Cancer Pathogenesis (Prostate and breast) Flashcards
What does PIA stand for and what it is associated with?
Proliferative inflammatory atrophy; PIN and prostate cancer
What does PIN stand for?
Prostatic intraepithelial neoplasia
What occurs during PIA?
Chronic inflammation causes epithelial cell damage and atrophy through an increase in oxidative stress
What gene mutation is common in PIA and what effect does this have?
Hypermethylation of GSTP1 (prevents oxidative damage), therefore, down-regulating its expression
What can have a preventative action on inflammation?
Antioxidants eg vitamin E, selenium etc can reduce inflammation
What do androgens do?
Essential for normal prostate function by promoting cellular differentiation
Give one mechanism by which androgens can induce malignant proliferation
[in 50% of prostate cancers] An androgen-regulated gene called TMPRSS2 becomes fused to a member of the ETS family of growth factors. Most common fusion is TMPRSS2:ERG which causes overexpression of the growth factor, converting it into an androgen stimulated oncogene
What are most prostate cancers classified as?
Adenocarcinomas
What can a number of histological grading schemes be based on in prostate cancer?
Degree of glandular differentiation
Architecture of the neoplastic growth
Mitotic activity
What gene mutation is a risk factor in prostate cancer?
BRCA2
What gene mutations/polymorphisms cause PIA?
RNASEL and MSR1
What is used in early diagnosis of prostate cancer?
Serum levels of PSA (prostate-specific antigen)
Why is PSA of limited use?
Is produced by both normal and neoplastic prostatic epithelium and its levels may be elevated in a range of other conditions eg hyperplasia, prostatitis, therefore, used in conjunction with other procedures eg digital rectal exam, needle biopsy
How is prostate cancer treated?
Surgery, radiation therapy, hormonal manipulations
What genetic alterations tend to appear in ER positive breast cancers?
Deletions of 16q and gains of 1q
