Cancer Flashcards
(154 cards)
Difference between hyperplasia and neoplasia
Hyperplasia stops when stimulus removed
Neoplasia continues even when stimulus removed
Why is differentiation in cancer very important ?
Failure to achieve cellular differentiation is a particular feature of malignant neoplasms
Allows to predict the likely behaviour of a tumour
Differentiation is the term used to describe how different in appearance the cells of a tumour are to the cell type from which they are derived.
Define these terms :
Well differentiated tumour
Poorly differentiated tumour
Undifferentiated/anaplastic tumour
What are the common metastatic sites of lung cancer?
Adrenal gland, bone, brain, liver, other lung
Compare benign and malignant tumours
Benign : stay at their site of origin and do not spread ; compress adjacent tissue and grow by expansion; well circumscribed (spherical mass within solid organs and papillary outgrowth on epithelial surfaces)
Malignant - can spread to distant sites ; grow by expansion and infiltration ; compress adjacent tissues; irregular outline
Are all benign tumours harmless?
No - some can even be fatal due to compression of adjacent tumours
What are the common metastatic sites of lung cancer?
Adrenal gland, bone, brain, liver, other lung
Complete the table for the different naming of epithelial tumours
Complete the table for the different naming of mesenchymal tumours
Describe 3 common tumour markers
HCG- from testicular cancer
AFP - released in liver cancer and germ cell tumours
PSA - prostate specific antigen
How is the grade of tumour determined
Pleomorphism - variation in size and shape of tumour cells
Mitotic index
TNM system
Used to classify the extent of the spread of cancer
T (TUMOUR) describes the size of the tumor and any spread of cancer into nearby tissue;
N (NODES) describes spread of cancer to nearby lymph nodes;
M (METASTASIS) describes metastasis (spread of cancer to other parts of the body).
Tumours with excellent prognosis
Thyroid
Tumours with moderate prognosis
Kidney
Prostate
Cervix
Breast
Tumours with very poor prognosis
Pancreas
Brain
Oesophagus
Grade vs stage of cancer
Stage looks at how far a tumour has grown
Grade looks at differentiation and proliferation
Define dysplasia
cells that appear abnormal; often increased nuclear to cytoplasmic ratio and loss of features of differentiation. Not always cancer but can be ; often invasive if cancerous
Describe the 4 cell cycle checkpoints
G1 - main checkpoint for cell size, nutrients, GFs, and DNA damage ; where it is decided if cell will divide or not ; if cell proceeds past G1 , it is committed to division
G2 - further checks for DNA damage and completion of DNA replication (done during S phase)
Metaphase - spindle attachment checkpoint
Telomere shortening and cancer
Inactivation of tumour suppressor genes allows bypass of senescence in response to telomere shortening which should happen in healthy cells
Telomeres shortening leads to chromosome instability :
End to end fusion of unprotected chromatid ends - sister chromatids can’t be separated during mitosis
There may also be pairing of non homologous chromosomes = genetic catastrophe
In cancer, TERT gene is reactivated allowing cells to continue to proliferate with severely damaged chromosomes; inactivation of tumour suppressor gene p53 or Rb may occur
Fucntion of TERT gene
Gene for making telomerase
Telomerase counteracts the shortening of telomeres by adding small repeated segments of DNA to the ends of chromosomes each time the cell divides. It is active in highly proliferating cells such as stem cells, germ line cells, haemopoietic cells
Symptoms of lung cancer
a persistent cough
coughing up blood
persistent breathlessness
unexplained tiredness and weight loss
an ache or pain when breathing or coughing
voice hoarseness
Adenocarcinoma
Adenocarcinoma is a type of cancer that starts in mucus-producing glandular cells of your body. Many organs have these glands, and adenocarcinoma can occur in any of these organs. Common types include breast cancer, colorectal cancer, lung cancer, pancreatic cancer, and prostate cancer.
Benign tumours have the suffix
-oma
Malignant epithelial tumours are usually known as
Carcinomas