General Flashcards
(25 cards)
definition of a cancer cell?
abnormal cell with ability to divide without control AND invade nearby tissues
what are the 4 most common cancers?
- lung
- breast
- bowel
- prostate
what are the red flag symptoms for all cancers?
lethargy
night sweats
unintentional weight loss
decreased exercise tolerance
where do carcinomas begin?
skin or tissues that line or cover internal organs
where do sarcomas begin?
connective tissue (bone, cartilage, fat, muscle, blood vessels)
where do leukaemia begin?
blood forming tissue e.g. bone marrow
where do lymphoma and myeloma begin?
immune system (lymphatics)
what 4 gene mutations can cause driver mutations?
proto-oncogenes
tumour suppressor genes
DNA repair genes
genes that regulate apoptosis
what is the difference between cancer staging and grading?
staging: measures where the cancer has spread to
grading: measures how closely it resembles the cell of origin
which staging system is commonly used?
TNM staging
what do the TNM staging measure?
T - primary tumour (0-4)
N - local lymph nodes (0-3)
M - distant metastatic spread (0-1)
which cancers are currently screened for?
- cervical
- breast
- bowel
What is Lynch syndrome and what cancer is at increased risk?
mutation in DNA MMR gene
increased risk of colorectal cancer
What is FAP and what cancer is at increased risk?
familial adenomatous polyposis
mutation on APC gene
increased risk of colorectal cancer
What is Li-Fraumani syndrome and what cancer is at increased risk?
mutation of TP53 tumour suppressor gene
increased breast and lung cancer
What is HBOC and what cancer is at increased risk?
presence of any gene which increases risk of breast or ovarian cancer e.g. BRCA 1/2, TP53 gene, Von-Hippel Lindau
Which cancers does Von-Hippel Lindau increase risk of?
bilateral tumours e.g. breast, kidneys, adrenals, testicles, ovaries, lungs
what is the most common cancer?
lung cancer
which organs drain to the superficial inguinal lymph nodes?
penis
scrotum
vagina
which organs drain to the para-aortic lymph nodes?
testes, ovaries
kidneys
adrenal glands
which organs drain to the axillary lymph nodes?
lateral breast
which organs drain to the superior mesenteric lymph nodes?
duodenum
jejunum
which organs drain to the inferior mesenteric lymph nodes?
descending colon
sigmoid colon
upper part of rectum
which organs drain to the coeliac lymph nodes?
stomach
