Chapter 4 and 5 Cancer Unit Flashcards
Cancer Grade
A classification system that characterizes cancer cells based upon how similar they look to their normal
counterparts.
Cancer Stage
A classification system that describes the extent to which a tumor has spread.
Metastasis
The spread of malignant tumor cells to other parts of the body through blood/lymph vessels.
Angiogenesis
The process of growing new blood/lymph vessels..
Benign Tumor
A tumor that is hyper-proliferating, but has not spread beyond the local area of the epithelium where it
originated – not cancerous
Malignant Tumor
Hyperproliferating tumor that has acquired the ability to migrate into the surrounding stroma - cancerous
Metastatic Tumor
A hyperproliferating malignant tumor that has acquired the ability to travel through the blood and lymph to
secondary sites – cancerous. .
Biopsy
A sample of tissue used for diagnostic purposes.
Diagnostic Test
A test performed to identify the nature of a cancer.
Endoscopy
The examination of the interior of a body canal, such as the esophagus, bladder, stomach, or colon, using a
flexible camera.
Leukemias
A group of cancers of white blood cells that typically originate in the bone marrow.
Mastectomy
Surgical removal of all or part of a breast.
Relapse
The return of symptoms of cancer following a period of remission.
Remission
Reduction of cancer symptoms that indicates absence of disease.
Hospice
A program /shelter that provides care to decrease pain and symptoms for patients as well as addressing
emotional and spiritual needs of the patient.
Compare and contrast the three types of tumors (Benign, Malignant, and Metastatic) and be able to explain how each occurs in the body
Benign: A tumor that hasn’t spread past it’s original spot. “beyond the local area of the epithelium where it
originated – not cancerous”
Malignant: Has acquired the ability to migrate to the surrounded stroma. Is Cancerous
Metastatic: Has the ability to travel through the blood stream and lymph. Is cancerous
Explain the ABCDE of Skin tumors
A stands for asymmetry. (If the other side of the mole doesn’t match the other side) B stands for Border Irregularity (is the border looking normal or out of shaped.) C means color (is the color solid all the way through or spatchy) D means diameter (is it larger then 6 millimeters) E is for evolving (is it changing in shape, color, or size)
Explain the three grades of cancer cells and what they each mean
Grade one is normal looking cells that are growing at a fast past. Grade two is made of cells that don’t look like normal cells and are starting to grow faster then normal cells do. Grade three are cells that look abnormal and can grow or spread more aggressively.
Explain in detail the four stages of cancer
Stage zero is when the cancer is where it started and didn’t spread. Stage one means that the cancer is still in the spot it started and there hasn’t been any spreading. Stage two means that the cancer has grown but has not spread. Stage three means that the tumor has enlarged and has possibly spread to the surrounding tissues and/or the lymph nodes. Stage four is when the cancer has spread to a different organ.
What is the difference between a Screen and a Diagnostic Test, give examples of both, and explain them
A diagnosis test is a test that is a 100 accurate to show if there is a condition present. A screen testing is too look at the risk whether a condition present.
What are the three main strategies for treating cancer and list all of their pros and cons
Surgery is one of the possible strategies, a pro is it can get out most of the cancer, once gone can’t grow anymore. Cons is there is a high risk of death, risk of infection, metastasis, and scar tissue can cause problems in organ. Another treatment is radiation. Pros are Minimally invasive, can be highly localized, and some cancers are very susceptible. Cons are Must know location, Dose must be minimized or secondary risk, Damages reproductive organs, Some cancers are not susceptible. The last treatment is chemotherapy. Pros are that it treats the whole body, and can combine drugs to minimize resistance. Cons are it kills all of the rapidly dividing cells like hair and nails which causes side affects, doesn’t kill slowing dividing cells, some cancers are resistant, and some cancers develop resistance.
What is the difference between Remission and Relapse in cancer terms
Remission means that the cancer and symptoms have either all the way reduced or partially reduced. Relapse means that the cancer has came back after a period of being cancer free.
