stand for?
T: extent of primary Tumor
N: lymph Node involvement
M: extent of Metastasis
44
A tumor presents less than 5cm in size, with lymph spread, and has not spread throughout the body. What TNM stage is the cancer?
Stage 2: >2cm but <5cm, did or did not spread to nodes, no metastases
45
A tumor presents less than 2cm in size, has not spread to lymph nodes, and is localized. What TNM stage is this cancer?
Stage 1: <2cm in size, no nodes, no mets
46
A tumor presents larger than 5 cm in size, has spread to clavicular lymph nodes, but has not metastasized. Which TNM stage is this cancer?
Stage 3: >5cm, clavicular node spread, no mets
47
A tumor presents at 3cm in size, with no lymph node spread detected, but it has metastasized. Which TNM stage is this cancer?
Stage 4: any size, did or did not spread to lymph nodes, distant mets
(STAGE 4 IS THE ONLY STAGE THAT METASTASIZES)
48
What are the different types of tumor markers?
- antigens
- hormones
- proteins
- enzymes
49
Cancer treatment options
-surgical removal of the tumor
-chemotherapy
-radiation therapy
(usually all used congruently)
50
Classifications of Chemo drugs
- alkylating agents
- antitumor antibiotics
- antimetabolites
- hormones and hormone agonists
- biological response modifiers and targeted therapies
- natural products
51
What is the most common type of radiation therapy?
External-beam radiation which is administered from a source outside the body
