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
What are mesenchymal cells
Connective tissue stem cells
What is a malignant fatty tumour called
Liposarcoma
What is a malignant tumour of bone called
Osteocarcoma
What is a malignant cartilaginous tumour called
Chondrosarcoma
What is a malignant striated muscle tumour called
Rhabdomyosarcoma
What is a malignant smooth muscle tumour called
Leiomyosarcoma
What is a malignant peripheral nerve sheath tumour called
Nerve sheath sarcoma
What’s a malignant bone marrow cell tumour that circulates in the blood called
Leukaemia
What is a malignant lymphocyte tumour that circulates in the lymph nodes called
Lymphoma
What is a tumour from germ cells called
Teratomas
In what conditions is a teratoma always malignant and in what conditions is it usually benign
In males it is always malignant in women it is benign usually
What is a benign localised overgrowth of cells native to the organ called
Hamartoma
What is the major feature of a hamartoma
Cells are mature but architecturally abnormal
When is a hamartoma common
In children
What is an anaplastic carcinoma
A mature cell which is not differentiated
What can you use to assess the differentiation of a malignant tumour? Give examples
Evidence of normal function, e.g. production of keratin, mucin, bile or hormones
What does tumour grade describe
Degree of differentiation
What does the stage of tumour describe
How far it has spread
What is more important in prognosis, stage or grade
Stage
What is a mature cell which is not differentiated called
Anaplastic carcinoma
What is a hamartoma
A benign localised overgrowth of cells native to the organ
What is a teratoma
A tumour derived from germ cells, which have the potential to develop into tumours of all 3 germ cell layers
What is leukaemia
A malignant tumour of bone marrow derived cells white circulate in the blood
What is lymphoma
A malignant tumour of lymphocytes (usually) in lymph nodes
What is a sarcoma
Malignant tumour derived from connective tissue (mesenchymal) cells
What is a liposarcoma
A malignant tumour derived from fat cells
What is an osteosarcoma
A malignant tumour derived from bone cells
What is a chondrosarcoma
A malignant tumour derived from cartilage cells
What is a rhabdomyosarcoma
A malignant tumour derived from striated muscle cells
What is a leiomyosarcoma
A malignant tumour derived from smooth muscle cells
What is a nerve sheath sarcoma
A malignant tumour derived from peripheral nerve sheath cells
What is an osteoma
A benign bone soft tissue tumour
What is a squamous cell carcinoma
A malignant tumour derived from squamous epithelium
What is a adenocarcinoma
A malignant tumour derived from glandular epithelium
What is a transitional cell carcinoma
A malignant tumour derived from urinary epithelium
What is a basal cell carcinoma
A malignant tumour derived from skin epithelium
What is a papilloma
A benign tumour on the surface of epithelium
What is an adenoma
A benign tumour on glandular epithelium
