Breast & colorectal cancer

Question 1

Cancer is caused by

Answer 1

Mutations in DNA that allow once-normal cells to morph into changed cells that then multiply and pass their mutated DNA to their offspring.

Question 2

Metastasis

Answer 2

The spread of cancer cells around the body.

Question 3

Breast structures + function

Answer 3

Lobules - contain the glands that produce breast milk

Ducts - passageways that collect milk and channel it to the nipple

Question 4

Non-invasive (breast) cancer

Answer 4

‘carcinoma in situ’

Does not spread beyond the basement membrane, however has the potential to become invasive (warning sign).

Question 5

Invasive (breast) cancer

Answer 5

Can spread to surrounding tissues in the breast, to nearby lymphnodes and other organs in the body.

Question 6

Most common type of breast cancer

Answer 6

(Invasive) Ductal carcinoma

Question 7

Rare types of invasive breast cancer

Answer 7

Paget’s disease of the nipple

& Inflammatory breast cancer (often fatal)

Question 8

Signs of breast cancer

Answer 8

Hard, fixed (immobile) and painless lumps with irregular margins.
Bloody discharge from the nipple, changes in skin colour or an inverted nipple.

Question 9

Risk factors breast cancer

Answer 9

Being a women
Family history of breast cancer (BRCA genes = tumoursuppressors) or ovarian cancer
Early menarche or late menopause (long estrogen exposure)
Never having a child/ no breastfeeding
Obesity, alcohol and lack of exercise.

Question 10

Role of estrogen in breast cancer development

Answer 10

Long-term exposure to mitotic effects of estrogen increases the risk of mutations at time of DNA replication.

Question 11

Imaging techique to screen for breast cancer

Answer 11

Mammography

Question 12

Colorectal cancer is cancer in …

Answer 12

The colon and/or rectum

Question 13

Adenocarcinoma

Answer 13

Type of cancer that develops from glandular tissues and cells.

Question 14

Adenoma

Answer 14

Benign tumor of glandular origin.

Type of polyp that can develop into adenocarcinoma (warning sign).

Question 15

Risk factors colorectal cancer

Answer 15

Age
Family history
Being a men
History of polyps or polyposis syndrome (FAP, HNPCC)
Inflammatory bowel disease
Smoking, alcohol, high red meat intake and low fibre intake.

Question 16

Symptoms colorectal cancer

Answer 16

Right-sided colon (begin, 20%): often asymptomatic, may experience weight loss and anaemia.
Left-sided colon (end, 75%): dark-red blood and mucus in stools, increased bowel frequency and pain.
Rectal tumours: bright-red blood in stools, tenesmus.

Question 17

Cause of bleeding in colorectal cancer

Answer 17

Tumour obstructs the lumen > secretion of growth factors > angiogenesis (new blood vessels).

Question 18

TNM-staging

Answer 18

T = size of the tumour (invaded which layer(s))
N = number of lymph nodes involved
M = metastasis