Cancer Flashcards
Breast Cancer, Lung Cancer (9 cards)
Which one of the following is NOT regarded as a risk factor for development of breast cancer?
a. History of chronic use of contraceptive medication
b. Previous chest wall irradiation
c. Family history of breast cancer
d. Late menarche
Answer: d
EARLY menarche is a risk factor.
(Menarche = first occurrence of menstruation)
Risk factors for breast cancer:
* Female gender
* Age
* Family history / hereditary mutations
* Personal history of breast cancer, atypical ductal hyperplasia, proliferative lesions
* Longstanding HRT / contraceptive use
* Early menarche, late menopause
* Previous chest wall irradiation
* Lifestyle factors
Which of the following is NOT a typical presenting feature of breast cancer?
a. Nipple discharge
b. Nipple retraction
c. Skin changes on the affected breast
d. Stabbing pain in the breast
Answer: d
Pain is not a presenting feature.
Stabbing pain in the breast is associated with non-cancerous causes such as fibrocystic changes, cysts etc.
Presenting features:
* Lump
* Skin changes
* Nipple retraction
* Nipple discharge
* Rash, redness
* Screening-detected lesion
This patient has been diagnosed as suffering from lung cancer. Which one of the following statements regarding lung cancer is NOT correct?
a. Lung cancer is a common cause of cancer in men.
b. In women breast cancer is more likely to cause cancer deaths than lung cancer.
c. Lung cancer may develop from scarring related to an old granulomatous infection.
d. Specific genetic mutations in lung cancer cells may be direct oncologists towards a particular treatment.
Answer: b
Lung cancer is the leading cause of cancer related deaths in women in many countries (according to 2025 statistics).
Which one of the following statements regarding the relationship between smoking and lung cancer is NOT correct?
a. Smoking is more likely to be associated with small cell lung cancer than with squamous carcinoma.
b. Almost all smokers have atypical cells in their bronchi.
c. Cigar and pipe-smokers pose less of a risk of cancer than cigarette smoking.
d. There is a direct relationship between duration of smoking and development of cancer.
Answer: a
Lung cancer is more commonly associated with squamous cell carcinoma (especially in long-term smokers).
- Smoking is associated with small cell lung cancer but to a lesser degree.
Which one of the following statements regarding clinical presentation of lung cancer is NOT correct?
a. Weight loss is a common presenting complaint.
b. High fever and night sweats are common presenting features.
c. Para-neoplastic syndromes may antedate the development of a gross pulmonary lesion.
d. Hyponatraemia may occur as a result of inappropriate section of antidiuretic hormone.
Answer: b
High fever and night sweats are NOT common presenting features of lung cancer.
Lung cancer presenting features:
* Constitutional features: weight loss and fatigue.
* Respiratory features: cough, haemoptysis, and dyspnea.
Which one of the following statements regarding outcome and prognosis of lung cancer is NOT correct?
a. 5-year survival with treatment is good to excellent (>65%).
b. 20-30% of lung cancers are amenable to resection.
c. Small cell carcinoma is sensitive to radiation therapy.
d. Small cell carcinoma is sensitive to chemotherapy.
Answer: a
Lung cancer generally has a POOR prognosis.
- Overall 5-year survival rate for lung cancer across all types and stages is typically around 15-25%.
Which one of the following statements regarding prognosis for invasive breast cancer is NOT correct?
a. Prognosis depends on response to treatment.
b. Poorly differentiated tumours are less aggressive than those that are well-differentiated.
c. Tumour biology is important.
d. Age of the patient is important.
Answer: b
(Slide 8 - Neoplasia part 2)
* Poorly differentiated tumours = Malignant tumours = Aggressive
* Well differentiated tumours = Benign tumours
Prognosis is dependent on the following factors: (pg.5)
* Tumour biology
* Stage
* Age
* Response to therapy
Which one of the following statements regarding the spread of breast cancer is NOT correct?
a. Axillary staging is no longer regarded as an important prognostic indicator.
b. Lymphatic spread may involve internal mammary lymph nodes.
c. Cancer may spread directly to underlying muscle.
d. Spread via bloodstream may involve the brain.
Answer: a
Axillary staging = “important prognostic indicator especially in early stage breast cancer” (pg.9)
Which one of the following statements regarding oncoplastic breast surgery (OPBS) is NOT correct?
a. The volume of resected tissue may be replaced using autologous tissue.
b. The approach combines cancer resection with plastic surgery.
c. Cosmetic outcome is enhanced with OPBS.
d. The procedure is limited by tumour size i.e. it is used for smaller tumours.
Answer: d
“Excision of LARGER tumours without compromising cosmetic outcome” (pg.11)
The procedure is NOT limited by tumour size.
