Cancer Flashcards

1
Q

What is a tumour?

A

A mass forming lesion (abnormal change to tissue)

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2
Q

What are neoplastic tumours?

A

A mass formed by uncontrolled cell proliferation —> tumours

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3
Q

What are non-neoplastic tumours?

A

Cellular proliferation in response to an inflammatory, infectious or reparative process

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4
Q

What is a neoplasm?

A

An abnormal and uncontrolled growth of cells

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5
Q

What are the 2 types of neoplasms?

A
  1. Benign
  2. Malignant
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6
Q

What does benign mean?

A

Stays localised

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7
Q

What does malignant?

A

Metastasis (invades local or distant tissues)

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8
Q

What are cancers?

A

Malignant neoplasms

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9
Q

Do malignant tumours always lead to death?

A

No eg. some skin cancers

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10
Q

When can benign tumours lead to death? (2)

A
  1. Become malignant
  2. Location eg. brain
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11
Q

What are hamartomas?

A

Localised benign growths of one or more mature cell types

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12
Q

What type of abnormalities do hamartomas show?

A

Architectural

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13
Q

What is heterotopias?

A

Tissue found where its not usually present

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14
Q

What is the difference between the names of benign vs malignant neoplasms?

A
  • Benign —> -oma
  • Malignant —> -sarcoma
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15
Q

What are squamous epithelial tissue neoplasms called?

A
  • Benign —> squamous papilloma
  • Malignant —> squamous cell carcinoma
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16
Q

What are gladular epithelial tissue neoplasms called?

A
  • Benign —> adenoma
  • Malignant —> adenocarcinoma
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17
Q

What are transitional epithelial tissue neoplasms called?

A
  • Benign —> transitional papilloma
  • Malignant —> transitional cell carcinoma
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18
Q

What are smooth muscle tissue neoplasms called?

A
  • Benign —> leiomyoma
  • Malignant —> leiomyosarcoma
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19
Q

What are bone tissue neoplasms called?

A
  • Benign —> osteoma
  • Malignant —> osteosarcoma
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20
Q

What are lymphocyte neoplasms called?

A
  • Benign —> v. rare
  • Malignant —> lymphoma
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21
Q

What are bone marrow neoplasms called?

A
  • Benign —> v. rare
  • Malignant —> leukaemia
22
Q

What are teratomas?

A

Germ cell tumour containing multiple tissue types —> child born with deformities (ovum and sperm precursors)

23
Q

Are teratomas malignant?

A

Not usually

24
Q

What are the 4 differences between benign and malignant tumours?

A
  1. Invasion
  2. Metastasis
  3. Differentiation
  4. Growth Pattern
25
Q

What does tumour invasion refer to?

A

Extension of tumour to adjacent connective tissues/structures

26
Q

What is metastisis?

A

Spread of tumour to other tissues
eg. via blood vessels

27
Q

What does tumour differentiation refer to?

A

How different are the tumour cells to the original cell type

28
Q

What are the 4 differentiations between tumour and normal cells?

A

Tumour cells have…
1. Larger nucleus —> higher n:c
2. More mitosis —> higher mitotic index of tissue
3. Abnormal mitosis
4. Nuclear polymorphism (abnormal size and shape)

29
Q

What does tumour growth pattern refer to?

A

How different is the architecture of the tumour to the original tissue

30
Q

What is the growth pattern seen in tumours?

A

Less well defined architecture

31
Q

Can benign tumours become malignant?

A

Yes

32
Q

What are the 5 routes tumours spread via?

A
  1. Direct extension
  2. Haematogenous
  3. Lymphatic
  4. Transcoelomic
  5. Perineural
33
Q

What is direct extension of a tumour?

A

Stromal response (associated changes in surrounding tissue)

34
Q

What are the 3 results of direct extension?

A
  1. Fibroblastic response (desmoplastic response)
  2. Vascular proliferation (angiogenesis)
  3. Immune response
35
Q

What is haematogenous spread?

A

Spread via blood vessels

36
Q

Which 2 blood vessels are usually the route of haematogenous spread and why?

A
  1. Venules
  2. Capillaries
    - Thinner walls
37
Q

Which cancers usually spread first via haematogenous spread?

A

Sarcomas

38
Q

How do sarcomas usually spread first?

A

Haematogenous

39
Q

What is lymphatic spread?

A

Spread via lymphatics to lymph nodes etc.

40
Q

Which tumours usually spread first via lymphatic spread?

A

Epithelial cancers

41
Q

How do epithelial cancers usually spread first?

A

Lymphatic

42
Q

What is transcoelomic spread?

A

Spread into body cavities

43
Q

Which 2 cavities are usually used in transcoelomic spread?

A
  1. Pleural (lung cavity)
  2. Peritoneal (abdominal cavity)
44
Q

What is perineural spread?

A

Spread via nerves

45
Q

How is tumour metastasis assessed? (3)

A
  1. Clinically
  2. Radiologically
  3. Pathologically
46
Q

What is the TNM system?

A

System to describe cancer
- Tumour —> size and extent of local invasion
- Nodes —> number of lymph nodes involved
- Metastases —> presence

47
Q

How is tumour metastasis described?

A

Stage —> TNM system

48
Q

What does tumour grade refer to?

A

Differentiation

49
Q

What does tumour stage refer to?

A

Metastases

50
Q

Is grade or stage more important for prognosis?

A

Stage