Module 3 - Chapter 10 Flashcards
How is tumour classified?
- tissue and organ of origin
- extent of distribution to other sites
- microscopic appearance of the lesion
- May include critical description of its genetic changes
Describe Benign tumours
- usually encapsulated with connective tissue, fairly differentiated, well organized stroma
- retain recognizable normal tissue
- do not invade beyond their capsule
- do not spread to regional lymph nodes or distant locations
- mitotic cells rarely present
How are benign tumours named
According to tissues from which they arise with suffix - oma
Describe malignant tumours
- rapid growth rate
- specific microscopic alterations (loss of differentiation, absence of normal tissue organization)
- large darkly stained nuclei
- mitotic cells are common
- disorganized substantial amount of stroma
- loss of normal tissue structure.
- lack capsule
- invade nearby vessels, lymphatics and surrounding structure.
- metastasis
What is the hallmark of cancer cells?
anaplasia - loss of cells differentiation
Pleomorphic
- marked variability of size and shape
- characteristic of malignant cell
Metastasis
ability to spread far beyond tissue of origin
how does cancer cells take their name
from their original cell type
Carcinoma in Situ (CIS)
preinvasive tumors, glandular in origin or squamous cell in origin
Where does CIS occur?
cervix, skin, oral cavity, esophagus, and bronchus
in glandural epithelium, in situ lesions occur in what places?
stomach, endometrium, breast, and large bowel
Where is DCIS in the breast located?
It fills the mammary ducts but not progressed to local tissue invation.
List the 3 fates of CIS?
- can remain stable for a long time
- progress to invasive metastatic cancer
- can regress and disappear
High grade lesion CIS
highest likelihood to become invasive Ca
What are the 2 fundamental concepts for understanding biology of cancer?
- Cancer - complex genetic disease with multiple mutations in genetic material
- microenvironment of a tumour is a heterogenous mixture of cells (both cancerous and benign)
Tumour initiation
- Process that produces initial cancer cells
- 1st stage of cancer development
- depends on specific mutations and characteristics of the microenvironment to influence transformation of these cells
Tumour Promotion
- 2nd stage
- population of cancer cells expands with diversity of cancer cell phenotypes
- gain in function
What enables the process of tumour promotion?
- additional mutations and changing tumour microenvironment
Tumour progression
- spread to tumour to adjacent distal sites
- governed by more mutations and more changes in microenvironment
Mutation
alteration in the DNA sequence affecting expression or function of a gene
Point mutations
-small-scale changes in the DNA
-alteration of one or a few nucleotide base pairs
- profound effect on the activity of resultant protein
Chromosomal translocation
- large changes in chromosome structures
- piece of one chromosome translocate to another
Gene amplification
- repeated duplication of a region of a chromosome (known as a promoter sequence)
- tens or hundreds of copies present instead of 2 copies of genes
What mechanisms are involved in genetic changes?
- Mutational
- Epigenetics