Cancer

Question 1

5 Different grades and stages of cancer

Answer 1

• Stage 0 - carcinoma in situ = abnormal cells have been found
• Stage 1- cancer is small and has not spread anywhere else.
• stage 2 - grown but has not spread
• Stage 3 - cancer is larger and may have spread to surrounding tissues
• Stage 4 - cancer has spread from where it started to at least one other organ in the body

Question 2

benign cancer characteristics

Answer 2

• have smooth, distinct borders
• do not grow into surrounding tissue or organs
• slow growing

Question 3

Malignant (affect whole body) characteristics

Answer 3

o Cells poorly differentiated
o Infiltrates and destroys surrounding tissues
o Growth rate variable
o Metastasizes via lymphatics/blood
o Generalized effects (anemia, weakness, weight loss)
o Usually cause death unless growth is controlled

Question 4

things that cause cancer

Answer 4

• chemicals = smoking, alcohol
• ultraviolet, radiation
• bacterial/virsus infection
• hormone inbalance
• immunde system dysfunction

Question 5

symptoms of cancer

Answer 5

o metabolic changes
o cachexia (fat/muscle loss)
o endocrine effects (hormone abnormalities)
o sores/wounds that don’t heal
o indigestion, hoarseness
o lump in breast
o unusual bleeding.

Question 6

diagnosis of cancer

Answer 6

o mammogram
o smear
o rectal exam
o colonoscopy
o skin inspection
o biopsy
o tumor markers

Question 7

what is chemotherapy

Answer 7

drug therapy using ‘cytotoxic’ drugs that affect all rapidly dividing cells in the body.

Question 8

side effects of chemotherapy

Answer 8

o nausea
o vomiting
o diarrhea
o loss of appetite
o hair loss
o fatigue

Question 9

What is radiotherpay

Answer 9

o destroys cancer cells with minimal exposure to normal cells
o effective only for tissue in direct path of radiation beam

Question 10

Side effects of radiotherapy

Answer 10

o redness
o desquamation of irritated skin (loss of upper layer of skin)
o hair loss
o nausea
o vomiting
o fatigue

Question 11

risks for developing breast cancer

Answer 11

o female
o >50
o 1st degree relative with history
o Menopause
o Smoking
o alcohol consumption
o high fat diet

Question 12

breastcancer screening

Answer 12

o mammogram (low dose x-ray that can pick up small cancers before a lump is formed)
o from age 45 and over every two years.

Question 13

symptoms of breast cancer

Answer 13

o lumps
o thickened tissue
o changes in nipple.