Oncology- Tumour effects on host

Question 1

Direct effects on host

Answer 1

-displacement of normal tissue
-damage to normal tissue

Question 2

Indirect effects on host

Answer 2

-known as paraneoplastic syndromes
-caused by tumour cell products
-possibly due to increased functional activity

Question 3

Cachexia

Answer 3

-marked weight loss
-both muscle and fat (anorexia, impaired digestion, tumours have increased metabolic demand and can cause nutrient loss/poor absorption)
**feeding increased calories does not resolve problem
-TNF-alpha, IL-1, IL-6, prostaglandins

Question 4

Endocrinopathies

Answer 4

-can occur in any endocrine organ
Eg. hyperthyroidism, hyperadrenocorticism

Question 5

Hyperthyroidism

Answer 5

-tumour within thyroid, results in increased thyroid hormone production
**tumour does not respond to normal control mechanisms

Question 6

Hyperadrenocorticism

Answer 6

-excessive amounts of adrenal cortical hormones being excreted
-tumours in Pituitary glands (excreting ACTH) causes adrenal gland to then over produce its hormone.
>if both effected then most likely due to pituitary gland tumour, but if only one affected, than probably adrenal gland tumour

Question 7

Pheochromocytoma

Answer 7

-tumours of epithelial tissue of adrenal medulla
-produce excessive epinephrine, so animals will present with very high heart rates

Question 8

Epinephrine release due to head trauma

Answer 8

-results in huge increase in Epi
-increased heart rate and damage

Question 9

Hypercalcemia of malignancy

Answer 9

-caused by tumours producing Parathyroid hormone related protein
>causes high serum calcium levels, because calcium released from bone
-results from lymphosarcoma and apocrine adenocarcinoma of anal sac (90% of cases)

Question 10

Effect of tumours releasing high Parathyroid hormone

Answer 10

-increased calcium release from bone
-enhanced absorption from intestines
-increased reabsorption from kidney

Question 11

Clinical signs of hypercalcemia of malignancy

Answer 11

-weakness
-arrhythmias
-anorexia, vomiting
-renal failure

Question 12

Skeletal abnormalities

Answer 12

-thickening of the long bones due to tumours presence in the chest

Question 13

Vascular and hematopoietic syndromes

Answer 13

-eosinophilia
-neutrophilic leukocytosis
-anemia (anemia of chronic disease, bone marrow invasion, blood loss, hemolysis)
-hyperviscosity syndrome (plasma cell sarcoma; leads to excess immunoglobulin production)

Question 14

What can excess immunoglobulins in blood mean?

Answer 14

-Infection or plasma cell sarcoma?
>if tumour, will have single immunoglopathy
>if infection, will have multiple

Question 15

Neurologic syndromes

Answer 15

1.maybe related to hypercalcemia (weakness), hyperviscosity (sludging; affects blood flow through brain), hypoglycemia (insulinoma)
2. Myasthenia gravis
>associated with masses in mediastinum (thymomas)

Question 16

Mast cell tumours

Answer 16

-release of mast cells granules by neoplastic cells can result in gastric ulceration
>histamine release from granules leads to H2 receptor stimulation and increased gastric acid release and vascular change= gastric ulceration

Question 17

Gastrinomas

Answer 17

-tumours secreting gastric acid hypersecretion
Can lead to ulcers

Question 18

Feline pancreatic carcinomas

Answer 18

-most associated with pancreatic carcinomas with metastasis to liver , but occasionally with primary hepatic carcinomas
>can be associated with hair loss and skin changes, and glistening of skin (loss of stratum corneum) from excessive grooming

Question 19

Tumour cells vs normal cells glucose use

Answer 19

-tumour cells will remove/use glucose excessively compared to normal cells