Neoplasm I

Question 1

What is the medical term for “new growth”?

Answer 1

Neoplasia

Question 2

What is the difference between neoplasia and neoplasm?

Answer 2

Neoplasm is the growth itself

Neoplasia is the disorder of abnormal cell growth

Question 3

What is oncology?

Answer 3

The study of tumors

Question 4

What are 3 characteristics of benign tumors?

Answer 4

Localized
Patient often survives
Name often ends in “oma”

Question 5

What are two major characteristics of malignant neoplasms?

Answer 5

Aggressive, invasion of other tissues

Capacity for spread/metastisis

Question 6

What are the two basic components of all tumors? What are each composed of?

Answer 6

Clonal expansion (of neoplastic cells)
Ractive stroma - composed of blood vessels, cells of innate/acquired immunity, CT

Question 7

What is it called when there is an abundance of CT in a tumor? What is one physical characteristic of these tumors?

Answer 7

Desmoplasia

They are rock hard

Question 8

Which tumors are epithelial tumors arising in glands?

Answer 8

Adenomas

Question 9

When an adenoma produces large cystic masses, what is it called? Where is it common?

Answer 9

Cystadeomas

Common in ovary

Question 10

What do papillomas arise from? What is unique about their appearance under a microscope?

Answer 10

Epithelial tissue

Finger-like projections

Question 11

What differs polyps from papillomas?

Answer 11

The tumor projects above the mucosa

Question 12

Where do carcinomas originate?

Answer 12

Epithelia

Question 13

Where do sarcomas originate?

Answer 13

Mesenchymal cell origin

Question 14

What are two general types of carcinomas? What is a microscopic characteristic of each?

Answer 14

Squamous cell carcinoma - resemble stratified squamous epithelium
Adenocarcinoma - glandular growth patterns

Question 15

What is a mixed tumor? What does it originate from and differentiate into?

Answer 15

Close of single germ cell layer

Differentiates into more than one cell type

Question 16

What do teratomas arise from? What are they representative of?

Answer 16

Totipotential germ cells

Represent more than one germ layer

Question 17

What is the difference between a choristoma and a hamartoma?

Answer 17

Choristoma - normal cells, abnormal location

Hamartoma - abnormal cells, normal location

Question 18

What is dysplasia? What are 4 hallmark features?

Answer 18

Abnormal tissue organization of pre-malignant conditions
Loss of uniformity of cells
Dark nuclei
Abundant mitoses, but normal morphology
Basement membrane still intact

Question 19

What is the term for “lack of differentiation in malignant tumors?”

Answer 19

Anaplasia

Question 20

What is proliferation of tumors independent of?

Answer 20

Growth signals

Question 21

Which type of tumor can hormones influence?

Answer 21

Benign tumors

Question 22

What are 3 factors that determine the growth rate of a tumor?

Answer 22

Doubling time
% of cells multiplying
Rate of apoptosis

Question 23

Which tumors tend to be well circumscribed? Which are not? What is different about carcinoma in situ?

Answer 23

Benign
Malignant
Epithelial features of malignancy without invasion or metastatic potential

Question 24

What is the most unequivocal marker of malignancy?

Answer 24

Metastisis

Question 25

What are three routes of metastisis?

Answer 25

Seeding of body cavities/surfaces Lymphatic spread Hematogenous spread in vascular canals (tumor emboli)

Question 26

What are six features that are the basis of grading a neoplasm?

Answer 26

``` Pleomorphism (variation in size/shape/nuclei) Nuclear morphology Mitotic rate/atypical mitoses Architectural disorder Tumor giant cells Necrosis ```

Question 27

What is the term for "extent of a tumor?" What 3 characteristics is it based on?

Answer 27

Stage T - Size of tumor M - # of lymph nodes involved N - Present/absence of metastases

Question 28

What is cachexia?

Answer 28

Wasting. Loss of body fat, lean body mass, and profound weakness

Question 29

What are paraneoplastic syndromes? Why are they important?

Answer 29

Symptom complex that cannot be explained by mechanics of tumor or tissue Often represent early manifestation, can cause lethal effects, may mimic metastic disease and confound diagnosis