Cellular Pathology of Cancer Flashcards
What is metaplasia
A reversible change in which one adult cell type is replaced by another adult cell type
What type of cell usually undergoes metaplasia
Epithelial
Give an example of metaplasia and what cell changes from what to what under what conditions
Barrett’s oesophagus from stratified squamous to simple columnar
What is dysplasia
An abnormal pattern of growth in which some of the cellular and architectural features of malignancy are present, but the basement membrane is still intact (no invasion)
What is a key feature of dysplasia
Increased nuclear:cytoplasm ratio
Four features of dysplasia
Loss of architectural orientation
Loss of uniformity of individual cells
Nuclei are hyperchromatic and enlarged
Mitotic figures: abundant, abnormal, in places where usually not found
What’re the 2 types of dysplasia? What are the differences
High and low grade
LOW = unlikely to develop into cancer
HIGH = likely to develop into cancer
What’s the differences between a tumour, neoplasia and malignancy
Nothing, they’re the same
Other words for tumour
Neoplasia/malignancy
5 features of benign tumours
- Do not invade or metastasise
- Are encapsulated
- Are usually well differentiated (look like the tissue they come from)
- Are slow growing (not many mitoses)
- Show normal mitoses
What 6 situations can make a benign tumour fatal, give an example of each
- They’re in a dangerous place e.g. meninges/pituitary
- Secretes something dangerous e.g. insulinoma
- Gets infected e.g. in bladder
- Bleeds e.g. stomach
- Ruptures e.g. liver adenoma
- Torts (twisted) e.g. ovarian cyst
What 6 features define a malignant tumour
- Invade surrounding tissues
- Spread to distant sites (metastasise)
- No capsule
- Well to poorly differentiated
- Rapidly growing
- Abnormal mitoses
What is a metastasis
A discontinuous growing colony of tumour cells, at some distance from the primary cancer
What can make the prognosis of a metastasis worse
Lymph node involvement
What does metastasis depend on
Lymphatic and vascular drainage of the site
What is a benign tumour called on the surface of epithelium
Papilloma
What is a benign tumour of glandular epithelium called
Adenoma
What is a malignant tumour of glandular epithelium called
Adenocarcinoma
What is a malignant tumour of epithelium called
Carcinoma
What is a malignant squamous epithelium tumour called
Squamous cell carcinoma
What is a malignant tumour of the urinary epithelium called
Transitional cell carcinoma
What is a malignant tumour of the skin called
Basal cell carcinoma
What is a benign tumour of the bone called
Osteoma
What is a malignant tumour of mesenchymal cells called
Sarcoma