14.4 Classification of cancer Flashcards
What is a benign tumour?
Non-aggressive and non-spreading. Only compromise health if they disrupt vital structures or secrete hormones
What are the main differences between benign and malignant tumours?
Benign tumour cells grow locally and cannot spread by invasion or metastasis.
Malignant tumour cells can invade neighbouring tissues, enter the blood or lymphatic system and spread to other areas of the body
What are the features of benign and malignant tumours at cellular level?
Benign:
Highly differentiated
Slow growing
High cellular cohesion
Malignant:
Variable, but often poorly differentiated
Often fast growing. The lower the degree of differentiation, the higher the growth rate
Low cellular cohesion
What are the features of benign and malignant tumours at the level of the tumour?
Benign:
Encapsulated
Grow only at the site where they first occur
No metastatic potential of the body
Malignant:
Rarely encapsulated
Infiltrating surrounding tissue
High tendency to metastasise to different parts
What are the features of benign and malignant tumours at the level of the whole person?
Benign: Normally harmless Excellent prognosis Low rate of recurrence Therapy aims at cure Treatment by surgical removal
Malignant: May invade vital organs, may cause death Variable prognosis High rate of recurrence Therapy aims cure or palliation Treatment by surgery, radiotherapy, drug therapy
What carcinoma tissue of origin?
Epithelial (skin and mucous membranes)
What is sarcoma tissue of origin?
Connective
What is leukaemia, lymphoma, myeloma tissue of origin?
Blood and lymphoid tissue
What is neuroblastoma, glioma, meningioma tissue of origin?
Nervous tissue
Where is adenocarcinoma?
Epithelium of glands
Where is squamous cell carcinoma?
Skin
Where is osteosarcoma?
Bone
Where is liposarcoma?
Fat (adipose) tissue
Where is hemangiosarcoma?
Blood vessels
Where is papilloma?
Non-glandular epithelial surface
