Specific Cancers Flashcards
Common Causes of Lung Cancer
SMOKING
Passive smoke COPD Asbestos Radon Arsenic Genetics
PAtho of lung cancer
Carcinogen overload / Genetic predisposition / Paralyze the cilia / Lesion development progresses to cancer / Activation of oncogenes / Deactivation of tumor suppressor genes / Rapid proliferation/destruction/invasion
2 types of lung cancer
Non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC): makes up about 85% to 90% of all lung cancers; slow-growing.
Small cell lung cancer (SCLC): rapidly growing tumor that tends to metastasize quickly.
S/S of Lung cancer
Cough
Hemoptysis (blood in sputum)
Wheeze or Stridor
Chest pain
Dyspnea
Weight loss
Excessive fatigue
Weakness
Hoarseness
Obstructive accumulation of secretions in the bronchioles that appear as pneumonia.
Lung cancer patients are often asymptomatic and a tumor may be an incidental finding on a routine chest x-ray.
Paraneoplastic syndrome may be the first sign of lung cancer.
Paraneoplastic ACTH in Lung Cancer
A common paraneoplastic syndrome involves lung tumor secretion of ACTH.
Lung tumors can inappropriately secrete ACTH, which chemically resembles melanocyte-stimulating hormone.
Melanocytes are often stimulated, giving the patient with lung cancer a tanned appearance.
Describe Breast cancer
Most develop from lining in ducts
Overexpressed estrogen receptors (ER-pos)
Overexpressed human epidermal growth factor receptor (HER2)
Risk factors of Breast Cancer
Age greater than 50
Prolonged reproductive life
Hormone replacement therapy
Obesity (estrogen storage in fat)
Late childbirth (after age 30)
Nulliparous (no pregnancies)
Family history of breast or ovarian cancer
Ashkenazi Jewish women
BRCA1 and BRCA2 mutation
BRCA genes
Genetic testing for BRCA1 and BRCA2 mutations can be performed in selected high-risk patients with a strong family history of breast or ovarian carcinoma.
Genetic counseling should be available for patients undergoing this test.
Many women with these gene mutations opt for preventative mastectomy and oophorectomy, surgical removal of the ovaries.
Individuals with the BRCA1 and BRCA2 gene mutations have an increased risk of
Breast Ovarian Colon Pancreatic cancer Males also have an increased risk of prostate cancer.
Breast cancer S/S
Single tumor
Nontender tumor
Firm tumor
Irregular borders
Adherence to the skin or chest wall
Upper, outer quadrant of breast
Nipple discharge
Swelling in one breast
Nipple or skin retraction
Peau d’orange—a thickening of skin that resembles an orange peel
Paget’s disease of the breast, which involves redness, crusting, pruritus, and tenderness of the nipple, is also characteristic of a cancerous change.
Cervical cancer risk factors
Smoking History of sexually transmitted diseases HPV infection Two or more lifetime sexual partners Immunosuppression Genetics
Types of HPV
The high-risk type of HPV causes a persistent infection that progresses to cervical cancer.
The low-risk type of HPV causes condylomata (genital warts) but does not cause cervical cancer.
Almost 100% of cervical cancer test + for HPV
Cervical Cancer Clinical Course
Cervical cancer has a long asymptomatic period before the disease becomes clinically evident.
Commonly, an abnormal Pap test alerts the individual of a problem.
Colorectal Cancer
Colorectal cancer is the second leading cause of death because of cancer.
Beginning at age 50, all adults should have colonoscopy every 10 years
Polyps
Colon cancer usually starts as a polyp, a tumorous mass that projects into the intestinal lumen.
Familial adenomatous polyposis is a well-defined hereditary disorder that predisposes an individual to intestinal polyps
Hereditary nonpolyposis coli HNPCC
