Cell pathology 3-5

Question 1

What is a tumour?

Answer 1

Any kind of mass-forming lesion that can be neoplastic, hamartomatous or inflammatory.

Question 2

What is a neoplasm?

Answer 2

Autonomous tissue growth which has escaped the constraints of normal cell growth. Can be benign or malignant.

Question 3

What is a hamartoma?

Answer 3

Localised benign overgrowth of one or more mature cell types. Architectural abnormalities not cytological ones.

Question 4

What is a heterotopia?

Answer 4

Normal tissue found in parts of the body where it is not normally found.

Question 5

What is a teratoma?

Answer 5

Tumours derived from germ cells that can contain tissue from all three layers. they can contain mature tissue and cancers.

Question 6

What are the four main differential characteristics between malignant and benign tumours?

Answer 6

1) Invasian
2) Metastasis
3) Differentiation
4) Growth pattern

Question 7

How can tumours spread? (5)

Answer 7

1) Direct extension
2) Haematogenous - blood
3) Lymphatics
4) Transcoelomic - through a body cavity
5) Perineural - nerves

Question 8

What are the three ways that tumours can be assessed?

Answer 8

Radiologically, clinically and pathologically (most important)

Question 9

What are the five things used to describe the extent of a tumour?

Answer 9

1) T - tumour: size, extent, invasion
2) N - number of lymph nodes involved
3) M - metastases
4) Grade - how differentiated it is
5) Stage - how far it has spread

Question 10

Name 8 things that can cause cell injury

Answer 10

1) Oxygen deprivation
2) Chemical agents
3) Infectious agents
4) Physical agents
5) Immunological reactions
6) Genetic defects
7) Aging
8) Nutritional imbalance

Question 11

What is atrophy?

Answer 11

A decrease in cell or organ size due to loss of cellular substance.

Question 12

What is hypertrophy?

Answer 12

An increase in cell size and consequently organ size due to increased functional demand or specific hormonal stimulation.

Question 13

What is hyperplasia?

Answer 13

An increase in number of cells in an organ - can be pathological or physiological.

Question 14

What is metaplasia?

Answer 14

A reversible change in which one adult cell is replaced by another. Can be pathological or physiological.

Question 15

What is dysplasia?

Answer 15

Precancerous cells that show genetic or cytological features of malignancy but are not involving underlying tissues yet.

Question 16

What is necrosis?

Answer 16

Cell death associated with inflammation.

Question 17

What is apoptosis?

Answer 17

Programmed cell death. Apoptotic cells are broken down into fragments and engulfed by phagocytic cells.

Question 18

What is necropoptosis?

Answer 18

Programmed cell death associated with cell inflammation, often caused by viral infections.

Question 19

What can cause apoptosis?

Answer 19

• Embryogenesis
• Detection of auto-reactive T cells in the thymus (autoimmune disorders)
• Cell deletion in proliferating populations
• Mild injurious stimuli

Question 20

What is the stroma?

Answer 20

The tissue around a cancer that supports the tumour, made up of connective tissue, blood vessels and macrophages etc.

Question 21

What screening programs are in place for cancer in the UK?

Answer 21

Cervical, breast and colorectal.

Question 22

What does the HBV vaccine protect against?

Answer 22

Liver cancer

Question 23

What are the differences between coroner autopsy and hospital autopsy?

Answer 23

Hospital autopsies requires consent from the next of kin but they are allowed to take any material (with consent). The opposite is found with coroner autopsies.

Question 24

What is the most superficial wound?

Answer 24

Abrasion

Question 25

What is a bruise?

Answer 25

Blunt trauma injury where blood has leaked out of small arteries, veins and venules (not capillaries).