Cancer Flashcards
Vimentin (marker)
mesencyme
Burkitt’s Lymphoma (cause)
caused by translocation t(8;14)
Active transcription of c-MYC (growth factor)
cancer of lymphoid cells
malignant lymphoma
cancer of mesenchymal origin
sarcoma
Chromogranin (marker)
neuroendocrine cells (small cell carcinoma of lung and carcinoid tumors)
Where do most mutation in p53 occur?
DNA-Binding Domain
Prevents transcription of Bax, Bak, and Bad
colloid (mucinous) carcinoma
excessive mucin is produced by tumor cells (breast, colon)
Rb Protein
Tumor Suppressor that regulates G1–> S Phase
sequesters E2F
Releases E2F when phosphorylated by Cyclin D/CDK complex
benign tumor of nerves
neurofibroma
Cohesins
hold sister chromatids together
Aberation will result in inability for sister chromatids to associate in prophase
Nitrosamine
gastric cancer
Metastasis to brain
common from cancer of lung, breast, and kidney
Parenchyma
Functional cells of an organ or neoplasm
benign tumor of meninges
meningioma
Large Scale Genomic Instability
Presence of alterations in chromosome number (aneuploidy), or chromosome structure (rearrangements, breakages, genetic insertions/deletions, etc)
This can result from changes and alterations in expression level of proteins important for regulating normal mitotic progression
Non-neoplastic, reversible forms of cell proliferation
Hyperplasia, Metaplasia, and Dysplasia (variation in size and shape of cells with loss of orientation). Normal mitosis
Margin of Benign vs Malignant
Benign: smooth, encapsulated, non-invasive
Malignant: irregular margin, no capsule, invasive
Chronic Myelogenous Leukemia (cause)
Caused by translocation t(9;22) - Philaedelphia Chromosome
Forms Bcr-Abl Fusion Protein
Abl is a kinase that activates unrestricted growth
Gleevec (imatinib) is a drug that inhibits kinase activity of Bcr-Abl
Tumor/Cancer of Placental epithelium
Benign: Hydatiform mole
Malignant: Choriocarcinoma
Bcl-2
(function, disease-association)
Sequesters Cytochrome C in mitochondria and prevents activation of caspases
Amplification due to t(14,18) transposition resluts in follicular lymphoma because B cells cannot commit apoptosis during somatic hypermutation
Staging of Tumor
Based on size, extent of spread to lymph nodes, and absence or presence of metastasis
T - tumor size
N - lymph node involvement
M - metastasis
Staging of a tumor is better correlated with prognosis than Grading
benign tumor of cartilage
chondroma
Nuclei of Benign vs Metastatic cells
Benign: normal nuclei (N/C ratio = 1:6)
Metastatic: large, hypercromatic (N/C ratio = 1:1)
oat cell (small cell) carcinoma
undifferentiated carcinoma of neuroendocrine origin, usually in lung. Cells are lymphocyte-like on microscopy
Metastasis to bone
Common from cancer of prostate, lung, breast, thyroid, and kidney
papilloma
benign tumor arising from an epithelial surface that shows finger-like projections
medullary carcinoma
soft consistency of the tumor is due to very little connective tissue stroma
Clonality of Tumors
Most tumors and neoplasms arise from monoclonal transformations
In some cases, such as familial colonic polyposis, tumors can be of polyclonal origin
Grading of Tumors
Determines aggressiveness and degree of anaplasia
5 grades; higher grade means less differentiated and worse prognosis
benign tumor of fibrous tissue and glands
fibroadenoma
Most common sites of metastatic tumor
Lung adn Liver
Biologic hallmarks of cancer
invasion and metastasis
benign tumor of smooth muscle
Leiomyoma
Lymphatic spread
Preferred route of spread in most carcinomas
Polycyclic Hydrocarbons
Benzanthracene found in cigarette smoke - associated with lung cancer
Also produced by broiling and smoking meats/fish
Arsenic
associated with skin cancer
Paraneoplastic Syndrome: Fever of Unknown Origin
Lymphoma (especially Hodgkin’s), renal carcinoma, osteogenic sarcoma
cancer of synovium
synovial sarcoma
Neoplasm
abnormal growth characterized by uncontrolled, excessive, purposeless, and almost autonomous proliferation of cells resulting in formation of a mass. Irreversible
Anaplasia
Lack of differentiation characterized by: nuclear pleomorphism (variation in size and shape), hyper-chromatic nuclei, large nucleoli, high mitotic rate, and high nuclear/cytoplasmic ratio
mucinous cystadenoma
contains mucin