Final Exam Flashcards
How many types of cancer have been classified
Over 110
What is cancer?
characterized by unregulated cell growth
Due to mutations in DNA
Normal cells lose powerful genetic circuits regulating cell death and cell division
Invasion and spread of cells from the primary site to other sites in the body
It’s a clonally evolving disease
Imhotep
An Egyptian physician in 2625 BC described breast cancer in detail and described it as a distinct disease
Herodus
Greek historian who recorded the story of Atossa, the queen of Persia, who had a bleeding lump in her breast
A Greek slave named Democedes persuaded her to allow him to excise her tumor
The increase in life span has resulted in
an accumulation of mutations in our genome, and as a result an increase in cancer incidence in older people
Risk of Breast cancer
1 in 400 for a 30 year old woman
1 in 9 for a 70 year old woman
How do different types of cancer manifest (characteristics)
cancers of different origins have distinct features
Factors that cause cancer in each tissue is different
Differences in molecular mechanisms involved in different cancers
Treatments are different
Carcinomas
85% of cancers which occur in epithelial cells
Basal cell carcinoma, Ductal carcinoma, squamous cell carcinoma
Sacrcomas
Cancers that occur in the mesoderm
Adenocarcinomas
Cancers originating in the glandular tissue
Normal Cell characteristics
Grow in monolayers Exhibit contact inhibition Cannot grow in low serum media Flat and extended morphology Grow attached to the substrate
Cancer cell characteristics
Grow in piles of cells called foci Do not exhibit contact inhibition Can grow in low serum media Round morphology Exhibit anchorage independence
Neoplasia
New growth, not reversible
Dysplasia
Disordered growth, which is reversible, but often results in neoplasia
Tumor
abnormal growth of cells, can be benign or maignant
Cancer
Malignant neoplasm or tumors that invade nearby tissue
Benign Neoplasms
Small in size
Slow growing
Well-defined borders
Well differentiated
Malignant Neoplasms
Large, Rapid growth Poorly demarcated Poorly differentiated Increased nuclear to cytoplasmic ratios Nuclear hyperchromasia and prominent nucleoli High Mitotic activity
Benign tumor
No evidence of cancer
Do not metastasize
Some can be life-threatening
Malignant tumor
Not encapsulated
Invades and metastasizes to other tissues
Benign and malignant epithelial tissues
Benign-Adenoma, Papilloma
Malignant- Adenocarcinoma, Papillary carcinoma
Mesenchyme Benign and malignant tissues
Benign-Fibroma, Lipoma
Malignant- Sarcoma
Melanocyte benign and malignant tissues
Benign- Nevus
Malignant- Melanoma
Lymphocyte benign and malignant tissues
Benign- N/A
Malignant- Lymphoma