Ch6: Cancer

Question 1

how prevalent is cancer mortality?

Answer 1

2nd leading cause of death in US

Question 2

what is the prognosis of cancer?

Answer 2

depends on:

1. natural hx of type of cancer
2. extent of spread at time of dx
3. efficacy of existing therapy for that type

*colon cancer= >50% cured surgically

*breast &uterine cancers if detected early can cure w/ surgery/radiation but still large amounts of deaths

Question 3

what is the survival rate of cancer?

Answer 3

overall 50%

Question 4

what are variables relating to cancer frequency and significance?

Answer 4

1. site of development
2. age
3. gender

Question 5

epithelial cancers outnumber non-epithelial cell cancers:

Answer 5

6:1

epithelial (carcinomas)

non-epithelial (sarcoma, leukemia, lymphoma)

Question 6

basal and squamous cell carcinomas of the skin account for:

Answer 6

40% of all cancers

99% of skin cancers

high frequency but rarely fatal bc easily detected, grow slowly, metastasize rarely and can be removed

malignant melanoma in 1% but 20% fatal

Question 7

most common cancers

Answer 7

lung

colon

breast

prostate

uterus

skin

Question 8

what is the basis for development of cancer?

Answer 8

genetic alterations

Question 9

initiation

Answer 9

a cell must undergo an alteration or series of alterations to acquire autonomous growth potential

an initiated cell divides to form a discrete population of altered cells (a clone)-reversible at this point

Question 10

carcinogens

Answer 10

agents that initiate cells to develop cancer

1. physical- trauma, radiation
2. chemical- cigs
3. biologic agents- microorganisms/viruses

Question 11

promotion

Answer 11

selective growth of the initiated cells

does not involve new mutations

promoter agents can affect only cells that have already been initiated

Question 12

progression

Answer 12

acquisition of additional DNA mutations resulting in multiple clones that constitute the neoplasm

the more a cell deviates in character from analogous normal cells, the more rapidl it grows

Question 13

oncogenes

Answer 13

code for cell growth and is what is altered in cancers

Question 14

tumor suppression genes

Answer 14

keep oncogenes in check

Question 15

transformation

Answer 15

process by which cells first lose important checks to their growth

Question 16

regression

Answer 16

spontaneous disappearance of rapidly growing

Question 17

preneoplastic

Answer 17

not firmly established; hyperplasias, metaplasias, dysplasias

Question 18

three general initiating factors

Answer 18

chemical carcinogens

radiation

oncogenenic viruses

Question 19

aflatoxin

Answer 19

potent chemical carcinogen in peanuts and corn due to fungi

Question 20

carcinogens must be metabolized by cells to…

Answer 20

become an active metabolite that can interact with DNA, RNA or cell proteins

Question 21

the establishment of carcinogenic effect depends on failure to repair…

Answer 21

DNA

Question 22

retroviruses

Answer 22

tumor producing RNA viruses

Question 23

epstein barr virus is associated with what cancer?

Answer 23

Burkitt lymphoma

Question 24

genetic mutation

Answer 24

defective tumor suppressing gene;

retinoblastoma in children, types of BRCA1 and BRCA2 breast and ovarian cancers

Question 25

APC genes are associated with what kind of cancer?

Answer 25

colonic adenomatous polyporis

Question 26

P53 associated cancers

Answer 26

thyroid, stomach, breat, soft tissue

Question 27

local and systemic manifestations of cancer

Answer 27

mass, pain, obstruction, hemorrhage, pathologic fx, infection, anemia, cachexia, hormone production, death

Question 28

how is pain caused by cancer?

Answer 28

destruction of local tissue

Question 29

examples of obstruction in cancer

Answer 29

lung or bowel

Question 30

hemorrhages are seen in what type of cancers?

Answer 30

mucosal like GI tract

Question 31

pathological fractures

Answer 31

invades and locally destroys bone or can cause osteoporosis

Question 32

infections caused by what in cancer?

Answer 32

erosion of epithelium allows microbes in, impaired defenses often due to bone marrow damage in certain cancers like leukemia

Question 33

cachexia

Answer 33

general wasting or weight loss due to nutritutional demands on the neoplasm

Question 34

most common cause of death in cancer patients

Answer 34

infections like pneumonia