cancer bioligy - hallmarks Flashcards
what is a neoplasm
an abnormal growth of tissue which can be benign or malignant (cancerous)
cancers can be classified according to their (tissue) origins. Name the 4 subtypes
carcinomas (80% all cancers) origin epithelial cell
sarcomas orgin from the mesenchymal cells (CT, mesoderm, neurons, bone muscle), rare only 1%.
leukaemia and lymphomas origin haemotopoietic cells 7% tumours.
glio/neuroblastomas origin from neuroendodermal tissue 1.5%
> not all fit into these 4 catergories e.g melanomas, lung carcinoma
name some of the ESTABLISHED hallmarks of cancer
excessive cell proliferation
can evade the growth inhibitory signals
can evade apopotosis/cell death
are replicatively immortal
induce angiogeneisis
can undergo metastasis and invasion
where do tumour cells orignate from?
From a single progenitor cell so all tumour cells are monoclonal cell
what is VEGF - vascular endothelial growth factor. how does it work?
it is a pro-angiogenic growth factor needed to promote the formation of new blood vessels > it initiates angiogenesis
> its regulated by hypoxia and binds to tyrosine kinase receptor to drive endothelial cell proliferation. Nitrous oxide can help to dilate blood vessels and destabilize vessel allowing a tip cell to start growing
> tip cell grows towards angiogenic stimulus and stalk (endothelial) cells form behind it which then hollow out and form a tube
> tip cells meet and merge allowing blood to flow. as new vessel matures, pericytes are recruited to stabilize the vessel structure
name the cellular changes that distinguish cancer cell from a normal cell
enhanced stimulation of growth factors
hyperplastic
metaplastic
Poorly differentiated
Looks abnormal
what is the difference between a benign and malignant neoplasm?
benign are non-invasive and localised. they exhibit hyperplastic and metaplastic characteristics
malignant are invasive, can undergo metastasis and spread to other locations and form secondary tumours
what are the subtypes of carcinomas
squamous cell carcinomas - this concerns the protective nature of the endothelium
adenocarcinomas - this concerns the secretory epithelial cells (into ducts or cavities)
> lung cell has both types of cells so lung cancers of these types are common
define hyperplastic and metaplastic
hyperplastic - excessive cell number as cell proliferation is dysregulated
metaplastic - ectopic cell replacement and usually seen in epithelial transition zones (e.g. cervix or oesphagus)
what is dysplasia/dysplastic tissue?
it is the abnormal development of cells. dysplasic tissue can be said to be in a premalignant state
> abnormal shaped cells
> hyperchromatic nuclei (increased staining)
> lacks differentiaton markers
- barrets oesophagus is a good example of this where squamous -> columnar cells. increased risk of developing oesophageal carcinoma
descibe the characterisics of a malignant tumour
they can spread and invade other tissues.
they do this by breaching the basement membrane and invade the stroma and undergo cell changes to become more motile
very poorly differentiated cells as they still lack the differentiation markers
discuss the rationale for having a screening programme
allows intervention before disease progresses onto a more severe state
this would allow the correct treatment plans to be carried out -> improve quality of life for patient (maybe even extend lifespan)
describe some features of a good screening programme
non-invasive - blood urine samples
a suitable treatment is available if positive
evidence that earlier treatment has a better patient outcome
name some of the screening tests used in the uk
colonrectal (bowel cancer) uses a faecal occult blood test which is non-invasive
cervical cancer uses a liquid based cytology to detect abnormal cells/ evidence of dysplastic tissue. BUT its time intensive, requires specialist training and invasive and requires repeat testing as low sensitivity
breast cancer uses a mammography which is an x-ray of soft tissue to identify tissue irregularities
> all of these screenings have shown success in reducing the mortality of cancer. screen for polyps in the colon
what are the roles of invadopodia and Src in metastasis?
invadopodia is an actin rich protusion of the basement membrane and can help to degrade it using matrix metalloproteases, allowing cancer cell to invade other tissues
Src is a tyrosine kinase that helps to meidate the breakdown of cell:cell contacts and cell:ECM contacts
> targeting these proteins can reduce the invasive ability of cancer cells
how do cancer cells become motile?
epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) is a biological process that allows a polarized epithelial cell to undergo multiple biochemical changes that enable it to assume a mesenchymal cell phenotype and give cancer cells their motile phenotype.
> cell loses polarity, loss of cellular adhesion molecules such as E-cadherin, cytoskelton changes and increase in mesenchymal markers such as N-cadherin
SNAIL and TWIST are transcription factors that regulate gene expression so are overexpressed in cancer cells
give an overview of the metastasis process
microenvironment of tumour cell is key influential factor in its metastatic ability.
intravasion -> circulate -> extravasion -> colonise and undergo angiogenesis
> only 1 in 10,000 cells will set up a secondary tumour
name some of the EMERGING hallmarks of cancer
alterations in energy metabolism and avoiding immune destruction also contribute to cancer formation
THEY also have enabling characteristics such as genome instability and tumour promoting inflammation which help to drive tumour growth
how do cancer cells deregulate cellular bioenergetics? Can we use this to detect neoplasms?
~ wahrburg effect
GLUCOSE - - > PYRUVATE
instead of oxidative phosphorylation or anaerobic glycolysis. Cancer cells undergo aerobic glycoloysis why? Cancer cells grow very rapidly and are frequently hypoxic as a result. this means they are unable to perform OP.
aerobic glycolysis is preferred as precursors for other biosynthetic pathways are produced and 4ATP instead of 2ATP molecules per glucose molecule are produced
radio-label glucose and use it to locate tumour growth
what is the wahrberg effect?
used to describe an increase in glucose uptake and lactose production (glycolysis), even in the presence of oxygen (krebs cycle -> OxPhos). this is seen in cancer cells
to kill cancer cells they need to be deprived of glucose and oxygen
how can cancer cells evade immune surveliance?
normally T-cells recognise antigens on csncer cells and intiate apoptosis via intrinsic (caspase) or extricnisc (death receptor) routes
cancer cells can downregulate expression of these antigens and antigen-presenting molecules and over express immune checkpoint proteins + antiapoptopic (BCL-2X) proteins to evade the immune surveillance
how is tumour inflammation an enabling characteristic of cancer?
secretion of cytokines attract tumour associated macrophages. they in turn secrete additional cytokines, ROS and growth factors that activate transcription factors involved in cell proliferation and angiogenesis
ROS can also induce DNA damage and may result in mutations forming
> obesity linked to increased risk of gastric cancer as there is chronic inflammation ongoing
what is an organotropism
way to describe the tendancy of primary cancer cells to metastasize to specific organs and tissues
usually proximal to primary site (follows direction of blood flow) but can be distal too (often optimum environments are matched as seen in kidney thyroid nodule metastasis)
depends on the cross talk between cell and microenvirnoment (seed and soil hypothesis)
why are people taking immunosupressive drugs more at risk of developing cancer?
this reduces the tumour supressive effects of the immune system and increase the liklihood that of the cancer cells evading immune cell surveillance
can do this by downregualting antigen presenting molecules and antigens and overexpress immune checkpoints
why are mutations considered an enabling characteristic of cancer growth?
accumulation of mutations support carcinogenesis as there can be a cumulative effect of tumour supressor genes switching off and oncogeness switching on
> illustrated by colonorectal cancer where polyps form in epithelial lining, APC (growth inhibitory protein/ TSgene) is switched off = excessive cell proliferation as seen by polyps
and then Ras oncogene can be switched on and then a furthur mutation of p53 TSgene is turned off -> metastatic tumour
what is a driver mutation and what is a passenger mutation?
driver mutations are mutations that give rise to cncer cells/ give them a growth or cell survival advantage
> study by sanger institue shows the number of driver mutations vary between cancers ~ 11 for intestinal, 4 breast and liver
passenger mutations do not give any advantages to the cell
the environment is a risk factor for cancer so can you name some specific carcinogens in the environment?
radiation - ionizing, UV
benzopyrene - cigarette smoke
aromatic amines - from our diet
how do carcinogens increase risk of cancer
carcinogens can damage DNA and introduce mutations
or elicit a DNA damage response but the repair mechanisms are faulty –> introduce mutations which then accumulate in the cell
adenocarcinomas are derived from which cell A protective epithelial cell B peripheral never cell C connective tissue cells D secretory epithelial cell
OPTION D
protective epithelial cells form squamous cell carcinomas
> 80% all tumours are carcinomas
why do epithlial tumours make up the majority of cancerS?
they are exposed to the environment and many carcinogens (UV radiation)
epithelial cells also have a high turnover and are continuously dividing and replicating so more likely for mutations to ocuur and mistakes to happen during DNA replication