Cancer Flashcards
Stroma
Formed by tumour cells+ their growth factors
Provides support and nutrition
Allows intracellular signalling
Differentiation
Amount that neoplastic cells represent tissue
Benign v differentiated
Lose polarity as not well orientated
Measured by grade
Local Invasion
Malignant tumours destroy local membranes
E-cadhesin loss means loss of cell-cell adhesion and contact inhibition
Integrin loss= lose cell-matrix adhesion
Matrix metalloproteinases degrade ECM
Benign tumours expansive
Get compression symptoms
Metastases
Direct Seeding/Transcolaemic=penetrates open area
Lymphatic= via lymph vessels
Haematogenous= Veins easy to perforate, often to liver or lungs
Implantation
Carcinogens
PAHs in tobacco
Aflatoxin
Oestrogen stimulates cell division and induces DNA damage
Chronic inflam
Initators
Genotoxic
Chemically modify DNA or replicate modified DNA
Promoters
Induce proliferation and DNA replication so more problems occur
Alcohol a promoter as increases hormone levels and reduces folate levels
Complete Carcinogens
Initiate and promote
e.g. UV
Chronic inflam initiates as releases free radicals and promotes as cell division induced
Oncogenes
Proliferate and amplify more
Inhibit apoptosis
Activated by moving them, amplifying them or altering an aa
e.g. ERB
TSG
Can be turned off
e.g. p53, APC, BRCA
Gatekeepers regulate normal growth
Caretakers maintain genetic stability (repair damaged DNA)
Landscapers control stromal environ
Inactivated as carcinogens cause reduced expression
Hallmarks
1) Doesn’t need growth factors
2) Doesn’t respond to antigrowth signals
3) Limitless replication
4) Evades apoptosis
5) Sustained angiogenesis
6) Tissue invasion+ metastasis
7) Genetic Instability
Stage
How advanced it is+ if it has spread
