Cancer Lecture Flashcards
What is the definition of Cancer?
HINT: series of what? What is Cancer able to do?
Series of cellular genetic abberations that cause abnormal cells to proliferate.
Able to metasisize to secondary sites
What is the Hallmark (definition) sign of Cancer?
Unchecked growth and invasion of surrounding tissues
What is mitosis?
What is Neoplasia?
What is Metastasize?
What is a Carcinogenesis?
Mitosis- Cell division
Neoplasia- New or continued cell growth not needed for normal development or replacement of dead or damaged cells
Metastasize- Ca cells move from primary tumor by breaking off from original site and establish remote colonies.
Carcinogenesis- Cancer development with changing of a normal cell to a cancer cell.
Does Cancer cells have a purpose? If so, what is its purpose?
CA cells have no purpose other than to cause destruction
What must be there for Cancer to form? (TEST Q)
Must have a carcinogen enter the body before CA can form
What is a Oncogenesis?
What is a Carcinogen?
What is a Ploidy?
Oncogenesis- Process thru which healthy cells become transformed into cancer cells. Cells divide in uncontrolled manner
Carcinogens- Substances that change the activity of a cell’s genes, so the cell becomes a cancer cell.
Ploidy- classifies the number and structure of tumor chromosomes as normal or abnormal
What is a Aneuploidy?
What is Proto-oncogens? (TEST Q)
What is a Oncogenes?
What is a Tumor supressor genes?
What is Apoptosis?
Aneuploidy- cells have an abnormal structure or # chromosomes.
Proto-oncogens- genetic portion of DNA that regulates normal cell growth and repair. A mutation may allow cells to proliferate beyond normal body needs. (IMPORTANT TO KNOW)
Oncogenes- mutated genes of normal proto-oncogenes and may give rise to cancer.
Tumor suppressor genes- genetic portion of DNA that stops, inhibits, or suppresses cell division.
Apoptosis- programed cell death. If Apoptosis fails, it will lead to cancer.
Normal process, CA cells avoids this process
Is Apoptosis a normal process?
Yes, w/ CA cells avoids this process
What does Benign Tumor Cells have?
HINT: 7 things
Specific morphology: cells that looks like where they came from (ex: breast cells look like breast tissues)
Tight Adherence: Stick together
Euploidy: Complete set of 23 chromosomes
Don’t evade other tissues
No migration
Specific differentiated functions
What does a Malignant Tumor Cells?
Anaplasia: Don’t look like their parent cells
Large nuclear-cytoplasmic ratio: Nucleus look bigger that other cells
Angiogenesis: create their own blood supply
Specific function lost
Loose adherence
Migration occurs
Contact inhibitation does not occur
Rapid or continous cell division
Abnormal chromosomes
What is the process of Carcinogenesis?
IMPORTANT TO KNOW
What factors effect this process?
This is how Cancer metastasizes
Biological, environmental, physical carcinogen is needed
What is the process/stages of Carcinogenesis?–cont’d
IMPORTANT TO KNOW
What occurs with the initial dx?
Initiation
Promotion: carcinogen is introduced and growth occurs
Progression: mass gets bigger
Metastasis occurs
Initial dx doesn’t change
Where does the origin of -melano prefix occurs from? (TEST Q)
From the pigment-producing skin (Melanin)
What is the Surgical management options for Cancer?
Prophylactic: to prevent CA (from growing)
Diagnostic: biopsy, laparoscopic
Curative: Surgery to remove all malignant (cancerous) tissue, which is meant to cure the disease
Debulking: done prior to surgery, increase the effectiveness on chemo/radiation (TEST Q)
What is the Management of Cancer?
HINT: Treatment options
Adjuvant therapy: Given after primary intervention (surgery) to prevent/lessen the chances of tumor cells to grow back (TEST Q)
Radiation-goal is to kill cancer cells while having minimal damaging effects on surrounding tissue.
Cytotoxic systemic therapy- Chemotherapy, oral, IV, Intracranial, Intrathecal
BRMs- Biologic response modifier therapy. Also called Immunotherapy. Can occur naturally or make in the lab
Small molecule inhibitor targeted therapy- block the growth and spread of cancer by interfering with the cellular growth pathways involved in cellular regulation
Photodynamic therapy- used in some upper GI therapies and skin cancer
Hormonal manipulation- used to block hormone production in hormone driven tumors
What are some General CA Risk factors?
Smoking, age 55 and older although we are seeing cancer in younger population than before.
Poor nutrition
Decreased activity,
Exposure to chemical and air borne pollutants
Previous radiation and chemotherapy
Genetic makeup
What is the staging of Cancer?
TNM (Tumor, Nodes, Mets)
Tumor Tx-main tumor can’t be measured. T0- Main tumor not found. T1, 2, 3, 4- refers to size and/or extent of main tumor. Higher the # the larger the tumor
Nodes Want to see if the CA is spreading N-x- regional lymph nodes not measured. N0- No cancer in nearby lymph nodes. N1 Refers to the number and location of mobile lymph nodes that contain cancer. N2 refers to the number of fixed nodes involved.
Mets Mx- mets can’t be measured. M0- CA has not spread to other parts of the body. M1- Cancer has spread outside of the original tumor to other organs
What criteria is included in the Less detailed stages?
What is different about this staging vs TNM?
Pt are more aware of this stage
STAGE 0- Abnormal cells present but no cancer. Also called Carcinoma in Situ. It can become cancer.
Stage I, II, III- Cancer is present. The larger the tumor or the more it has spread to nearby tissues increase the stage.
Stage IV- The cancer has spread to distant organs of the body.
Highly Differentiated- the tumor acts and looks more normal, but it is not. Usually better outcomes.
Poorly differentiated- tumor is more irregular, no resemblance to normal cells, exhibits rapid growth, and metastasizes easily.
