Cancer Flashcards
(30 cards)
What is cancer staging?
the process to assess the extent to which the tumour has developed
What is the criteria used in staging cancer?
extent of tumour growth
how far it has extended into local tissues
where lymph nodes are involved - location and number
has it spread to distant sites.
what is TMN
internationally recognized cancer staging system
what does TMN stand for
Tumour
lymph Node involvement
Metastasis
What is metastasis?
it is a measure of the spread of the cancer.
describe In situ in relation to the staging of cancer
Abnormal cells are present and have not spread to nearby tissue
describe localised in relation to the staging of cancer
cancer is limited to the place where it started, has no sign of spreading
describe Distant in relation to the staging of cancer
cancer has spread to distant parts of the body
describe Unknown in relation to the staging of cancer
not enough information to figure out the stage
what’s another method to identify staging of cancer
using roman numerals to describe the size and spread
what is stage 0 in this form of cancer staging
abnormal cells present but not spread
what do stages I, II and III represent
that cancer is present
the higher the number, the larger the cancer tumour and the more it has spread to nearby tissues
what is stage IV
cancer has spread to distant parts of the body
what are the 2 pathways to a cancerous cell?
Epigenetic alterations
Genetic alterations
what are epigenetic alterations?
changes in DNA methylation or acetylation and gene expression
What are genetic alterations?
DNA mutation and faulty protein formation.
the impact of cell division
Name some mutations that affect genes and whole chromosomes
Frame-shift, nonsense, mis-sense
translocation
Inversion
Insertion
Deletion
Amplifications
what are the 4 hallmarks of cancer
continuous replication and increase in cell numbers
creation of tumour microenvironment
ability to metastasise
Genome instability leading to intertumoral hetrogeneity
What is cancer metastases
the spread of cancer cells from the original tumour to other parts of the body
5 main routes of cancer metastases
local invasion
Lymphatic system
cardiovascular system (CCC)
perineural via nerve bundles
Peritoneal fluid
name some causes of cancer metastases
DNA Mutation of certain genes
changes in methylation patterns
epithelial to mesenchymal transition caused by microenvironment
treatment options for cancer
surgery
radiotherapy
cytotoxic chemo
angiogenesis inhibitors
hormone therapy
what is chemotherapy?
treatment that involves using drugs to kill cancer cells.
what drugs are used in chemotherapy and why?
Cytotoxic drugs - because they are toxic to cells especially fast growing cells
