Cancer Incidience & Tumor Properties Flashcards
What is Cancer
A complex group of > 100 diseases affecting a wide range of tissues
What causes cancer?
Caused by mutations in genes controlling cell growth after exposure to carcinogens
In which cells are most mutations?
Somatic cells, but many cluster in families
What is cancer characterized by?
Loss of growth control & Metastasis
Cancers differ in?
Tissue of origin, Causal factor(s)
and Molecular mechanisms
Cancer affects how many ppl worldwide?
1 in 3
It is the _____ cause of death in NZ
Leading
How much % of people will die from it?
50%
Top cancer?
Lung
Top cancer among males?
Prostrate
Top cancer among females?
Breast
How does a tumor develop?
Tumour starts when cells that have lost growth control proliferate to form a new growth - neoplasia
A tumor is benign if?
Neoplastic cells are clustered in a single mass
4 Characteristics of Benign Tumors
- Are well differentiated and look like normal cells
- Perform normal cell functions
- Grow slowly but not inhibited
- Surrounded by a fibrous capsule
List 4 characteristics of Malignant Tumors
- Cells less differentiated and do not look like normal cells
- Do not perform the normal function of tissue
- Grow rapidly
- Metastisize
Tumors are classified according to?
Tissue of Origin
Carcinomas are derived from?
Epithelial cells
Adenocarcinomas?
Glandular Epithelial
Most cells in adult tissue are?
Terminally differentiated and quiescent (non-dividing)
Cell division is tightly regulated by ____which allows?
Growth factors which allow quiescent cells to enter the cell cycle and divide
What happens if differentiated cells start dividing again?
Cancer
List some hallmarks of cancer.
- Evading Apoptosis
- Self-sufficiency
- Insensitivity to anti-growth signals
- Tissue invasion & metastasis
- Limitless replication potential
- Sustained Angiogenesis
