6/15- Neuro-oncology I Flashcards
What are the processes of life/death in balance physiologically?
Necrosis/apoptosis:
- Degeneration
- Inflammation
- Stroke
- Trauma
Growth:
- Neoplasm
- Developmental
Brain tumors are 2nd only to ____ in malignancies of childhood?
Brain tumors are 2nd only to leukemia in malignancies of childhood?
At the most fundamental level, cancer is a set of disorders characterized by _________?
At the most fundamental level, cancer is a set of disorders characterized by mutations of genes regulating cell growth, differentiation, and death
(as cell proliferation, differentiation, and programmed cell death are under genetic control)
Tumor progression results from __________?
Tumor progression results from the sequential acquisition of new mutations which confer selective advantage
How are nervous system tumors named?
(Like other tumors)
According to the similarity of the tumor cells to architecture of normal tissues during development
CNS tumors are ____ (graded/staged) but not ____ (graded/staged). Definitions?
CNS tumors are graded but not staged
Staging = gross size and spread of tumor (local, nodal, systemic…)
Grading = only and ever histological (although may be used to estimate/predict tumor behavior; grades 3/4 are more likely infiltrative, but neuro-tumors are not officially staged)
Cellular constituents of the nervous system (3 broad categories)?
- Neuroectodermal elements
- Mesenchymal elements
- Neural crest
Cellular constituents of the nervous system (details)?
Neuroectodermal elements
- Neurons
- Astrocytes
- Oligodendroglia
- Ependymocytes
Mesenchymal elements
- Meninges
- Microglia and lymphocytes
- Blood vessels
Neural crest
- Schwann cells
T/F: These are normal neurons?
True
What immunomarkers can be used for neurons?
- Synaptophysin (reddish)- stains synapses
- Neu-N (dark, more well-defined)
What is this?
Neu-N (immunomarker for neurons)
What is this?
Synaptophysin (immunomarker for neurons)
What is this?
Glia in the neuropil
- Oligodendrocyte has smaller, denser nucleus (maker of myelin in the CNS) than astrocyte
Whit is this?
Reactive astrocytes (marks process of gliosis)
- Increased protein synthesis
- Prepares to form scar-like tissue
- Eosinophilic cytoplasm in astrocyte may be reactive or neoplsatic
What immunomarker can be used for glia?
Glial Fibrillary Acidic Protein (GFAP)
- Center of the picture is astrocyte highlighted by GFAP (star-shaped with many processes branching out to touch synapses, forming tight junctions around endothelial cells of BVs..)
- GFAP is stronger in astrocytes than ependymal cells and oligodendrocytes