Cancer Lecture Flashcards

1
Q

What is the definition of Cancer?

HINT: series of what? What is Cancer able to do?

A

Series of cellular genetic abberations that cause abnormal cells to proliferate.

Able to metasisize to secondary sites

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2
Q

What is the Hallmark (definition) sign of Cancer?

A

Unchecked growth and invasion of surrounding tissues

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3
Q

What is mitosis?
What is Neoplasia?
What is Metastasize?
What is a Carcinogenesis?

A

Mitosis- Cell division

Neoplasia- New or continued cell growth not needed for normal development or replacement of dead or damaged cells

Metastasize- Ca cells move from primary tumor by breaking off from original site and establish remote colonies.

Carcinogenesis- Cancer development with changing of a normal cell to a cancer cell.

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4
Q

Does Cancer cells have a purpose? If so, what is its purpose?

A

CA cells have no purpose other than to cause destruction

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5
Q

What must be there for Cancer to form? (TEST Q)

A

Must have a carcinogen enter the body before CA can form

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6
Q

What is a Oncogenesis?
What is a Carcinogen?
What is a Ploidy?

A

Oncogenesis- Process thru which healthy cells become transformed into cancer cells. Cells divide in uncontrolled manner

Carcinogens- Substances that change the activity of a cell’s genes, so the cell becomes a cancer cell.

Ploidy- classifies the number and structure of tumor chromosomes as normal or abnormal

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7
Q

What is a Aneuploidy?

What is Proto-oncogens? (TEST Q)

What is a Oncogenes?

What is a Tumor supressor genes?

What is Apoptosis?

A

Aneuploidy- cells have an abnormal structure or # chromosomes.

Proto-oncogens- genetic portion of DNA that regulates normal cell growth and repair. A mutation may allow cells to proliferate beyond normal body needs. (IMPORTANT TO KNOW)

Oncogenes- mutated genes of normal proto-oncogenes and may give rise to cancer.

Tumor suppressor genes- genetic portion of DNA that stops, inhibits, or suppresses cell division.

Apoptosis- programed cell death. If Apoptosis fails, it will lead to cancer.
Normal process, CA cells avoids this process

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8
Q

Is Apoptosis a normal process?

A

Yes, w/ CA cells avoids this process

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9
Q

What does Benign Tumor Cells have?

HINT: 7 things

A

Specific morphology: cells that looks like where they came from (ex: breast cells look like breast tissues)

Tight Adherence: Stick together

Euploidy: Complete set of 23 chromosomes

Don’t evade other tissues
No migration
Specific differentiated functions

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10
Q

What does a Malignant Tumor Cells?

A

Anaplasia: Don’t look like their parent cells

Large nuclear-cytoplasmic ratio: Nucleus look bigger that other cells

Angiogenesis: create their own blood supply

Specific function lost
Loose adherence
Migration occurs
Contact inhibitation does not occur
Rapid or continous cell division
Abnormal chromosomes

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11
Q

What is the process of Carcinogenesis?
IMPORTANT TO KNOW

What factors effect this process?

A

This is how Cancer metastasizes

Biological, environmental, physical carcinogen is needed

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12
Q

What is the process/stages of Carcinogenesis?–cont’d
IMPORTANT TO KNOW

What occurs with the initial dx?

A

Initiation

Promotion: carcinogen is introduced and growth occurs

Progression: mass gets bigger

Metastasis occurs

Initial dx doesn’t change

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13
Q

Where does the origin of -melano prefix occurs from? (TEST Q)

A

From the pigment-producing skin (Melanin)

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14
Q

What is the Surgical management options for Cancer?

A

Prophylactic: to prevent CA (from growing)

Diagnostic: biopsy, laparoscopic

Curative: Surgery to remove all malignant (cancerous) tissue, which is meant to cure the disease

Debulking: done prior to surgery, increase the effectiveness on chemo/radiation (TEST Q)

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15
Q

What is the Management of Cancer?

HINT: Treatment options

A

Adjuvant therapy: Given after primary intervention (surgery) to prevent/lessen the chances of tumor cells to grow back (TEST Q)

Radiation-goal is to kill cancer cells while having minimal damaging effects on surrounding tissue.

Cytotoxic systemic therapy- Chemotherapy, oral, IV, Intracranial, Intrathecal

BRMs- Biologic response modifier therapy. Also called Immunotherapy. Can occur naturally or make in the lab

Small molecule inhibitor targeted therapy- block the growth and spread of cancer by interfering with the cellular growth pathways involved in cellular regulation

Photodynamic therapy- used in some upper GI therapies and skin cancer

Hormonal manipulation- used to block hormone production in hormone driven tumors

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16
Q

What are some General CA Risk factors?

A

Smoking, age 55 and older although we are seeing cancer in younger population than before.

Poor nutrition

Decreased activity,

Exposure to chemical and air borne pollutants

Previous radiation and chemotherapy

Genetic makeup

17
Q

What is the staging of Cancer?

A

TNM (Tumor, Nodes, Mets)

        Tumor  Tx-main tumor can’t be measured. T0- Main tumor not found. T1, 2, 3, 4- refers to size and/or extent of main tumor. Higher the # the larger the tumor

         Nodes  Want to see if the CA is spreading  N-x- regional lymph nodes not measured. N0- No cancer in nearby lymph nodes. N1 Refers to the number and location of mobile lymph nodes that contain cancer. N2 refers to the number of fixed nodes involved.

        Mets  Mx- mets can’t be measured. M0- CA has not spread to other parts of the body. M1- Cancer has spread outside of the original tumor to other organs
18
Q

What criteria is included in the Less detailed stages?

What is different about this staging vs TNM?

A

Pt are more aware of this stage

STAGE 0- Abnormal cells present but no cancer. Also called Carcinoma in Situ. It can become cancer.

Stage I, II, III- Cancer is present. The larger the tumor or the more it has spread to nearby tissues increase the stage.

Stage IV- The cancer has spread to distant organs of the body.

Highly Differentiated- the tumor acts and looks more normal, but it is not. Usually better outcomes.

Poorly differentiated- tumor is more irregular, no resemblance to normal cells, exhibits rapid growth, and metastasizes easily.