Cancer Flashcards
What is neoplasia?
- Proliferation of cells (new growth of a tumor)
- What drives normal cells to become cancer
What are normal cells clumped and growing as one mass?
Benign tumor
What are abnormal cells growing as one mass?
Malignant tumor (cancer)
What is common to all cancers?
Uncontrolled proliferation of abnormal cell types injuring normal tissue
What is the root of cancer?
DNA Mutations
What is atrophy?
Decrease in size of cells
What is hypertrophy?
Increase in size of cells
What is metaplasia?
One mature cell type replaces another mature cell type
What is dysplasia?
Cells in 1 tissue vary in size, shape, and rates of mitosis
What is anaplasia?
Cells are highly differentiated (don’t look like other cells) and invasive (malignant)
What is the timeline of a cells lifecycle
- Growth
- Differentiate
- Function
- Reproduce
- Get replaced
- Die (apoptosis)
Cancer cells do not _____ or _____ like they should
Look or act
Cancer cells lack _____
Control
What happens in G1 of the cell cycle?
Cell size and organelle number increase
What happens in the S phase of the cell cycle?
DNA Transcription
What happens in the G2 phase?
Prepare for division, protein synthesis
What happens in the M phase?
Mitosis
What is the G0 phase of the cell cycle?
A non-dividing state
What phase do cancer cells NOT want to be in ?
G0
What is an Oncogene?
DNA mutation that has lead to a dysfunctional protein of cell growth and differentiation
If you have an oncogene does it mean you have cnacer?
NO. It raises the likelihood of developing cancer
In cancer the result of 1 DNA mutation?
No, it is usually the result of more than 1 DNA mutation
Do all cells in a tumor have the exact genetic make up?
No
What is carcinogenesis?
The initiation of cancer formation
How do we get a mutation?
- Can be born with inherited mutations (familial)
- Can spontaneously develop mutations (aging process)
- Can get an acquired mutation (smoking, sun, etc)
Can UV radiation lead to cancer? What type?
Yes skin cancer, malignant melanoma
Can an STD lead to cancer? What type?
Yes cervical cancer, HPV
What does the KRAS gene on chromosome 12 code for?
GTPase enzyme which activates cell-signaling
What can mutations in the KRAS gene lead to?
Uncontrolled cell growth
(colon, pancreas, prostate…)
*KRAS = proto-oncogene but when mutated it is an oncogene
What does the BRCA1 gene on chromosome 17 code for?
Enzyme involved in repair of double-stranded DNA errors
What can a mutation of the BRCA1 gene lead to?
Impaired “check points”
(breast, ovarian, prostate)
*BRCA = tumor suppressor gene but when mutated, it is inactivated and allows tumors to grow
For this class we can refer to any mutated DNA sequence which enhances the risk of cancer as….
an ONCOGENE
What if the cellular BRCA repair mechanism was dysfunctional?
Faulty cells will move on in the cell cycle which enhances the risk of cancer
What are the two primary types of cancer?
Sarcoma and Carcinoma
What is the origin of sarcoma?
Connective tissue, musculoskeletal, blood, fat
What is the origin of caricinoma?
Epithelial tissue, outer or inner linings of organs
*these are the most common types of cancer
What is an ectoderm?
origin is “outer” cells
-Epithelial cells of the skin (squamous cell carcinoma)
What is an endoderm?
origin is “inner” cells
- Epithelial cells of the urinary bladder (adenocarcinoma of the bladder)
- Gives rise to certain organs
Where are epithelial cells found?
- External surfaces and inner linings
* they have the greatest contact to carcinogens
What are 2 functions of epithelial cells?
- Protective
- Secretory
T/F epithelial cells are tightly packed with limited intracellular space
True
Are epithelial cells found in single or multiple layers?
Both - they are highly mitotic (constantly being replaces) and avascular (no blood supply)
What are epithelial cells delineated by?
Basement membrane (epithelial cells DO NOT cross the basement membrane)
What is the most common form of cancer?
Carcinoma in situ
What does “in situ” mean?
Cancerous cells have NOT gotten across the basement membrane (this has a better prognosis than if the cells have crossed the basement membrane)
What is referred to as a “pre-invasive cancer?”
Carcinoma in situ is pre-invasive cancer because if has stayed inside the basement membrane and has not spread to surrounding tissue
What is a adenocarcinoma?
A malignant tumor of the grandular epithelial cells
What is the most common type of pancreatic cancer?
Pancreatic acinar cell adenocarcinoma
What are the properties of malignant cells (cancer)?
- Anaplasia
- Lack of cell regulation
- Angiogenesis
- Loss of contact inhibition
- Anaplasia
- Invasion
- Metastasis
What is anaplasia? (more detail)
- Cells have lost the normal characteristics of morphology, orientation and cell differentiation
- Cells look different from nearby cells
What are signs of anaplasia when looking at cells?
- Abnormal mitotic figures
- Hyperchromatic nuclei with large diameter
- Numerous nucleoli
What is worse, diffuse anaplasic or local anaplasic?
Diffuse anaplasic tumors have the WORST prognosis
What is a invasion tumor?
The ability to penetrate normal body surfaces and barriers and to bore into or through nearby body structures and tissues
What does metastatic mean?
Spread to organs away from the site of origin
What are the most common places cancer will metastasize to?
Bone, lung and liver
What would you call cancer that metastasized from the breast to the brain?
Metastatic breast cancer of the brain
What is angiogenesis?
Formation of new blood vessels
-Tumor creates it own blood supply
What is a Wilm’s tumor?
An anaplastic tumor of the kidney which contains vascular, epithelial, and connective tissue cells….highly UNDIFFERENTIATED
-Most common tumor of childhood
What are the 10 warning signals of cancer?
- A sore that does not heal, changes color, ulcerates or bleeds
- Unusual bleeding or discharge from any opening in the body (bloody stool, urine, etc)
- A lump or swelling that has progressively enlarged (+/- pain)
- Indigestion or difficulty swallowing
- Change in bowel or bladder habits for 2-3 months
- Obvious change in size or texture of a mole/wart
- Non-smokers cough or hoarseness of voice 2+ weeks
- Unexplained tiredness and or weight loss of 10% of more within 3-6 months
- Persistent pain or discomfort in the abdomen
- Unexplained fever
What are systemic effects that are warning signs for cancer?
- Weight loss/anorexia
- Fatigue
- Unexplained fever
- Night sweating
Screening for cancer should happen…..
Even without symptoms
- Papsmear
- Mamogram
- Colonoscopy, etc
What is a biopsy?
The removal of tissue for gross and histological examination
What do surgeons say is the best cure for cancer?
Surgical resection as it removes the tumor from its host
What are the top three most common cancers in males and females
Males: Prostate, lung/bronchus, colon/rectum
Females: Breast, lung/bronchus, colon/rectum
