Cancer of the GI Tract Flashcards
What cancer causes most deaths in the UK? What is second?
First: Lung
Second: Bowel
If a cancer patient presents with pain in the epigastrum, where is the cancer likely to be?
In the foregut
If a cancer patient presents with pain in the periumbilical area , where is the cancer likely to be?
In the midgut
If a cancer patient presents with pain in the suprapubic area, where is the cancer likely to be?
In the hindgut
Most of the gastrointestinal tract is lined with what histological cell type? What are most cancers in the GIT?
Columnar epithelium, and adenocarcinomas
Most GIT tumours are adenocarcinomas - what are the exceptions to this rule?
Oesophagus - SQUAMOUS
Anus - SQUAMOUS
What is Barrett’s Oesophagus? What is it caused by?
Metaplasia of Oesophageal lining from squamous to columnar, caused by GORD
What are the two types of cancers seen in the Oesophagus? Which is more common?
Squamous (found in middle 1/3rd)
Adenocarcinoma (found in lower 1/3rd)
Squamous is most common in Oesophagus
What symptoms could one expect in patients with Oesophageal cancer?
Dysphagia (difficulty swallowing)
Odynophagia (pain on swallowing)
Haematemesis (vomiting blood) + anaemia
Weight loss
What is the prognosis of OESOPHAGEAL cancer?
Poor 5 year survival, <20%
Of the gastric/ stomach adenocarcinomas, what are the two types? Do they have precursor lesions?
- Intestinal (has precursor lesions)
- Diffuse Infiltrative (has no precursor lesions)
H. pylori causes what type of cancer?
How?
Gastric cancer (intestinal type)
Causes infection -> gastritis -> hyperplasia -> dysplasia -> Adenocarcinoma. Underpinned by Wnt signalling
In what populations are gastric cancers common?
Higher in Eastern Europe and Japan (high salt / preserved food consumption)
What is the prognosis of GASTRIC cancer?
Poor 5 year survival, <30%
Which oncogene is involved in Pancreatic cancers?
KRAS mutation (90-95%)
