Cancer Flashcards
What is a tumour?
Any kind of mass forming lesion
May be neoplastic, hamartomatous or inflammatory
What is meant by neoplasm?
Autonomous growth of tissue which have escaped normal constraints on cell proliferation
What are the two types of neoplasm?
Benign- localised
Malignant- has potential to spread to distant site
Can benign tumours cause death?
Yes, because of location e.g. brain
Can malignant tumours not be harmful?
Many malignant tumours rarely cause death e.g. skin cancers
What are hamartomas?
Localised benign overgrowths of one or more mature cell types e.g. in the lung\Represent architectural but not cytological abnormalities
e.g. lung hamartomas are composed of cartilage and bronchial tissue
Not a cause for concern
What is heterotopia?
Normal tissue found in the wrong place
E.g. pancreas in the wall of the large intestine
What is the primary classification of a neoplasm?
Based on cell origin
Whats is the secondary description of a neoplasm?
Benign or Malignant
What is the suffix for benign tumours?
‘oma’
What is the suffix for malignant tumours?
‘sarcoma’
What is a teratoma?
Tumours derives from germ cells and can contain tissue derive from all three germ cell layers
May contain immature and/or mature tissue and even cancers
Give some examples of malignant tumours that end in ‘Oma’?
Lymphoma
Melanoma
Hepatoma
Teratoma (not all)
What are the differences between benign and malignant tumours?
Invasion
Metastasis
Differentiation
Growth pattern
What is meant by invasion?
Direct extension into the adjacent connective tissue and/or other structures e.g. blood vessels
Distinguishes dysplasia from cancer
What is meant by metastasis?
Spread via blood vessels to other parts of the body
All malignant tumours have the capacity to metastasise although they may be diagnoses before they have done so
What is meant by differentiation?
How much do the cells of the tumour resemble the cells of the tissue it is derived form e.g. Tumour cells have larger nuclei Greater mitosis Greater variation in size and shape Loss of normal features
Whats is meant by growth pattern?
Hoe much does the architecture of the tumour resembles that of the tissue it is derived from
Tumours have less well defined architecture
Can benign tumours become malignant?
Yes
By which routes do tumours spread?
Direct extension Haematogenous Lymphatic Transcoelomic Perineural
What is meant by direct extension?
Associated with a stromal response to the tumour
Includes fibroblastic proliferation, vascular proliferation and an immune response
What is meant by haematogenous?
This is via blood vessels
Usually venules and capillaries because they have thinner walls
Most sarcomas
What is meant by lymphatic?
Via lymphatics to lymph nodes and beyond
Pattern of spread dictated by the normal lymphatic drainage of organ in question
Most epithelial cancers
What is meant by transcoelomic?
Via seeding of body cavities
E.g pleural cavities and peritoneal cavities
What is meant by perineal?
Via nerves
How do we assess tumour spread?
Clinically
Radiologically
Pathologically
How do we describe tumour spread?
TMN
T: Tumour size/extent of local invasion
N: Nodes- number of lymphnodes involved
M: Metastases
What is meant by grade?
How differentiated is the tumour
How bad does it look down the microscope?
What is meant by stage?
How far has the tumour spread (TMN)
