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2.2 Cellular Pathology > Cancer Classification and Identification > Flashcards

Cancer Classification and Identification Flashcards

1
Q

What is cancer staging
(5)

A

Cancer staging describes the extent of a person’s cancer based on:
- The site of the primary tumour
- Its size
- How far it has invaded into local tissues and structures
- Whether it has spread to regional lymph nodes
- Whether it has metastasised to other regions of the body

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2
Q

What is cancer staging
(5)

A

Cancer staging describes the extent of a person’s cancer based on:
- The site of the primary tumour
- Its size
- How far it has invaded into local tissues and structures
- Whether it has spread to regional lymph nodes
- Whether it has metastasised to other regions of the body

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3
Q

What is TNM

A

Tumour, node and metastasis

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4
Q

What is the T in TNM staging?

A

Primary tumout

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5
Q

What is the N in TNM

A

Regional lymph node

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6
Q

What is the M in TNM

A

Distant metastasis

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7
Q

How are tumours classed

A

TX
T0
T1, T2, T3, T4

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8
Q

What does TX mean

A

Main tumour cannot be measured

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9
Q

What does T0 mean

A

Main tumour cannot be found

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10
Q

What does T1 - T4 mean?
(3)

A

This refers to the size and/or extent of the main tumour

The higher the number after the T, the larger the tumour or the more it has grown into nearby tissues

T’s may be further divided to provide more detail, such as T3a and T3b

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11
Q

How are regional lymph nodes graded

A

NX
N0
N1, N2, N3

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12
Q

What does NX mean

A

Cancer in nearby lymph nodes cannot be measured

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13
Q

What does N0 mean

A

There is no cancer in nearby lymph nodes

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14
Q

What does N1, N2, N3 mean

A

This refers to the number and location of lymph nodes that contain cancer

The higher the number after the N, the more lymph nodes that contain cancer

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15
Q

How is metastasis graded?

A

MX
M0
M1

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16
Q

What does MX mean?

A

Metastasis cannot be measured

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17
Q

What does M0 mean?

A

Cancer has not spread to other parts of the body

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18
Q

What does M1 mean?

A

Cancer has spread to other parts of the body

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19
Q

Write about poorly differentiated cancers
(2)

A

These have highly abnormal call appearance and large numbers of dividing cells and tend to grow more quickly, spread to other organs more frequently, and be less responsive to therapy than cancers whose cells have a more normal appearance

Based on these differences in microscopic appearance, doctors assign a numerical ‘grade’ to most cancers

20
Q

How does differentiation add to grading of tumours

A

A low number grade (grade I or II) refers to cancers with fewer cell abnormalities than those with higher numbers (III or IV)

21
Q

What does grade 0 mean?
(3)

A

Abnormal cells are present but have not spread to nearby tissue.

Also called carcinoma in situ, or CIS

CIS is not cancer but it may become cancer

22
Q

What does grade I-III mean

A

Cancer is present

The higher the number, the larger the cancer tumour and the more it has spread into nearby tissues

23
Q

What does grade IV mean

A

The cancer has spread to distant parts of the body

24
Q

What does in situ mean

A

Abnormal cells are present but have not spread to nearby tissue

25
What does localised mean
Cancer is limited to the place where it started, with no sign that it has spread
26
What does regional mean
Cancer has spread to nearby lymph nodes, tissues or organs
27
What does distant mean
Cancer has spread to distant parts of the body
28
What does 'unknown' site of tumour mean
There is not enough information to figure out the stage
29
Tumours are classified based on site, what are the five sites of tumours
In situ Localised Regional Distant Unknown
30
What is cancer (3)
When normal cell regulation is disrupted, a chain reaction of cellular malfunction can occur which leads to disease Cancer can be a result of this malfunction We need to understand the differences between healthy cells and cancer cells to be able to identify them
31
Where should division only occur?
Should only be dividing in the basal layer
32
What is a slow dividing cancer?
Indolent cancer
33
What is a fast dividing cancer
Aggressive cancer
34
What should you be looking for when investigating cancer at low power (4)
Pattern disruption Darker areas of staining Indistinct cell borders Lymphocytic infiltrate
35
What patterns are seen in carcinoma?
Nests, packets lobules
36
What patterns are seen in adenocarcinoma
Tubules Acini
37
What are acini
Any cluster of cells that resembles a many-lobed "berry"
38
What do we look for in cells when investigating cancer at high power (5)
Irregular shape Larger darker nuclei Out of control growth that doesn't follow a pattern Immortal cells Immature- undifferentiated cells
39
Write about the morphology of the cancer cell
Large nucleus Having an irregular size and shape Nucleoli are prominent Cytoplasm is scarce and intensely coloured or extremely pale Loss of specialised features
40
How should you investigate the nucleus?
Surface Volume Nucleus/cytoplasm ratio Shape Density Structure and homogeneity The number of mitoses is increases Atypical mitosis form
41
What are eight examples of epithelial neoplasms
Squamous cell carcinoma Basal cell carcinoma Adenocarcinoma Medullary carcinoma Small cell carcinoma Large cell carcinoma Carcinoma in situ Mucinous carcinoma
42
Give some examples of connective tissue neoplasm
Bone = osteosarcoma fibrous tissue = fibrosarcoma Cartilage = chondrosarcoma fat = liposarcoma Nerve = neurofibrosarcoma
43
What indicates Hodgkins lymphoma?
Reed Sternberg cells
44
What indicates Non Hodgkins lymphoma (4)
Mature B cell neoplasms Mature T cell and Natural killer (NK) neoplasm Precursor lymphoid neoplasms Immunodeficiency-associated lymphoproliferative disorders
45
Write about tumour infiltrating immune cells
White blood cell that leaves the blood and migrate towards a tumour T and B cells, NK cells, macrophages, neutrophil Implicated in killing tumour cells Presence of lymphocytes are often associated with better-clinical outcomes important in prognosis and potentially prediction to therapy
46
Write about the tumour microenvironment
Tumour cells co-exist with immune cells and on immune cells Nearly all immune cells can infiltrate cancer cells CD8+ T lymphocytes can recognise and kill cancer cells directly but secreting cytotoxic molecules

2.2 Cellular Pathology (29 decks)

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