Cancer Flashcards
What is the most common malignancy affecting men in the UK?
Prostate cancer
Most prostate cancers are?
adenocarcinomas
4 risk factors for prostate cancer?
Increasing age (by 80 80% of men have malignant foci)
Family history
Hormonal factors
Black men > caucasians
Presentation of prostate cancer?
Majority are asymptomatic and picked up by PSA tests or abnormal DRE findings
May have lower urinary tract symptoms
Haematuria
Haematospermia
If metastasised: bone pain, anorexia, weight loss
75% of prostate cancers arise in what zone?
Peripheral zone
What zone of the prostate contains the majority of prostatic glandular tissue?
Peripheral zone
Describe the four zones of the prostate?
Transitional zone: around urethra
Anterior zone: at the front
Peripheral zone: at the back
Central zone: around the seminal vesicles
Abnormal Prostate on DRE?
Asymmetry, nodule, fixed craggy mass
PSA is produced by ______
Serum levels ______ with prostate cancer
secretory epithelial cells of the prostate
increase
Describe sensitivity and specificity of PSA testing?
Sensitivity of PSA in detecting prostate cancer is very high at 90% but specificity is very low at 40%
Basically those with cancer are identified using the test but majority of people that are positive in testing don’t actually have cancer
Describe 6 conditions other than cancer that can cause a rise in the PSA?
benign prostatic hyperplasia prostatitis UTIs Retention Catherisation DRE
If want to test asymptomatic patients PSA what must you do?
Give counselling about poor specificity.
Cancer identified in less than 5%
Biopsy to get further info if PSA raised is uncomfortable with risk of significant bleeding and sepsis
Indications for a trans rectal USS guided prostate biopsy?
Men with abnormal DRE
Elevated PSA (4ng/mL)
Previous biopsies showing PIN and ASAP
Rising PSA trend despite previous normal biopsies
4 complications of trans rectal USS guided prostate biopsy?
Sepsis
PR bleeding
Vasovagal fainting
Haematuria and haematospermia for 2-3 weeks after
Characteristic skeletal metastasis for prostate cancer is ____
sclerotic
Describe spread of prostate cancer
Local extension through prostatic capsule to urethra, bladder and seminal vesicle with perineurial invasion along autonomic nerve.
Most common sites of metastatic deposit are the pelvic lymph nodes and skeleton
What system is used to grade prostate cancer how does it work?
Gleason system has grades 2-10 and indicates degree of differentiation from well 2 to aggressive 10. Grading correlates well with prognosis
In organ confined prostate cancer disease describe 4 treatment strategies?
Watchful waiting (palliative at end) Active surveillance (curative at end) Radical surgery (prostatectomy to remove disease- complications though) Radical radiotherapy (curative but complications)
In locally advanced prostate cancer describe 3 treatment strategies?
Radiotherapy with neo adjuvant hormonal therapy
Watchful waiting > well differentiated and life expectancy less than 10 yrs or in those who don’t want treatment complications
Hormonal therapy - symptomatic patients that can’t be cured but need palliation
Describe treatment options for metastatic prostate cancer?
Hormonal therapy - if you deprive prostate cells of androgenic stimulation (testosterone) they will undergo apoptosis
LHRH analogues
Anti androgens
Bilateral sub capsular orchidectomy to remove testes
Maximal androgen blockage
Diethylstibesterol (synthetic oestrogen)
Cytotoxic chemotherapy
Side effects of prostate cancer hormonal therapy?
Loss of libido and ED Hot flushes and sweats Weight gain Gynaecomastia Osteoporosis Anaemia Cognitive changes
Describe the main types of bladder cancer?
90% are transitional cell carcinomas, 9% are squamous, 1% everything else (adenocarcinomas, urachal carcinoma etc)
Where do transitional cell carcinomas occur?
Bladder most common by far
Also the calyces, renal pelvis, ureter, or urethra
anywhere lined in transitional epithelium
Risk factors for bladder cancer?
Risk increases with age
Cigarette smoking (strong association)
Exposure to industrial carcinogens e.g. B-naphthylamine and benzidine
Exposure to certain drugs e.g. cyclophosphamide
Chronic inflammation in schistosomiasis (usually squamous)
Transitional cell carcinoma can be ____________
papillary or solid in growth patterns
Squamous cell carcinomas arise from ____________
metaplastic change due to persistent inflammation
Urachal carcinoma comes from _______
the urachis- fetal remnant that drained the bladder into the umbilical cord
Most common presentation of bladder cancer is?
painless haematuria
Presentation of bladder cancer?
painless haematuria most commonly
Pain can occur however if clot retention
Symptoms may be suggestive of UTI but significant bacteraemia is absent
Presenting symptoms may be pain from local nerve involvement or metastases
Flank pain if lesion causes ureteric obstruction
Investigations for bladder cancer?
Urine cytology for malignant cells Cytoscopy (camera/ lens into urethra) Urinary tumour markers CT or MRI of pelvis Excretory urography