Cancer

Question 1

What is a tumour

Answer 1

Any abnormal swelling

• neoplasm
• inflammation
• hypertrophy
• hyperplasia

Question 2

What do solid tumours consist of

Answer 2

Neoplastic cells and stroma

Question 3

Describe neoplastic cells

Answer 3

Monoclonal cells from nucleated cells that continue to secrete collagen, mucin and keratin in a tumour

Question 4

What is a stroma

Answer 4

It provides mechanical support with intracellular signalling and nutrition for neoplastic cells to lay in

Question 5

What can be found in stromas

Answer 5

Fibroblasts and Collagen

Blood vessels that perfuse the tumour

Question 6

What does the size of a tumour depend on

Answer 6

Its ability to induce blood vessels for a vascular supply and nutrients

Question 7

What is angiogenesis and what is it induced by

Answer 7

formation of new vessels from old ones

Induced by VEGF to grow the tumour but it can be opposed by angiostatin/endostatin

Question 8

How can tumours be classified

Answer 8

Benign
Borderline
Malignant

Question 9

What is neoplasia

Answer 9

New growth

Malignant or benign

Question 10

What is meant by benign

Answer 10

Cells grow compact and remain at their site

Question 11

What is meant by malignant

Answer 11

Uncontrolled cell growth into surrounding tissue

Question 12

What is cellular atrophy

Answer 12

Decrease in cell size and number of cells

Question 13

What is cellular hypertrophy

Answer 13

Increase in cell size = enlarged organ

Question 14

What is cellular hyperplasia

Answer 14

Increase in number of cells = enlarged organ

Question 15

What is cellular metaplasia

Answer 15

Loss of structural shape

Question 16

What is dysplasia

Answer 16

Reversible change of adult cell form

Question 17

How is a cancer cell different to a normal cell

Answer 17

Large number of dividing cells
Large nucleus
Size and shape variation
Loss of normal features
Disorganised
Poor tuour boundary definition

Question 18

What are the charecterisics of a benign cell

Answer 18

Nucleur variation
Diploid
Low mitotic count but normal mitosis
Retain specialisation
Retain differentiation 
Organised structure
Still functional

Question 19

What are the characteristics of a malignant cell

Answer 19

Nucleur variation
Ploid range
Variable mitotic count with abnormal mitosis
Lost specialisation
Changed differentiation 
Not organised
Lost function

Question 20

What are some types of carcinogens

Answer 20

Mutagens
Chemical carcinogenesis
UV radiation
Asbestos
EBV and HEPB

Question 21

How does cancer develop

Answer 21

DNA mutation oncogenes/tumour suppressors 
Altered cell growth and behaviour 
Mutation passed to daughter cells
Change in more than one gene
normal to benign to malignant
Inheritance and environment play a role

Question 22

What events cause benign to become malignant

Answer 22

Benign - benign
Benign - Dysplasia
Benign - Dysplasia - In situ
Benign - Dysplasia - in situ - Malignant

Question 23

How does a carcinoma spread

Answer 23

Direct extension
-Carcinomas are localised growth held by basement membrane (In situ)
Metastatic spread
In situ cells gain invasive ability and transfer malignant cells from one site to another by the blood or lymphatics
(Hematogenous metastases) (Lymphatic metastasis)

Question 24

How do you name benign cancers (Oma and adenoma)

Answer 24

End in "oma"
Cell origin + morphology + "Oma"
(Lipoma, fibroma, Chondroma, Osteoma and Papilloma_
Squamous epithelium tumour = Epithelioma
Colon/Endo gland tumour = Adenoma

Question 25

How do you name malignant cancers (Sarcoma and carcinoma)

Answer 25

Mesenchymal = sarcoma
Epithlial = Carcinoma
Cell origin + Morphology + Sarcoma/Carcinoma

Question 26

What tumours are the exception to benign nomenclature

Answer 26

Liver - Hepatoma
Skin - Melanoma and Seminoma
Lymphoma (Hodgkins and non Hodgkins)
Leukemia

Question 27

What is a teratoma

Answer 27

Tumours w/ mature and immature cells

Question 28

What are the tumour classifications for squamous, transitional and glandular epithelium

Answer 28

Squamous
-SC Papilloma or SC Carcinoma
Transitional
-TC Papilloma or TC Carcinoma
Glandular
-Adenoma or Adenocarcinoma

Question 29

What is a choriocarcinoma

Answer 29

Malignant placenta/chorionic epithelium

Question 30

What are the tumour classifications for Adipose and Fibrous

Answer 30

Adipose
-Lipoma or liposarcoma
Fibrous
-Fibroma or Fibrosarcoma

Question 31

What are the tumour classifications for Cartilage, Bone and Synovium

Answer 31

Cartilage
-Chondroma or Chondrosarcoma
Bone
-Osteoma or Osteosarcoma
Synovium 
-Synovioma or Synoviosarcoma

Question 32

What are the tumour classifications for Smooth muscle and skeletal muscle

Answer 32

Smooth
-Leiomyoma or leiomyosarcoma
Skeletal
-Rhabdomyoma or Rhabdomyosarcoma

Question 33

What is tumour grading based on

Answer 33

Anaplasia degree (Loss of specialisation)
Rate of growth

Question 34

How is a tumour graded

Answer 34

1 - Well differentiated ( <25% anaplastic cells)
2 -Differentiated (25-50% Anaplastics)
3 - Differentiated (50-75% Anaplastics)
4 - Poor differentiation (>75% Anaplastics)

Question 35

What is the International TNM grading system

Answer 35

T = Tumour size
N = Nodes
M = Metastases

Question 36

Describe the TNM grading system

Answer 36

T0 - No tumour evidence
Tis - Carcinoma in situ
TX - Tumour can't be assessed
T1-4 - Tumour size increase
N0 - No nodes involved
NX - Nodes can't be assessed
N1-4 - Increased involvement
MO - No evidence
MX - Cant assess metastases
M1-4 - Increased metastases