Fundamentals of cancer Flashcards
(29 cards)
Dysplasia example
Abnormal moles (can turn into melanoma cancer if left untreated)
List some cancer risk factors
Old age Personal/family history of cancer Tobacco Obesity Alcohol Viral infections (HPV) specific chemicals Exposure to radiation
Example of carcinoma in situ
Breast ductal carcinoma in situ
Major types of cancer (examples)
Carcinomas
lymphoma
melanoma
Sarcomas
What are sarcomas?
Arise in bones, muscle, fat, blood
What are lymphomas?
Blood cancers of the immune system develop when lymphocytes grow out of control.
Appear as solid tumours
What are myelomas?
Blood cancers
antibody producing beta cells
Cancer grading
the type of cells
Appearance of cancer cells & its similarity to normal cells
Cancer stage
The extent of the cancer (e.g. size of tumour)
how far it is spread & where it originates
spread and size
What are the 2 main types of staging systems for cancer?
The number system
TNM system
The Number staging cancer system
Stage 0 Stage I - cancer is small Stage II - cancer has grown Stage III - cancer is large, may have spread to surrounding tissues A/or lymph nodes Stage IV
TNM staging system
Primary tumour (T) : (TX, T0, T1-4) Regional lymph nodes (N) : (NX, N0, N1-3) Distant metastasis (M) : (MX, M0, M1)
What is Cancer?
A cellular disease caused by uncontrolled division of abnormal cells
(genetic disease caused by errors during cell division…DNA damage due to carcinogens)
List the hallmarks of cancer
Inducing angiogenesis Evading growth suppressors Sustaining proliferative signalling Tissue invasion & metastasis Resisting cell death Enabling limitless replication
What is the difference between benign and malignant tumours?
benign tumours are; small, slow-growing, non-invasive and stay localised
whereas
malignant tumours are; large, fast-growing, invasive and metastasize.
What are carcinogens?
Substances, radiation, or radionuclides that promote the formation of cancer
by interacting with a cells DNA and inducing genetic mutations.
What is hyperplasia?
An increase in the number of cells in an organ or tissue (appears normal under the microscope)
What is dsyplasia?
cells are abnormal under the microscope and histology (not cancer but can become cancer)
Hyperplasia example
Prostatic hyperplasia
What is carcinoma in situ?
abnormal cells found only in the place where first formed
usually referred to as stage 0 but not yet cancer
The most common cancer treatments.
Chemotherapy, radiation & surgery
Most common type of cancers?
Carcinomas
What is carcinoma?
Where do they originate?
Carcinoma is a type of cancer that starts in cells that make up the skin or the tissue lining organs.
Originate in SKin, lungs, breast etc. forming solid tumours.
What are sarcomas?
sarcoma is a type of tumour that develops in connective tissue, such as bone, cartilage or muscle, (soft-tissue)
They form solid tumours
