Cancer Flashcards
What is a tumour?
Any kind of mass forming lesion
Can be neoplasticism, hamartomatous or inflammatory
What does neoplasm mean?
The autonomous growth of tissue which have escaped normal constraints of proliferation
Can be benign (remain localised) and can be malignant (invade local tissues and spread to distant sites)
Cancers are malignant neoplasms
What are hamartomas?
Localised Benign overgrowths of one or more mature cell types
They are architectural not cytological abnormalities
Benign
What are heterotopias
These are normal tissues being found in parts of the body where they are not normally present
How are neoplasms classified?
Primarily based on cell origin
Secondarily whether benign or malignant
What are the suffixes for benign and malignant?
Benign -oma
Malignant -sarcoma/carcinoma
What are teratomas?
Tumours derives from germ cells and can contain tissue derived from al three germ cell layers
Can contain mature and immature tissues, and even cancers
(These are the ones with hair…)
What are some of the key differences between malignant and benign tumours?
Invasion - direct extension into adjacent tissue. Distinguishes between dysplasia/carcinoma in situ and actual cancer
Metastasis - spread via the blood vessels to other parts of the body
Differentiation - how much do the tumour cells resemble the cells they are derived from. Tumour cells tend to have a larger nuclei. More mitosis too, and irregular mitosis.
Growth pattern - how much the architecture of the tumour cells resemble the architecture of the tissue it is derived from
What are the routes by which tumours spread?
Direct extension
Haematogenous
Lymphatic
Transcoelomic
Perineural
How do tumours spread by direct extension?
Associated woth a stromal response
This includes fibroblastic proliferation, angiogenesis (vascular proliferation) and an immune response
How do tumours spread by the haematogenous route?
This is via blood vessels
Usually capillaries and Venules because they have thinner walls
Most sarcomas metastasise first via the blood vessels
How do tumours spread by the lymphatic route?
Via lymphatics and lymph nodes
The pattern of spread is dictated by the normal lymphatic drainage of the organ in question
Most epithelial cancers metastasise first via the lymphatics
How do tumours spread by the transcoelomic route?
Via seeding of the body cavities
Commonest examples are the pleural cavities and the peritoneal cavities
How do tumours spread by the perineural route?
Via nerves
Under appreciated
Common in the liver
How do we asses tumour spread?
Clinically
Radiologically
Pathologically
