Cancer Pathology

Question 1

-plasia

Answer 1

change or transformation

Question 2

hyperplasia

Answer 2

increase in cell number, orderly and physiologic proliferation of cells

ex. wound healing, breast tissue during pregnancy, squamous epithelium when irritated

Question 3

metaplasia

Answer 3

physiologic transformation of one type of differentiated tissue into another type of tissue

can be a response to stress or insult

orderly physiologic process that may regress if stress is discontinued

ex. cervix during menarche, esophagus as a result of reflux

Question 4

dysplasia

Answer 4

disordered growth, usually associated with epithelium

characterize by changes that include loss in maturation and accumulation of mutations

proliferation is dysregulated and can evolve into a malignant neoplasm

the more advanced it is, the less likely it will regress

Question 5

neoplasia

Answer 5

a clonal proliferation of cells exhibiting uncontrolled growth

some are benign and some are malignant

some are preceded by dysplasia, while others are de novo

Question 6

adeno-

Answer 6

glandular

Question 7

lipo-

Answer 7

fatty

Question 8

osteo-

Answer 8

bone

Question 9

chondro-

Answer 9

cartilage

Question 10

-oma

Answer 10

generally benign

Question 11

-sarcoma

Answer 11

malignant mesenchymal tumor

Question 12

-carcinoma

Answer 12

malignant epithelial tumor

Question 13

lymphoma

Answer 13

malignant lymphoid tumor

Question 14

melanoma

Answer 14

malignant melanocytic tumor

Question 15

adenomas of the GI tract

Answer 15

not benign, dysplastic lesions that can evolve into invasive malignant neoplasms (Carcinomas)

Question 16

leio-

Answer 16

smooth muscle tumor

Question 17

rhabdo-

Answer 17

skeletal muscle tumor

Question 18

four general characteristics of benign tumors

Answer 18

well differentiated, slow rate of growth, does not invade adjacent tissues, no metastasis

Question 19

four general characteristics of malignant tumors

Answer 19

well or poorly differentiated, fast rate of growth, often invades adjacent tissue, can metastasize

Question 20

tumor cell differentiation

Answer 20

well differentiated tumors closely resemble their tissue of origin, porrly differentiated tumros do not

Question 21

pleomorphism

Answer 21

variation in size and shape

Question 22

anaplasia

Answer 22

when tumor cells lose their resemblance to tissue of origin

Question 23

three factors that determine tumor growth rate

Answer 23

what proportion of cells are dividing

how fast the cells are dividing

the ratio of cell division to cell death

Question 24

four stages of local invasion

Answer 24

changes of tumor cell-cell interactions

degradation of the extracellular matrix

changes in attachment of tumor cells to ECM proteins

locomotion, migration is the final step of invasion

Question 25

metastasis

Answer 25

the defining quality of malignant neoplasms

defined as the spread/transfer of cancer cells from one organ or part to another site not directly connected with it

Question 26

steps of metastasis

Answer 26

metastatic sublone of cells in the primary tumor invades the basement membrane, detachment/attachment to basement membrane and ECM, destruction of basement membranes

migration through ECM due to various intrinsic factors of tumor cells: motility, loss of cell-cell adhesion, collagenolytic and proteolytic enzymes

penetration/invasion of the vessel wall, intravasation

survival and transport via lymphatics or blood vessels

arrest in target organs

extravasation in secondary sites

survival and growth at metastatic site

Question 27

routes of metastatic spread

Answer 27

lymphatic - goes where the lymph node drains

hematogenous - through small veins, moves to other sites/organs, veins have thinner walls and lowe rpressure

seeding of body cavities - typical tumors in peritoneum

Question 28

staging using TNM

Answer 28

T - size and tissues involved by main tumor mass (T1-T4)

N - how many and what kind of lymph nodes (N0-N3)

M - metastatic spread (M0-M1)

Question 29

systemic effects of cancer in the host

Answer 29

cachexia, paraneoplastic syndromes, infection, bleeding/thrombosis

Question 30

direct tumor effect

Answer 30

destruction/invasion of adjacent structures

ex. bowel obstruction in abdominal tumor, seizure in brain tumor

Question 31

cachexia

Answer 31

wasting, lethargy, loss of appetite

etiology complex, linked to cytokines and host response to tumor

Question 32

paraneoplastic syndromes

Answer 32

remote effects not due to local effects of primary tumor or its metastases

ectopic hormone producetion - hypercalcemia (increased calcium in blood)

autoimmune - antibodies against host

Question 33

hematologic effects

Answer 33

infection/immunosuppression caused by chemotherapy, malnutrition, cytokine milieu

thrombosis/bleeding caused by the inflammatory milieu (activates endothelium, platelets) and secreted factors (tissue factor, cancer procoagulant)

anemia caused by the inflammatory milieu and chemotherapy

Question 34

four most prevalent cancers that kill

Answer 34

lung cancer, colon cancer, prostate cancer in men, and breast cancer in women