Nomenclature

Question 1

All tumours are comprised of two basic components. What are they?

Answer 1

1. Parenchyma

2. Stroma

Question 2

What is the stroma?

Answer 2

Connective tissue, blood vessels and immune cells

Question 3

What does desmoplasia/desmoplastic tumour mean?

Answer 3

In some tumours the parenchyma stimulates abundant growth of collagenous stroma - this is referred to desmoplasia, and tumours that produce such stroma are referred to as desmoplastic tumours, eg breast cancer.

Question 4

Describe what is meant by the term pleomorphic adenoma.

Answer 4

A tumour derived from a single cell capable of differentiating into both epithelial and non-epithelial cells, such that there are epithelial and non-epithelial components co-existing within the tumour.

Question 5

What is a teratoma?

Answer 5

A tumour produced by totipotent germ cells that can differentiate along any one of the three germ cell lines. This results in a tumour with structures derived from ectoderm, mesoderm and endoderm eg an ovarian cystic teratoma or dermoid cyst which may have hair, teeth, fat, muscle, epithelium within it.

Question 6

T or F: Growth rate is a useful discriminator between benign and malignant tumours.

Answer 6

False.

Question 7

5 morphologic characteristics of anaplastic cells

Answer 7

1. Pleomorphism
2. Abnormal nuclear morphology
3. Mitoses
4. Loss of polarity
5. Other - eg ischaemic necrosis

Question 8

Define pleomorphism

Answer 8

Variation in cell size and shape

Question 9

How can tumour giant cells be differentiated from Langerhans or other giant inflammatory cells?

Answer 9

Tumour giant cells often have one large polymorphic nucleus or two or more large hyperchromatic nuclei. Giant inflammatory cells are derived from macrophages and have many small, normal-looking nuclei.

Question 10

Define anaplasia

Answer 10

Lack of differentiation

Question 11

Define dysplasia

Answer 11

Loss of cell uniformity and loss of their architectural orientation.

Question 12

What is carcinoma in situ?

Answer 12

Dysplastic changes involve the full thickness of the epithelium but have not yet breached the basement membrane.

Question 13

T or F: Dysplasia may be reversible

Answer 13

True

Question 14

T or F: Dysplasia inevitably leads to cancer

Answer 14

False

Question 15

Give two examples of malignant tumours that invade but don’t tend to metastasise

Answer 15

Glial tumours of the brain

Basal cell carcinomas of the skin