cancer introduction Flashcards
what is cancer?
a group of diseases characterized by uncontrolled growth and spread of abnormal cells
what cancers are often due to heredity risk factors?
breast, prostate, colon, and uterine cancers
cancers caused by risk factors from lifestyle?
liver cancer (ETOH use)
lung cancer (smoking)
melanoma (sun exposure)
oral cancer (tobacco)
gallbladder (obesity)
smoked foods (colon cancer)
what is mortality?
expressed as the number of deaths due to cancer
what is morbidity?
refers to either to the incidence rate or to the prevalence rate of cancer diagnosis
what are predetermined cells?
when stem cells mature into functioning cells of the type of tissue designated
what is doubling time?
the time it takes for a tumor to double in size
what is contact inhibition?
the built in mechanism to control cell proliferation
cancer cells do not exhibit this
what are proto-oncogenes?
cells that regulate normal cellular processes; genetic lock that keep cells functioning normally
hyperplasia
refers to an abnormal increase in the number of cells; reversible because it is a result of a stimulus
dysplasia
replacement of one mature cell type with a less mature cell type; reversible because it is a result of a stimulus
neoplasia
uncontrolled, abnormal growth of cells or tissue in the body; also called a tumor
characteristics of benign tumors
encapsulated
partially differentiated
metastasis absent
rare recurrence
slight vascularity
mode of growth is expansive
characteristics of malignant tumors
rarely encapsulated
poorly differentiated
metastasis often present
recurrence is frequent
vascularity is moderate to marked
mode of growth is infiltrated and expansive
what does NED mean?
no evidence of disease
