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Pathophys/Pharm > Cancer > Flashcards

Cancer Flashcards

1
Q

What is neoplasia?

A
  • Proliferation of cells (new growth of a tumor)

- What drives normal cells to become cancer

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2
Q

What are normal cells clumped and growing as one mass?

A

Benign tumor

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3
Q

What are abnormal cells growing as one mass?

A

Malignant tumor (cancer)

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4
Q

What is common to all cancers?

A

Uncontrolled proliferation of abnormal cell types injuring normal tissue

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5
Q

What is the root of cancer?

A

DNA Mutations

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6
Q

What is atrophy?

A

Decrease in size of cells

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7
Q

What is hypertrophy?

A

Increase in size of cells

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8
Q

What is metaplasia?

A

One mature cell type replaces another mature cell type

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9
Q

What is dysplasia?

A

Cells in 1 tissue vary in size, shape, and rates of mitosis

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10
Q

What is anaplasia?

A

Cells are highly differentiated (don’t look like other cells) and invasive (malignant)

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11
Q

What is the timeline of a cells lifecycle

A
  • Growth
  • Differentiate
  • Function
  • Reproduce
  • Get replaced
  • Die (apoptosis)
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12
Q

Cancer cells do not _____ or _____ like they should

A

Look or act

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13
Q

Cancer cells lack _____

A

Control

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14
Q

What happens in G1 of the cell cycle?

A

Cell size and organelle number increase

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15
Q

What happens in the S phase of the cell cycle?

A

DNA Transcription

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16
Q

What happens in the G2 phase?

A

Prepare for division, protein synthesis

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17
Q

What happens in the M phase?

A

Mitosis

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18
Q

What is the G0 phase of the cell cycle?

A

A non-dividing state

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19
Q

What phase do cancer cells NOT want to be in ?

A

G0

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20
Q

What is an Oncogene?

A

DNA mutation that has lead to a dysfunctional protein of cell growth and differentiation

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21
Q

If you have an oncogene does it mean you have cnacer?

A

NO. It raises the likelihood of developing cancer

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22
Q

In cancer the result of 1 DNA mutation?

A

No, it is usually the result of more than 1 DNA mutation

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23
Q

Do all cells in a tumor have the exact genetic make up?

A

No

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24
Q

What is carcinogenesis?

A

The initiation of cancer formation

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25
Q

How do we get a mutation?

A
  • Can be born with inherited mutations (familial)
  • Can spontaneously develop mutations (aging process)
  • Can get an acquired mutation (smoking, sun, etc)
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26
Q

Can UV radiation lead to cancer? What type?

A

Yes skin cancer, malignant melanoma

27
Q

Can an STD lead to cancer? What type?

A

Yes cervical cancer, HPV

28
Q

What does the KRAS gene on chromosome 12 code for?

A

GTPase enzyme which activates cell-signaling

29
Q

What can mutations in the KRAS gene lead to?

A

Uncontrolled cell growth
(colon, pancreas, prostate…)
*KRAS = proto-oncogene but when mutated it is an oncogene

30
Q

What does the BRCA1 gene on chromosome 17 code for?

A

Enzyme involved in repair of double-stranded DNA errors

31
Q

What can a mutation of the BRCA1 gene lead to?

A

Impaired “check points”
(breast, ovarian, prostate)
*BRCA = tumor suppressor gene but when mutated, it is inactivated and allows tumors to grow

32
Q

For this class we can refer to any mutated DNA sequence which enhances the risk of cancer as….

A

an ONCOGENE

33
Q

What if the cellular BRCA repair mechanism was dysfunctional?

A

Faulty cells will move on in the cell cycle which enhances the risk of cancer

34
Q

What are the two primary types of cancer?

A

Sarcoma and Carcinoma

35
Q

What is the origin of sarcoma?

A

Connective tissue, musculoskeletal, blood, fat

36
Q

What is the origin of caricinoma?

A

Epithelial tissue, outer or inner linings of organs

*these are the most common types of cancer

37
Q

What is an ectoderm?

A

origin is “outer” cells

-Epithelial cells of the skin (squamous cell carcinoma)

38
Q

What is an endoderm?

A

origin is “inner” cells

  • Epithelial cells of the urinary bladder (adenocarcinoma of the bladder)
  • Gives rise to certain organs
39
Q

Where are epithelial cells found?

A
  • External surfaces and inner linings

* they have the greatest contact to carcinogens

40
Q

What are 2 functions of epithelial cells?

A
  • Protective

- Secretory

41
Q

T/F epithelial cells are tightly packed with limited intracellular space

A

True

42
Q

Are epithelial cells found in single or multiple layers?

A

Both - they are highly mitotic (constantly being replaces) and avascular (no blood supply)

43
Q

What are epithelial cells delineated by?

A

Basement membrane (epithelial cells DO NOT cross the basement membrane)

44
Q

What is the most common form of cancer?

A

Carcinoma in situ

45
Q

What does “in situ” mean?

A

Cancerous cells have NOT gotten across the basement membrane (this has a better prognosis than if the cells have crossed the basement membrane)

46
Q

What is referred to as a “pre-invasive cancer?”

A

Carcinoma in situ is pre-invasive cancer because if has stayed inside the basement membrane and has not spread to surrounding tissue

47
Q

What is a adenocarcinoma?

A

A malignant tumor of the grandular epithelial cells

48
Q

What is the most common type of pancreatic cancer?

A

Pancreatic acinar cell adenocarcinoma

49
Q

What are the properties of malignant cells (cancer)?

A
    1. Anaplasia
      1. Lack of cell regulation
      2. Angiogenesis
      3. Loss of contact inhibition
    1. Invasion
    1. Metastasis
50
Q

What is anaplasia? (more detail)

A
  • Cells have lost the normal characteristics of morphology, orientation and cell differentiation
  • Cells look different from nearby cells
51
Q

What are signs of anaplasia when looking at cells?

A
  • Abnormal mitotic figures
  • Hyperchromatic nuclei with large diameter
  • Numerous nucleoli
52
Q

What is worse, diffuse anaplasic or local anaplasic?

A

Diffuse anaplasic tumors have the WORST prognosis

53
Q

What is a invasion tumor?

A

The ability to penetrate normal body surfaces and barriers and to bore into or through nearby body structures and tissues

54
Q

What does metastatic mean?

A

Spread to organs away from the site of origin

55
Q

What are the most common places cancer will metastasize to?

A

Bone, lung and liver

56
Q

What would you call cancer that metastasized from the breast to the brain?

A

Metastatic breast cancer of the brain

57
Q

What is angiogenesis?

A

Formation of new blood vessels

-Tumor creates it own blood supply

58
Q

What is a Wilm’s tumor?

A

An anaplastic tumor of the kidney which contains vascular, epithelial, and connective tissue cells….highly UNDIFFERENTIATED
-Most common tumor of childhood

59
Q

What are the 10 warning signals of cancer?

A
  1. A sore that does not heal, changes color, ulcerates or bleeds
  2. Unusual bleeding or discharge from any opening in the body (bloody stool, urine, etc)
  3. A lump or swelling that has progressively enlarged (+/- pain)
  4. Indigestion or difficulty swallowing
  5. Change in bowel or bladder habits for 2-3 months
  6. Obvious change in size or texture of a mole/wart
  7. Non-smokers cough or hoarseness of voice 2+ weeks
  8. Unexplained tiredness and or weight loss of 10% of more within 3-6 months
  9. Persistent pain or discomfort in the abdomen
  10. Unexplained fever
60
Q

What are systemic effects that are warning signs for cancer?

A
  • Weight loss/anorexia
  • Fatigue
  • Unexplained fever
  • Night sweating
61
Q

Screening for cancer should happen…..

A

Even without symptoms

  • Papsmear
  • Mamogram
  • Colonoscopy, etc
62
Q

What is a biopsy?

A

The removal of tissue for gross and histological examination

63
Q

What do surgeons say is the best cure for cancer?

A

Surgical resection as it removes the tumor from its host

64
Q

What are the top three most common cancers in males and females

A

Males: Prostate, lung/bronchus, colon/rectum
Females: Breast, lung/bronchus, colon/rectum

Pathophys/Pharm (9 decks)

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