Cancer Flashcards
What is cancer
A group of diseases that causes uncontrolled growth of cells caused by a mutation which can cause tumours
What is benign
A tumour that is non-cancerous
Does not invade nearby tissues or spread to other parts of the body
Slow growth
Well defined
Encapsulated
What is malignant
A tumour that is cancerous that invades nearby tissues and spreads to other parts of the body through metastasis.
Not encapsulated
Rapid growth
What does carcinogenesis mean?
The development of cancer
How does cancer develop
When a gene changes within a cell and then grows and multiplies abnormally
What causes cancer
Mutations, environmental factors and inheritance like BRCA
What are the 3 stages of carcinogenesis
Initiation- genetic mutations or alterations occur in dna leading to cancerous changes
Promotion- promotors- lifestyle factors, environmental exposure and hormones stimulate the growth of cells.
Progression- accumulation of additional genetic changes result in the transformation of benign tumours into malignant tumours and the spread of cancer cells to distant sites.
Causes of initiation (phase 1 of carcinogenesis)
Genetic mutations
Epigenetic changes
Types of initiation cells (phase 1 of carcinogenesis)
Initiated cells
Preneoplastic lesions
Roles of promoters (stage 2 in carcinogenesis)
Lifestyle factors
Environmental factors
Hormonal factors
Mechanisms of promotion (phase 2 of carcinogenesis)
Cell proliferation
Genetic instability
Angiogenesis
Key events in progression (final stage of carcinogenesis)
Genomic instability
Clonal expansion
Invasion and metastasis
What does stage refer to in cancer
How big the cancer is and whether it has spread
What does grade refer to with cancer
How abnormal the cells have become
Physical impacts of cancer
Hair loss
Pain
Fatigue
Weight loss
Organ dysfunction
Emotional impacts of cancer
Fear
Anxiety
Depression
Uncertainty
Social and economic impacts of cancer
Disrupt work, relationships, daily life, leading to financial burden and social isolation
How is cancer managed in health care
Treatments (chemo, surgery, radiation, immune therapy, targeted therapy)
Multidisciplinary approach
Supportive care
What are the 5 cancers we are studying
Breast (most common)
Thyroid
Testicular
Non-Hodgkins lymphoma
Acute myeloid leukaemia
What are oncogenes
Genes which have the potential to cause cancer when mutated or activated
What do tumour suppressor genes do
Regulates cell growth, prevents tumour formation and maintaining genomic stability.
What are the check points in the cell cycle
G1 cell checkpoint
G2 cell checkpoint
Spindle assembly checkpoint
What does the G1 check points check for
DNA damage
What does the G2 checkpoint check for
Cell size and DNA replication
What does the spindle assembly check point check for
Attachments to the spindle
What causes NHL
A mutation in the DNA of lymphocytes
How is NHL diagnosed
Blood tests
Biopsies
What are the treatments for NHL
Radiotherapy
Monoclonal antibody therapy
Chemotherapy
Watchful waiting
Inhibitor therapy
Stem cell transplant
What causes AML
Radiation exposure
Cigarette smoke
How is AML diagnosed
Genetic tests (cytogenetic and molecular tests)
Biopsies
What are the treatments for AML
Combination chemotherapy, stem cell transplant, targeted therapy
