Cancer Pathology

Question 1

Are benign tumours cancer

Answer 1

No

Question 2

Are malignant tumours cancer

Answer 2

Yes

Question 3

What controls whether a tumour is benign or malignant

Answer 3

Number and type of mutation

Question 4

How do begins tumours grow

Answer 4

Expansion

Question 5

How do malignant tumours grow

Answer 5

Expansion and infiltration

Question 6

Which type of tumour can metastasise

Answer 6

Malignant

Question 7

What type of cancer is curable by surgery

Answer 7

Benign

Question 8

Why are benign tumours usually oval or spherical but malignant tumours are usually irregular

Answer 8

Benign are usually encapsulated
Malignant are non encapsulated

Question 9

Which type of tumour grows faster

Answer 9

Malignant

Question 10

How well differentiated are benign and malignant tumour cells

Answer 10

Benign well differentiated
Malignant poorly differentiated

Question 11

Do malignant or benign tumours have a higher mitotic rate

Answer 11

Malignant

Question 12

Visual characteristics of malignant melanoma

Answer 12

Asymmetrical
Uneven borders
2+ colours
Larger than 1/4 inch

Question 13

6 stages of tumour development

Answer 13

Oncogene activation
Hyperplasia
Dysplasia
In situ cancer
Invasive cancer
Metastasis

Question 14

Histological characteristics of cancer

Answer 14

High nuclear:cytoplasmic ration
Prominent nucleoli
Absent basal cell layer
Hyperchromasia
Disorganised cytoarchitecture

Question 15

What causes ischemic necrosis in tumours

Answer 15

Insufficient nutrient and oxygen supply

Question 16

Histological appearance of a well differentiated neoplasm

Answer 16

Resembles mature cells of tissue of origin

Question 17

Histological appearance of poorly differentiated neoplasms

Answer 17

Primitive cells w little differentiation

Question 18

Are how well differentiated are benign and malignant tumours

Answer 18

Benign - well
Malignant - poorly

Question 19

What is cancer grading based on

Answer 19

Degree of anaplasia
Rate of growth

Question 20

Cancer grades and their meaning

Answer 20

Grade I - <25% anaplastic
Grade II - 25-50% anaplastic
Grade III - 50-75% anaplastic
Grade IV - >75% anaplastic
GX - grade can’t be assessed

Question 21

What type of cancer is graded using the Gleason score

Answer 21

Prostate

Question 22

What is cancer stages based on

Answer 22

Tumour size
Growth extent/spread

Question 23

What is assessed using TNM staging

Answer 23

T - tumour - size and spread
N - nodes - 0= none 3=many
M - metastasis - 0=no 1=yes

Question 24

What is a major histological characteristic of grade 1 invasive lobular carcinoma in the breast

Answer 24

Invasive cells in single file lines or single cells

Question 25

Abnormal cancer cell morphology

Answer 25

Hyperchromasia Chromatin clumping in nucleus Prominent nucleoli Little cytoplasm Incr nuclear:cytoplasmic ratio Frequent mitosis

Question 26

What causes Hyperchromasia

Answer 26

Fast DNA synthesis

Question 27

Types of abnormal mitotic figure

Answer 27

Tripolar Quadripolar Multipolar spindles

Question 28

Why are increased number of mitotic figures seen in cancerous tissue

Answer 28

High proliferation rate

Question 29

Histological Characteristics of anaplastic tissue

Answer 29

Varied cell shape and size Cellular pleomorphism Nuclear pleomorphism Hyperchromatic nuclei Tumour giant cells

Question 30

Types of tumour dissemination

Answer 30

Haematogenous Lymphatic

Question 31

Process of metastasis

Answer 31

Vascularisation -> cells detach -> BM degradation -> intravasion into vessels -> circulation -> extravasion into tissues -> secondary tumour formation

Question 32

How do cells enter and leave blood and lymphatic vessels

Answer 32

Enter by intravasion Leave by extravasion

Question 33

Disruption to function of which proteins enhances tumour migration

Answer 33

Integrins

Question 34

What do tumour cells interact with in the bloodstream to increase survival

Answer 34

Activated olatelets

Question 35

What are the 3 stages of metastases formation of tumour cells once in a secondary tissue

Answer 35

Pre metastatic niche Micrometastasis Metastatic colonization

Question 36

Why is E cadherin downregulated in metastatic breast cancer

Answer 36

Decreases adherence to ECM allowing metastasis

Question 37

Why is BRCA downregulated in metastatic breast cancer

Answer 37

Prevent DNA repair

Question 38

Why is VEGF upregulated in metastatic breast cancer

Answer 38

Increase angiogenesis to supply tumour

Question 39

Most common metastases site for breast cancer

Answer 39

Axillary lymph nodes

Question 40

Sentinel node biopsy

Answer 40

Radioactive tracer and blue dye administered near tumour site, uptake of tracer and dye in lymph node analysed to assess whether cancer present

Question 41

What are the 3 factors in histological tumour classification

Answer 41

Differentiation state - epithelial, non epithelial, mixed Embryonic origin - ectoderm endoderm mesoderm Biological behaviour - benign malignant

Question 42

How are benign tumours named

Answer 42

Cell origin + morphological character + oma

Question 43

What are benign tumours of fat, fibrous/connective, bone and cartilage called

Answer 43

Fat - lipoma Fibrous/connective - Fibroma Bone - osteoma Cartilage - chondroma

Question 44

What are the origin cells of adenomas and papillomas

Answer 44

Adenoma - glandular epithelium Papilloma - stratified squamous epithelium

Question 45

How are malignant tumours names

Answer 45

Origin cell + morphological character + sarcoma/carcinoma

Question 46

Malignant tumours of Which cell types are termed carcinomas and sarcomas

Answer 46

Carcinoma - epithelial Sarcoma - mesenchymal

Question 47

Malignant tumours ending in oma

Answer 47

Lymphoma, myeloma Glioma, Neuroblastoma Blastoma Hepatoma Melanoma Seminomas

Question 48

Is leukaemia malignant or benign

Answer 48

Malignant

Question 49

What tissue do blastomas form from

Answer 49

Embryonic tissue

Question 50

Teratoma

Answer 50

Tumour comprised of cells from more than 1 germ layer

Question 51

What type of cell do teratomas form from

Answer 51

Totipotent stem cells