Intro to Neoplasia

Question 1

What is the technical definition of neoplasia?

Answer 1

Growth of which exceeds and is uncoordinated with normal tissue

Question 2

What are the characteristics of a benign tumor?

Answer 2

• name ends with “oma”
• resembles normal tissue
• slow rate of growth
• non-invasive, encapsulated, no metastasis

Question 3

What are the general characteristics of malignant neoplasm?

Answer 3

• “carcinoma / sarcoma”
• spectrum of similarity to normal tissue
• variable growth rate
• invasive and metastatic

Question 4

What are the three ways tumors are classified?

Answer 4

Behavior
Cell of origin
Differentiation

Question 5

Cells that are typically located in the bladder, GI tract, oral mucosa, or respiratory tract are typically what kind of cells?

Answer 5

Epithelial cells, originating from ecto / endo

Question 6

What kind of cells and classification of an adenoma?

Answer 6

glandular tumor that is benign (the -oma at the end)

Question 7

What are various kinds of Mesenchymal tissues?

Answer 7

Fibroblasts, fat, smooth muscle, skeletal muscle, bone, and blood vessels.

Question 8

What would a malignant smooth muscle neoplasia be called?

Answer 8

Leiocarcinoma

Question 9

Where do hematolymphoid neoplasias originate and what kind are they typically?

Answer 9

Originate from lymph cells and are primarily malignant

Question 10

What kind of cell originates from the neural crest?

Answer 10

Melanocytes

Question 11

What is a type of tumor that contains multiple origins of tissue and normally begnin?

Answer 11

Teratomas

Question 12

What are two conditions that are tumor-like?

Answer 12

Hamartoma - disorganized mature tissue

Chariostoma - ectopic tissue developed in wrong location

Question 13

What are the different grades or differentiations of tissue?

Answer 13

Well differentiated - resembles normal
Moderately differentiated
Poorly differentiated - vaguely normal
Anaplastic - complete lack of differentiation

Question 14

Can a grade be given to a sample in a gross evaluation?

Answer 14

No, grading requires microscopy and comparision to normal tissue

Question 15

What are the characteristics of an Anaplasia?

Answer 15

“ugly looking”
Pleomorphism - various size of cells big and small
Hyperchromatic nuclei - pigmentated
Tumor giant cells, loss of polarity, bizarre mitosis, large nucleoli

Question 16

What is the unique characteristic of a carcinoma in situ?

Answer 16

Malignant cells that have not migrated past the basement membrane. Considered pre-invasive.
Typically full thickness dysplasia

Question 17

What are the characteristics of dysplasia?

Answer 17

Still limited by the basement membrane

• loss of polarity
• loss of maturity
• loss of organization
• –mild to severe in quality always starting from the basement membrane working up, but can resolve itself

Question 18

What are the general steps involved in the spread of a tumor cell?

Answer 18

1. Loosening of the junctions
2. Attachment to new binding sites
3. Degradation of the surrounding ECM via secretions from the abnormal cell
4. Motility factors and migration past the basement membrane

Question 19

What kind of neoplasia is most likely to have a hematogenous metastatic pathway?

Answer 19

Most common for sarcomas to spread via hematogenously, which is through the blood vessels, primarily the veins. Increases chance of mets to Liver, lungs, and vertebrae

Question 20

What kind of pathway for metastasis is most common for carcinomas?

Answer 20

Lymphatics, predictable based on drainage

Question 21

What is the sentinel node?

Answer 21

Sentinel node is the FIRST lymph node a metastatic neoplasia drains to, usually this is investigated to look for spread

Question 22

What discovering an abnormal mass what is the first step?

Answer 22

Mass biopsy to classify it in order to start the right therapy.

Question 23

What is the technique that is used to identify antigens on the surface of cells of interest?

Answer 23

Immunohistology, creating antibodies that will bind to the specific antigens that are tagged with identifying colors.

Question 24

What is being undergone when the sentinel lymphnode is removed and sent to pathology?

Answer 24

The sample will be frozen and rapidly assessed for margins to see if the abnormal tissue extends that far or not.

Question 25

What are the properties of a gross examination by a pathology assistant?

Answer 25

• tumor size
• color / consistancy
• margin involvement
• extension of tumor into surrounding tissue
• *NOT GRADE**

Question 26

What is oncotype DX kind of testing used for?

Answer 26

Microarray technology, can measure gene expression levels in the cells

Question 27

How would PCR and gene sequencing be helpful in treatment of different pathologies?

Answer 27

PCR and sequencing would be able to identify the gene or area of the genome that is altered and treatment could be changed accordingly.

Question 28

What type of examination is performed when arranging the chromosomes looking for deletions, translocations, and amplifications?

Answer 28

Karyotype Analysis - slow test

Question 29

How is Fluorescence in situ hybridization used?

Answer 29

Fluorescent labeled probes are made to identify specific parts of the genome to look at locations and etiology of pathology