5. Cancer

Question 1

Definition:

Answer 1

Uncontrolled growth and multiplication of cells. Any age, any cell type.

Question 2

What are the 3 types:

Answer 2

1. Benign: Doesn’t metastasise, well encapsulated, can progress to cancer, rarer in children.
2. Malignant: Rapid growth, alteration to structure and function of cells, anaplasia not enclosed can metastasis into lymph, blood vessels and surrounding structures
3. Carcinoma: Form epithelial cells, in situ (confined to layer of tissue). invasive (spread beyond first layer)

Question 3

Aetiology

Answer 3

Not one single cause, multifactorial risk factors/causes:
Chronic inflammation, bacterial causes, genetics, lifestyle and environmental factors, stress, diet, radiation, local trauma or injury.

Question 4

What are the two characteristics of cancer cells:

Answer 4

1. Autonomy: Cancer cells independence from normal cellular controls. Ability to avoid apoptosis. Continue to grow.
2. Anaplasia: Loss of differentiation. Loss of specialised function and organisation. Rapid DNA replication and cell division.

Question 5

Explain what happens

Answer 5

Cancers spread locally and as they need more room –> loss of normal cells and decreased normal tissue function –> angiogenesis. Development of new blood vessels to allow cancer to grow and thrive. Gives own blood supply to grow.

Question 6

What are the two main types of staging systems:

Answer 6

Grading: How similar the cell is to surrounding cells

TNM system and the number system

Question 7

Explain the TNM system:

Answer 7

Tumour: Size and how far spread to nearby tissue (1-4)
Node: Whether spread to lymph nodes (0-3)
Metastasis: Whether metastasised (0-1)

Question 8

Explain the number system

Answer 8

1: Small, contained within organ it started in
2: Hasn’t spread into surrounding tissue, larger than stage 1. Sometimes spread to lymph nodes.
3: Larger cancer, started to spread to surrounding tissue, cancer cells in the lymph nodes
4: Cancer has spread to another body organ.

Question 9

Two types of breast cancer:

Answer 9

Lobular and ductal carcinoma

Question 10

Treatment of breast cancer:

Answer 10

CAR-T cells. Part of immune system, extracted and modified to recognise and attack patient’s breast cancer cells, attack malignant growth and reduce tumour size.

Question 11

Signs and symptoms:

Answer 11

Pain, fatigue, weight loss, persistent cough, anaemia, change in bowel habits.

Question 12

Diagnosis:

Answer 12

Bronchoscopy (lung cancer), PET scan, Lumbar puncture (brain and spinal cord), bone density scan (bone), CT scene, MRI, Xray, Biopsy.

Question 13

Treatments:

Answer 13

Surgery, chemotherapy, radiation

Question 14

Co-occurring conditions:

Answer 14

Hypertension, CVD, diabetes, depression