CANCER- cellular pathology of cancer

Question 1

what is metaplasia and give an example

Answer 1

A reversible change in which one adult cell type (usually epithelial)is replaced by another adult cell type

barrett’s oesophagus

Question 2

what is dysplasia?

Answer 2

an abnormal pattern of growth in which some of the cellular and architectural features of malignancy are present

pre-invasive stage with
intact basement membrane

increased nuclear cytoplasmic ratio

Question 3

when is dysplasia common?

Answer 3

HPV infection in cervix

in the bronchus and larynx with smoking

acid reflex in oesophagus

Question 4

define neoplasia

Answer 4

An abnormal, autonomous proliferation of cells unresponsive to normal growth control mechanisms

Question 5

what are the differences between benign and malignant?

Answer 5

1. benign tumours do not invade and do not metastasise
2. benign tumours are encapsulated. sharp edge with fibrousy capsule and easy to remover
3. benign usually well differentiated. looks like the tissue from which it comes.
4. benign tumours are slow growing
   normal mitoses

Question 6

when might a benign tumour be fatal?

Answer 6

if it is in a dangerous place eg. in the brain- meninges, pituitary

if it secretes something dangerous eg. insulinoma tumour of beta cells in pancreas

get infected eg in the bladder

if they bleed

if they rupture eg. liver adenoma

if theyt twist (torts) eg. ovarian cyst

Question 7

what are the key points of a malignant tumour

Answer 7

invade surrounding tissues

spread to distant sites

no capsule

well to poorly differentiated

rapidly growing
abnormal mitoses

Question 8

what is metastasis?

Answer 8

A metastasis is a discontinuous growing colony of tumour cells, at some distance from the primary cancer

Question 9

what would a benign tumour of surface epithelium be refered to as? eg. skin, bladder

Answer 9

papilloma

Question 10

which parts of the body give rise to adenomas?

Answer 10

glandular epithelium

eg. stomach, thyroid, colon, kidney, pituitary, pancreas

Question 11

what is a malignant tumour derived from epithelium referred to as?

Answer 11

carcinomas

Question 12

what is a benign tumour of soft tissue called? eg. bone

Answer 12

osteoma

Question 13

what is a malignant tumour of connective tissue called?

Answer 13

sarcoma

Question 14

give examples of different sarcomas

Answer 14

Fat = LipoSARCOMA

Bone = OsteoSARCOMA

Cartilage = ChondroSARCOMA

Muscle
striated = RhabdomyoSARCOMA,

smooth = LeiomyoSARCOMA

Nerve sheath = Malignant Peripheral Nerve Sheath Tumour

Question 15

what are the tumours of white blood cells

Answer 15

Leukaemia a malignant tumour of bone marrow derived cells which circulate in the blood

Lymphoma is a malignant tumour of lymphocytes (usually) in lymph nodes. (tissue based)

Question 16

what is teratoma?

Answer 16

A teratoma is a tumour derived from germ cells (stem type cells), which have the potential to develop into tumours of any type of cell (all three germ cell layers)

totipotent

Question 17

what is the difference between teratomas of the gonads in male and females

Answer 17

in males they are almost always malignant

in females they are almost always benign

Question 18

what are hamartomas?

Answer 18

localised overgrowth of cells and tissues native to the organ.

cells are mature but architecturally abnormal
(normal looking cells but together are abnormal)

common in children, and should stop growing when they do

e.g. bile duct hamartomas, bronchial hamartomas,

Question 19

what is a malignant tumour of soft tissue called

Answer 19

sarcoma

Question 20

what do you call a tumour that has no differentiation

Answer 20

anaplastic carcinoma