Chapter 11: Oncology Flashcards
2 cause of death in the United States
Cancer
MC Ca in women
Breast cancer
MCC cancer related death in women
Lung cancer
MC Cancer in men
Prostate cancer
Used to identify metastases; defects fluorodeoxyglucose molecules
PET (positron emission tomography)
Need MHC complex to attack tumor
Cytotoxic T cells
Can independently attack tumor cells
Natural killer cells
Are random unless viral-induced tumor
Tumor antigens
Increased numbers of cells
Hyperplasia
Replacement of one tissue with another (GERD squamous epithelium in esophagus changed to columnar gastric tissue; e.g. Barrett’s esophagus)
Metaplasia
Altered size, shape, and organization (e.g., Barrett’s dysplasia)
Dysplasia
Tumor marker: colon ca
CEA
Tumor marker: liver CA
AFP
Tumor marker: pancreatic CA
CA 19-9
Tumor marker: Ovarian ca
CA 125
Tumor marker: testicular Ca, choriocarcinoma
Beta-HCG
Tumor marker: prostate CA
PSA
Prostate CA: thought to be tumor marker with the highest sensitivity, although specificity is low
PSA
Tumor marker: small cell lung CA, neuroblastoma
NSE
Tumor marker: breast CA
BRCA I and II
Tumor marker: carcinoid tumor
Chromogranin A
Tumor marker: thyroid medullary CA
Ret oncogene
Half life: CEA
18 days
Half life: PSA
18 days
Half life: AFP
5 days
Two components of cancer transformation
- Heritable alteration in genome and;
2. Loss of growth regulation
Oncogenesis: time between exposure and formation of clinically detectable tumor
Latency period
Three phases of latency period
- Initiation (carcinogen acts with DNA)
- Promotion (then occurs)
- Progression (cancers cells to clinically detectable tumor)
What can neoplasms arise from?
Carcinogenesis (e.g. smoking)
Viruses (eg, EBV)
Immunodeficiency (eg HIV)
What do retroviruses contain?
Oncogenes
Associated with Burkitt’s lymphoma (8:14 translocation) and nasopharyngeal CA (c-myc)
Ebstein-Barr Virus
Human genes with malignant potential
Proto-oncogenes
Infectious agent: cervical cancer
Human papillomavirus
Infectious agent: gastric cancer
Helicobacter pylori
Infectious agent: hepatocellular carcinoma
Hepatitis B and hepatitis C viruse
Infectious agent: nasopharyngeal carcinoma
EBV
Infectious agent: Burkitt’s lymphoma
EBV
Infectious agent: various lymphomas
HIV
Most vulnerable stage of cell cycle for XRT
M phase
Radiation therapy: what causes most of the damage?
Most damage done by formation of oxygen radicals -> maximal effect with high oxygen levels
Main target of radiation therapy
DNA: oxygen radicals and XRT itself damage DNA and other molecules
How does high-eneregy radiation have a skin–preserving effect?
Maximal ionizing potential not reached until deeper structures
What do fractionate XRT doses allow?
- Repair of normal cells
- Re-oxygenation of tumor
- Redistribution of tumor cells in the cell cycle
Very radiosensitive tumors
Seminomas, lymphomas
Very radio resistant tumors
Epithelial, sarcomas
Less responsive to XRT due to lack of oxygen in the tumor
Large tumors