Cancer Flashcards
(37 cards)
How do you define cancer?
- A group of diseases caused by impaired regulation of tissue growth
- Genes that regulate cell growth and differentiation must be altered
What are general risk factors for cancer?
- tobacco, alcohol
- diet that is pro-inflammatory
- inactivity
What is the difference between oncology vs hematology
oncology-treatment of cancer w/ medicine
hematology-treatment of blood, bone marrow, spleen, and immune system
define 5-year survival rate
% of people who are alive 5 years
define disease free survival rate
% of individuals who achieve remission
define progression-free survival rate
% of individuals who still have cancer, but it isn’t progressing
define remission
no evidence of disease
define cured
no return of cancer for a specified amount of time
how does a normal cell become cancerous
- disruption of cell division, during separation or replication of DNA
- disruption of balance between new cell growth and cell death, usually caused by uncontrolled cell growth or loss of cell’s ability to undergo apoptosis
describe carcinogenesis
involves acquired genetic mutations, from gain and loss of entire chromosomes to single DNA nucleotide mutations
what is an oncogene
genes that contain genetic mutations that induce or stimulate cancer cell growth
all cancer is genetic, but can be either hereditary or acquired. described what that means
hereditary-mutations carried in the DNA of reproductive cells, so passed on to offspring in everyone of their cells
acquired-changes in DNA that develop over the lifetime and DNA repair mechanisms fail, these mutations passed on to future copies of the cell
what chromosomes are involved in leukemia
chromosomes 9 and 22
is cancer usually inherited
even though all cancer is genetic, most is not inherited but come from random that develop in body cells during one’s own lifetime
what are the six hallmarks of cancer
- self-sufficiency in growth/proliferation=unregulated cell
- insensitivity to anti-growth signals
- tissue invasion and metasis
- limitless replicative
- sustained angiogenesis
- resistance to apoptosis
what are the most common sites of metastases
- bone
- liver
- brain
- lungs
define proto-oncogenes
genes coding for proteins that help regulate cell growth proliferation and differentiation, ie growth factors, signaling enzymes and transcription factors
-if mutated uncontrolled growth can occur
define tumor suppressor genes
protective gene that controls/restrains cell growth and normally limits the growth of tumors
-if mutated, uncontrolled growth can occur
how does unregulated growth of cancer cells occur
- oncogenes are mutant forms of proto-oncogenes=stimulate excessive cell growth and division
- mutation of tumor suppressor genes allows for uncontrolled cell division and growth, ie p53
what are common carcinogens
- prolonged and recurrent viral infections lead to breakdown of the immune system
- HPV causes cervical cancer
- Epstein-Barr virus causes Hodgkin’s lymphoma
- chemicals can cause cell mutation or alter cell enzymes
describe the process of cancer development
- cellular mutation
- cellular transformation to cancer
- unregulated cell growth and division
- angiogenesis
- evade immune system
- local invasion
- metatasis
describe common cancer classifications
- carcinoma
- sarcoma
- leukemia
- myeloma
- lymphoma
what are classic symptoms of cancer
- unexpected weight loss
- fever (70% of patients)
- fatigue (due to weight loss, cachexia, high metabolic activity)
- pain (non-specfic, in advance disease from destruction of healthy tissue, infection or stretching of internal organs)
- changes in skin/hair
- cachexia (high metabolic activity causes wating of all organs/muscles)
- weight loss without effort
What are specific S/S of bone cancer
-limited ROM
