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Year 2 - MCD Cancer > Cellular Pathology > Flashcards

Cellular Pathology Flashcards

1
Q

Define metaplasia

A

A REVERSIBLE change in which one adult cell (usually epithelial) is
REPLACED
by another adult cell type

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2
Q

How is the change seen in metaplasia normally described?

A

ADAPTIVE
• i.e. in response to regurgitated stomach acid

• e.g. Barratt’s Oesophagus

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3
Q

Give 2 types of metaplasia’s?

A

GASTRIC metaplasia
• columnar epithlium & NO goblet cells

INTESTINAL metaplasia
• columnar epithelium & goblet cells

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4
Q

Define dysplasia

A

An ABNORMAL PATTERN of GROWTH in which the cellular & architectural features of malignancy are present

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5
Q

How is the change seen in dysplasia normally described?

A

‘Pre-invasive’ changes
• intact BM
• can NOT spread
• loss of architecture & loss of uniformity of individual cells

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6
Q

Features that can be seen in dysplasia?

A

Nuclei
• HYPERchromic
• enlarged

Mitotic figures (condensed DNA material)
• abundant
• abnormal (in places not normally found)

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7
Q

Where is dysplasia common in?

A

CERVIX
• HPV infection

BRONCHUS
• smoking

COLON
• UC (ulceritive collitis)

LARYNX
• smoking

STOMACH
• pernicious anaemia

OESOPHAGUS
• acid reflux

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8
Q

How can dysplasia be described?

A

HIGH-grade (darker nuclei)

vs.

LOW-grade

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9
Q

Define neoplasia

A

An abnormal, AUTONOMOUS PROLIFERATION of cells UNRESPONSIVE to normal growth control mechanisms

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10
Q

Difference of benign tumours compared to malignant tumours?

A

• Do NOT invade (do NOT metastasise)

• Encapsulated
- NOT always like this i.e. Leiomyomas are NOT but ARE benign

  • Usually well differentiated
  • Slow-growing
  • Normal mitotic figures
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11
Q

Benign tumours are not often fatal unless?

A

• In a dangerous place
- i.e. pituitary

• Secretes dangerous chemicals
- i.e. insulinoma

• Gets infected
i.e. bladder infection from obstruction of ureter

• Bleeds
- i.e. stomach tumours

• Ruptures
- i.e. liver adenoma

• Torts (twisted)
- i.e. ovarian cyst (twists and cuts off own blood supply)

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12
Q

Define metastasis

A

A DISCONTINOUS growing colony of tumour cells at SOME DISTANCE from the 1o cancer

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13
Q

What does the occurrence of metastasis depend on?

A

Depends on
• local vascular supply
AND
• local lymphatic drainage

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14
Q

What does it mean if lymph nodes are involved in metastasis?

A

Has a WORSE prognosis

e.g. Dukes A is a confined colon cancer with a 90% cure rate
vs.
Dukes C which metastasises and has a 30% cure rate

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15
Q

Characteristics of malignant tumours?

A
  • Invade surrounding tissue
  • Metastasise
  • No capsule (BUT not always)

• Well –> poorly differentiated
- but tend to be poorly differentiated

  • Rapidly growing
  • Abnormal mitotic figures
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16
Q

7 nomenclature of tumours?

A
  • Benign epithelial tumours
  • Carcinoma
  • Benign soft tissue tumours
  • Sarcoma
  • Leukaemia & lymphoma
  • Teratoma
  • Harartoma
17
Q

BET (cancer type)

A

Benign Epithelial Tumours

• SURFACE epithelial

  • PAPILLOMA
  • e.g. skin, bladder

• GLANDULAR epithelial

  • ADENOMA
  • e.g. stomach, thyroid, colon, kidney, pituitary, pancreas
18
Q

Define C (cancer type)

A

Carcinoma

A malignant tumour derived from epithelium

19
Q

Different types of C (cancer type)

A

Carcinoma

• Squamous cell
- squamous cell malignancy

• Adenocarcinoma
- glandular epithelium malignancy

• Transitional cell carcinoma
- transitional cells line the URINARY tract

• Basal cell carcinoma
- arise from the skin

20
Q

BSTT (cancer type)?

A

Benign Soft Tissue Tumours

e. g. Osteomas
i. e. just suffix -oma to the descriptor

21
Q

Define S (cancer type)

A

Sarcoma

A malignant tumours derived from CT (mesenchymal) cells

22
Q

Types of S (cancer type)?

A
  • Liposarcoma (fat derived)
  • Osteosarcoma
  • Chondrosarcoma (cartilage)

• Rhabdomyosarcoma
- striated muscle tumour

• Leiomyosarcoma
- smooth muscle tumour

• Malignant Peripheral Nerve Sheath Tumour
- nerve sheath tumour

23
Q

Define L&L (cancer types)

A

Tumours of WBCs

Leukaemia
• malignant tumour of BONE MARROW-derived cells
• in the PERIPHERAL BLOOD

Lymphoma
• malignant tumour of LYMPHOCYTES (usually)
• in the LYMPH NODES

24
Q

Define T (cancer type)?

A

Teratoma

Tumour derived from GERM CELLS, which have the potential to develop into tumours of all three germ cell layers

  1. Ectoderm
  2. Mesoderm
  3. Endoderm

e.g. Dermoid cysts
• can contain anything such as teeth, bone, eyes etc.

25
Q

Example of T (cancer type)?

A

Gonadal teratomas
• in Males = all are malignant
• in Females = most are benign

26
Q

Define H (cancer type)?

A

Hamartoma

Localised overgrowth of cells/tissues native to the organ

e.g. Bile duct hamartoma

27
Q

Features of H (cancer type)?

A

Cells are MATURE but architecturally abnormal

• i.e. expect to find the same types of tissues expected to grow in the organ BUT not in the right place in the organ

28
Q

Within which cohort is H (cancer type) common in?

A

Common in CHILDREN

• but often stops growing when the child stops growing

29
Q

A benign tumour of glandular tissue is…

A
  1. An adenoma
  2. A leiomyoma
  3. An adenocarcinoma
  4. A squamous papilloma
  5. A lymphoma
30
Q

A malignant tumour derived from soft tissue is a….

A
  1. Carcinoma
  2. Sarcoma
  3. Teratoma
  4. Lymphoma
  5. Melanoma
31
Q

Criteria for assessing differentiation of a malignant tumour?

A
  1. Evidence of normal function is still present
  • i.e. production of keratin, mucin, etc.
  • e.g. an ectopic squamous cell cancer of the lung produces PTH-rp
  1. If no evidence of normal function
    • high-grade or anaplastic carcinoma
  2. If no evidence of differentiation
    • anaplastic carcinoma
  3. Presence of abnormal mitoses
    • some tumours have a mitotic count
    • i.e. Tumour with 15 mitoses/mm2 behaves worse than one with 5 mitoses/mm2
  4. Various grading systems
    • for cancer of breast, prostate & colon
32
Q

What is the TNM?

A

Tumour, Node, Metastasis (TNM) system

can be applied and individualised to tumour in all sites

33
Q

Grade of a tumour?

A

Describes if DEGREE OF DIFFERENTIATION

34
Q

Stage of a tumour?

A

Describes HOW FAR it has SPREAD

35
Q

Which is more important - grade or stage of a tumour?

A

STAGE is more important in determining the prognosis

Tumours of HIGHER GRADE (i.e. more poorly differentiated) tend to be of HIGHER STAGE (i.e. spread further)

Year 2 - MCD Cancer (14 decks)

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