Pathology Flashcards
(88 cards)
Describe this

- 2x2cm nodular lesion
- Raised
- Rolled edge
- Central ulcerated crater
- Visible telangiectasia
- Shiny surface
- Clinical features suggestive of basal cell carcinoma
What is basal cell carcinoma?
- Malignant proliferation of basal cells of epidermis
- Most common skin cancer (80%)
- M > W
- Sun exposed areas (head and neck)
- Locally invasive and rarely metastasise
- Subtypes: Nodular (most common), superficial, morphoeic (scar like with indistinct borders), basosquamous
Why is there erythema associated with BCC
- Telangictasia: dilated blood vessels in epidermis (directly due to BCC or as a result of sun damage)
- Local inflammatory response?
Histological classification BCC
- Localised: nodular, nodulocystic, pigmented
- Superficial: superficial spreading
- Infiltrative: morphoeic
DDX BCC
- NODULAR: SCC, skin appendage tumour, dermatofibroma
- PIGMENTED: Melanoma, compound naevus
- MORPHEAFORM: Scar, trichoepithlioma
- SUPERFICIAL: psoriasis, eczema, Bowen’s disease
How does BCC spread
- Rarely metastasises
- Locally invasive
How can you ensure complete intra-operative resection for BCC?
- Moh’s micrographic surgery
- Sequential horizontal excision with immediate intra-operative frozen section examination
- Resection until adequate margins
BCC risk factors
- Congenital: Fitzpatrick skin type I, Xeroderma pigmentosum (AR, XPA gene)
- Acquired: UV exposusure, age
BCC management
- Conservative: sun protection
- Medical: 5-FU cream, imiquimod cream (activation of TLRs = local immune response), photodynamic therapy, cryotherapy
- Surgical: Excision, Moh’s micrographic surgery
Excision margins BCC
- Primary <2cm: 5mm
- Primary >2cm or morphoeic: 10-15mm
- Recurrent: 5-10mm
Define metastasis
- Process by which a primary malignant neoplasm gives rise to secondary tumours at distant sites through lymphatic, haematogenous or transoleomic (penetrating visceral surface e.g. peritoneal) spread
Management of MRSA colonisation?
- Isolation side room
- Contact precautions
- Nasal mucopuricin 2%
- Chlorhexidine 4% daily body wash (hibiscrub)
- Rescreen after 5 days
What is PVL staph?
- Panton valentine leucocidin
- Exotoxin comprising two subunits
- Forms pores in membrane of leucocytes cell lysis and death by necrosis
What other staph aureus toxins are there?
- TSST-1 > Binds MHC-II with high affinity cytokine storm toxic shock syndrome
- Haemolysin
- Exfoliatin
- Enterotoxin
What is rheumatic fever?
- Systemic complications of pharyngitis due to group A beta-haemolytic strep
- T2HSR caused by molecular mimicry
- Bacterial M protein resembles protein found in normal tissues
How does acute rheumatic fever lead to chronic rheumatic heart disease?
- Repeat attacks of ARF lead to valve scarring
- Thickening of valve leaflets and cordae tindinae
- Fusion of valve commissures
- Increased risk of infective endocarditis: Strep Viridans (previously damaged valve)
How can you diagnose acute rhematic fever?
- JONES criteria
- Joint pain (migratory polyarthritis)
- Pancarditis (endocarditis most commonly affects MV, myocarditis (aschoff bodies and anitschkow cells), pericarditis)
- Nodules
- Erythema marginatum
- Sydneham’s chorea (TS2HR affecting basal ganglia)
- + positive ASOT titre
- Minor criteria: Fever, elevated ESR
What is a GIST?
Histopathology report below:
- Large, well circumscribed. Fleshy, tan pink lesion in the muscularis propria of the stomach.
- Ulceration
- CD 117
- Nodal involvement
- No metastasis
- MC mesenchymal cell of the GIT
- Arises from interstitial cells of Cajal in myenteric plexus of muscularis propria (pacemakers cells of GIT for peristalsis and segmentation)
- Stomach (80%) > jejunum/ileum > duodenum > colorectal
- Most form due to activating mutations in proto-oncogene KIT
- Positive stains: CD117 (tyrosine kinase growth factor receptor for KIT)
Difference between GIST and gastric adenocarcinoma
- GIST = Mesenchymal cell tumour from interstial cells of cajal
- Gastric adenocarcinoma due to malignant proliferation of surface epithelial cells
- Intestinal type: MC, associated with H. Pylori and nitrosamines. Large ulcer with heaped margins
- Diffuse type: signet ring cells with diffuse infiltration and thickening of stomach wall (linitis plastica).
How do GISTs behave?
- Peritoneal spread with liver metastasis
- Rarely metastasise via lymphatics
- Size and mitotic rate predictive of behaviour
Management GIST
- Surgical resection
- Chemotherapy: imatinib (tyrosine kinase inhibitor)
What is jaundice?
- Yellow discolouration of skin, sclera and mucous membranes
- Serum bilirubin binds to elastin
- Pre-, intra- and post-hepatic causes
Patient develops ascites, how would you investigate?
- Broadly: transudative (<30g protein /L) and exudative (>30g protein/L) causes of ascites
- Full Hx and examination
- Bloods: LFTs (hepatocellular damage), clotting/INR (impaired synthetic function), FB, UE, CRP
- USS: Confirm presence of ascites, examine for portal HTN (splenomegaly, collaterals)
- Paracentesis: Chemistry (SAAG, tryglycerides, amylase), microscopy and culture (PMN >250 = SBP, gram stain), cytology
- Cross-sectional imaging

