Cancer Flashcards

1
Q

What are benign cancers?

A

Cancers which remain localised, do not spread - however can still kill due to their location eg a benign brain tumour could raise intracranial pressure and cause problems

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2
Q

What is the definition of a tumour?

A

A mass forming lesion of any kind

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3
Q

What are neoplasms?

A

Autonomous outgrowths of tissues which have escaped the normal constraints of cell proliferation

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4
Q

How do cells become cancerous?

A

Through the accumulation of mutations through the cell cycle which control the process of cell division

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5
Q

what are malignant tumours?

A

Those which invade local side/ spreads to distant sites

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6
Q

What are hamartomas?

A

Localised, benign overgrowths of one or more mature cell types eg lungs - they are tumours, but not neoplasms

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7
Q

What is the main problem associated with hamartomas?

A

They display architectural abnormalities

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8
Q

Where do hamartomas commonly form?

A

In the lungs

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9
Q

What are three types of tumours?

A

Neoplastic, hamartomatous or inflammatory

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10
Q

What is a heterotopia?

A

When normal tissue is found in parts of the body where they are not normally found

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11
Q

A 51-year-old male underwent an endoscopy during colon screening. An erythematous flat lesion, measuring about 2.5 cm in its greatest diameter was noted in the rectum and biopsies were obtained. Histological examination (shown below) revealed multiple fragments of gastric mucosa with associated with mild chronic inflammation. How is this tumour best described?

A

Heterotopia - usually associated with inflammation as well but generally harmless

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12
Q

Which type of tumour invades connective tissue?

A

Malignant tumours often invade connective tissue, whereas benign tumours do not.

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13
Q

In the “TNM” system of tumour grading, what do the letters T, N and M represent?

A

Tumour
Nodes
Metastasis

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14
Q

What is a cancer?

A

A malignant neoplasm

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15
Q

What does the suffix “sarcoma” mean?

A

Malignant (soft tissue) tumour

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16
Q

What does the suffix “oma” mean?

A

Benign tumour

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17
Q

What is the name of a benign tumour of the squamous epithelium cells?

A

Squamous papilloma

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18
Q

What is the name of a malignant and benign tumour of glandular epithelial cells?

A

Malignant = Adenocarcinoma

Benign = Adenoma

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19
Q

What is the name of a malignant and benign tumour of transitional epithelial cells?

A

benign = transitional papilloma

malignant = transitional cell carcinoma

20
Q

What is the name of a malignant and benign tumour of squamous epithelial cells?

A

benign = squamous papilloma

malignant = squamous cell carcinoma

21
Q

what is the name given to a benign and malignant tumour of smooth muscle?

A

Leiomyoma = benign

leiomyosarcoma = malignant

22
Q

What is the name given to benign and malignant tumours of the bone?

A

Osteoma = benign

Osteosarcoma = malignant

23
Q

What is a lymphoma?

A

A malignant neoplasm of the lymphocytes

24
Q

What is leukaemia?

A

A malignant neoplasm of the bone marrow

25
Q

What are teratomas?

A

Tumours derived from germ cells and can contain tissue from all three germ layers

26
Q

What does invasion mean?

A

The direct extension into the adjacent connective tissue or other structures like blood vessels

27
Q

What are the four main differences between benign and malignant tumours?

A
  1. invasion
  2. metastasis
  3. growth patterns
  4. differentiation
28
Q

What is meant by metastasis?

A

The spread of cancer via the blood vessels

29
Q

What is meant by the degree of differentiation?

A

How much do the cells of the tumour resemble the cells of the tissue it is derived from

30
Q

How do tumour cells differ from the cells they are derived from?

A

-They have a larger nuclei (so higher nuclear:cytoplasm ratio)
-more mitoses than the normal tissue they are derived from
-abnormal mitoses (e.g. tripolar)
-marked nuclear pleomorphism

31
Q

What is meant by growth pattern?

A

how much does the architecture of the tumour resembles the architecture of the tissue it is derived from.

32
Q

How does the growth pattern of tumours differ from that of the tissue it is derived from?

A

less well defined architecture than the tissue they are derived from

33
Q

Describe how a benign tumour becomes malignant?

A
  1. hyperproliferation
  2. adenomatous polyps form
  3. when the polyps undergoes dysplasia - becomes pre cancerous
  4. then forms an adenocarcinoma and then becomes an invasive cancer
34
Q

By which routes do tumours spread?

A

Direct extension.
Haematogenous.
Lymphatic
Transcoelomic
Perineural

35
Q

What are three stages involved in the direct extension of a tumour?

A

fibroblastic proliferation (“ a desmoplastic response”), vascular proliferation (angiogenesis) and an immune response.

36
Q

which blood vessels are usually invaded in haematogenous invasion and why?

A

The blood vessels usually invaded are the venules and capillaries because they have thinner walls.

37
Q

By what route do most sarcomas metastasize through?

A

Haematogenous

38
Q

Which cancers metastasize via the lymphatics first?

A

Epithelial cancers

39
Q

How is the pattern of lymphatic spread dictated?

A

dictated by the normal lymphatic drainage of the organ in question

40
Q

What is meant by transcoelomic spread?

A

This is via seeding of body cavities.

41
Q

Which cavities are common sites for transcoelomic spread?

A

pleural cavities for intrathoracic cancers and peritoneal cavities for intra-abdominal

42
Q

What is perineural spread?

A

Spread of cancer via nerves

43
Q

How do we assess tumour spread?

A
  1. Clinically
  2. Radiologically
  3. Pathologically
44
Q

How do we describe tumour spread (stage)?

A

T = Tumour: the tumour size or extent of local invasion
N = Nodes: number of lymph nodes involved
M = Metastases: presence of distant metastases
This is called the “TNM” system and the details are different for each kind of cancer

45
Q

What is meant by grade and stage?

A

Grade = how differentiated is the tumour

Stage = how far has the tumour spread - TNM