2.1 Neoplasms & Cancer Flashcards
1
Q
What type of illness is CANCER?
A
Cancer is a CHRONIC illness
- persistent, reoccurring
2
Q
T/F - Cancer is one type of disease
A
FALSE
There are over 100 different types of Cancer diseases
3
Q
What bodily structure is cancer based in?
A
Cancer is a CELLULAR based disease
4
Q
What age increases the risk of developing cancer?
A
Greater than 55-60 years old
5
Q
What are the most prevalent cancers for men and women in the us?
A
Women - breast cancer
Men - prostate cancer
6
Q
Which cancer has maintained a poor prognosis in spite of medical advancement?
A
Pancreas
7
Q
What causes cells to be deemed as cancerous?
A
The lack of proper cell division or differentiation
8
Q
Which cell adaptation can be considered as precancerous
A
Dysplasia
9
Q
What cellSo adaptation is known as a new growth or tumor
A
Neoplasia
10
Q
What is known as the total lack of differentiation of cells
A
Neoplasm
11
Q
Defined ANAPLASIA
A
the irreversible in-differentiation of cells
12
Q
Define PLEOMORPHISM
A
Changes in the size & shape of undifferentiated cancer cells
13
Q
Which types of cells are not usually prone to becoming cancerous
- Why?
A
- Neurons & skeletal cells
- & muscle cells
- These cells do not reproduce
14
Q
What are typical cells in which cancer can occur?
A
Skin, liver, blood cells
Some bone cells
- these reproduce very quickly (can mutate, become cancerous, reproduce, spread.)
15
Q
What is the function of normal PROGENITOR cells?
A
Allow for cell regeneration
16
Q
How can PROGENITOR cells give rise to cancer?
A
When they are mutated, malfunctioning/cancerous
They divide rapidly & produce a large, growing number of cancer cells
17
Q
Define a TUMOR
A
A large amount of cancer cells coming together to make 1 mass
18
Q
What is another term for a tumor?
A
NEOPLASM
19
Q
What is a MALIGNANT tumor?
A
Cancerous & deadly
20
Q
What is a BENIGN tumor?
A
Noncancerous, harmless
21
Q
What does the suffix -oma mean?
A
Benign tumor
22
Q
What does the suffix -carcinoma mean?
A
Malignant tumor
Epithelial origin
23
Q
What does the suffix -sarcoma mean?
A
Malignant tumor
Connective tissue origin
24
Q
What does the root LIP- mean?
A
Fatty tissue
25
What does the root ADENO- mean?
Gland tissue
26
What does the root FIBRO- mean?
Fibrous tissue
27
Define LIPOMA
Benign tumor or fatty tissue
28
Define Adenocarcinoma
Malignant tumor of epithelial lining of a gland
29
Define Fibrosarcoma
Malignant tumor of connective fibrous tissue
30
How don't BENIGN tumors spread to other parts of the body?
It is encapsulated,
cell don't shed
& grow/spread to other parts of body
31
T/F All tumors are cancerous
False
| Some tumors may be benign, and non cancerous
32
What are characteristics of Benign tumors?
- encapsulated
- slow growing
- differentiated cells
33
What are characteristics of Malignant tumors?
- non encapsulated (can break off & spread)
| - non-differentiated cells
34
Define Angiogensis
- The building of a blood supply by a malignant tumor
| - pulls nutrients etc. from tissue that needs it
35
What are the factors that lead to MALIGNANT CANCER?
- proper growth signals
- insensitivity to antigrowth signals
- evading apoptosis (suicide of "bad" cells)
- unlimited replication
- angiogenesis
- tissue evasion, metastasis
36
What is CONTACT INHIBITION? Do malignant tumors have it?
- the cessation of cell growth due to a lack of space
| - malignant tumors lack this
37
Do the cells of MALIGNANT TUMORS adhere to each other?
No
They can break off and invade other tissue
They can also spread throughout the body
38
Define DIRECT EXTENSION
cancer that has grown past the *basement membrane* and into surrounding tissue
39
Define SEEDING
When cancer cells break off & either thru *lymphatic/blood* stream, move throughout the body - seed in new area
40
Define METASTASIS
Development of secondary tumor through direct extension & seeding
41
Define ISCHEMIA
Inadequate blood flow cause by some sort of blockage to arteries/veins
42
How can tumors cause ischemia?
Tumors may grow and compress blood vessels, cutting off blood flow
43
Can tumors have systemic effects? Examples.
Yes, they secrete HORMONES that can mimic body hormones & alter water, sodium, calcium etc. balance
44
Define NEOPLASM
Abnormal cell growth
45
In ignoring genetic controls, how do neoplastic/cancerous cells behave
- They become autonomous in their proliferation (excessive multiplication)
- They become anaplastic (lose differentiation)
46
What kinds of genes, when mutated, lead to cancerous issues?
Genes in charge of DIFFERENTIATION & PROLIFERATION
47
What are some specific genes, when mutated, lead to cancer?
- MUTATOR GENES
- PROTOONCOGENES
- TUMOR SUPPRESSOR GENES
- APOPTOSIS CONTROLLING GENES
- DNA DAMAGE REPAIR GENES
48
What happens when MUTATOR GENES mutate?
- Since they control/prevent the development of mutated genes
- when mutated, mutated genes occur more often and faster
49
What type of cells, when mutated, do not pass down their mutation
White blood cells, skin/epithelial cells (at their last stage)
50
Why do certain cells lack the capability to pass down mutations?
Cells such as skin & WBC do not further divide, and instead die and are replaced by new, healthy cells.
Therefore, the mutation dies with them
51
Why do certain cells lack the capability to pass down mutations?
- Cells such as skin & WBC do not further divide, and instead die and are replaced by new, healthy cells.
- Therefore, the mutation dies with them
52
- Which type of cells are able to pass down mutation?
| - why?
- Germline/stem cell
| - these are the types of cells that differentiate & divide → will pass down mutation to progeny
53
What is the general name of the cause of cellular mutations?
Carcinogens
54
What are some common diseases that lead to cancer?
- GERD
| - Chronic pancreatitis
55
What factor do the two common diseases that lead to cancer share?
CHRONIC INFLAMMATION of their associated organ
56
- What is GERD?
| - what happens to those with GERD?
- Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease
| - Their esophagus becomes inflamed
57
What chronic occurrence is an important factor to cancer development
chronic INFLAMMATION
58
- What substances do inflammatory cells release?
| - Why is this significant
- they release CYTOKINE (important in cell signalling)
- may aid in development of cancer when the inflammation is chronic
- & they release free radicals
59
How is CHRONIC INFLAMMATION important to CANCER FORMATION?
- causes release of cytokine & free radicals
| - leads to decreased response to DNA damage
60
Regarding IMMUNITY, why might someone be at a high risk for cancer?
- Someone who is immunosuppressed (HIV, etc) has a reduced immune response
- tumor cells not recognized and destroyed as efficiently
61
What are the 8 warning signs of CANCER?
1. unusual bleeding/discharge
2. change in bowel/bladder habits
3. change in wart/mole
4. sore that doesn't heal
5. unexplained weight loss
6. anemia (low red blood cells) & persistent fatigue
7. persistent cough/hoarseness
8. solid painless lump
62
Are tumors painful?
Tumors become painful in later stages. At first they are usually painless
63
What might tumors do to blood vessels?
They may push upon a blood vessel, cause pain and cause the tissue to not get enough blood flow
64
What effect might tumors have on tissue?
- by pressing upon them
- they constrict them
- may cause the erosion of the blood vessels
- leading to ulcers & necrosis
- they may rupture - lead to bleeding & hemorrhage
65
What are the 6 systemic effects of MALIGNANT TUMORS?
- WEIGHT LOSS/CACHEXIA (fatigue/weakness)
- ANEMIA (red blood cell deficiency)
- SEVERE FATIGUE
- EFFUSIONS (fluid build up in body cavities due to inflammation)
- INFECTIONS (anemia/lack of nourishment = less resistance)
- PARANEOPLASTIC SYNDROME (tumors release hormones that act as body hormones, alter gland function, water/nutritional balance)
66
What are the 5 Diagnostic Tests for Cancer?
- ROUTINE SCREENING
- SELF EXAM
- BLOOD TEST
- RADIOGRAPHIC/ULTRASOUND/MRI/CT SCAN
- CYTOLOGIC TESTS
67
What is the significance of a ROUTINE SCREENING
- secondary level of prevention
| - important for EARLY DETECTION
68
What are some primary levels of prevention for CANCER?
Decrease risk for different types of cancer
- wearing sunscreen outside
- not smoking
- not drinking alcohol
69
What is the significance of a SELF EXAM
- Important for EARLY DETECTION if consistent
70
What is the significance of BLOOD TESTS
- involve tumor markers that test for specific antigens that may be linked to cancer
- monitoring blood cell level during treatment (due to anemia) is important as well
71
What is the significance of RADIOGRAPHIC, ULTRASOUND, MRI, CT SCANS?
- When there is a suspected mass/lesion
- Radiographic testing = X RAY
- Ultrasound
- MRI = magnetic resonance imaging
- CT scan
- examines at mass/lump closely
- not a diagnosis
72
What is needed in addition to a Radiographic/ultrasound/mri/ct scan to make a DIAGNOSIS?
- removal & analysis of the suspected/mass lesion
| = BIOPSY
73
What else is a BIOPSY helpful for
- cancer STAGING
- testing for factors that may aid in treatment
- MOST DEPENDENT in determining MALIGNANCY
74
What classification system is used to stage tumors after biopsies?
TNM Classification System
| may be modified slightly based on type of cancer
75
T in TNM Classification =
- PRIMARY TUMOR
- WHERE tumor is located
- graded based on SIZE
- Tis = Carcinoma in situ = early stage
- t1,2,3,4 = as it spreads, graded by size
76
N in TNM Classification =
- REGIONAL LYMPH NODES
- when cancer cells are found in nearby lymph nodes
- graded based on # of lymph nodes it's in
77
M in TNM Classification =
- METASTASIS
78
THREE MAIN GOALS OF CANCER TREATMENT
- CURATIVE - ***
- CONTROL - may not be able to cure, but hopefully can control, keep from metastasizing/spreading
- PALLIATIVE - in case of poor prognosis - keeping patient comfortable
79
What are the three factors that determine the type of treatment one receives for cancer?
- cancer TYPE
- LOCATION
- STAGE
80
What are 6 cancer treatments?
- CHEMO
- RADIATION
- SURGERY
- IMMUNOTHERAPY
- HORMONES
- PALLIATIVE CARE
81
What is a side effect of SURGERY on a tumor?
- removal of surrounding tissue may result in changes/loss in function
82
What is the significance of RADIATION THERAPY
- targets/destroys rapidly dividing cells
- can be used alone/combination
- some cancers are resistant (known through biopsy)
- can debulk/shrink tumor size
83
What are SIDE EFFECTS of RADIATION THERAPY
- attacking/destroying GOOD, HEALTHY rapidly dividing cells
- BONE MARROW CELLS - red/white blood cell production
- EPITHELIAL (lining) cells = ulcers, lesions
- GERM CELLS = infertility
84
What is the significance of CHEMOTHERAPHY
- like Radiation - trying to attack rapidly dividing cells
- similar adverse effects + damage to organs (kidney, heart, lungs, liver)
- can be alone or used with surgery/radiation
- combo of 2-4 drugs - interfere w/ protein synthesis/DNA replication
