Classification of cancers

Question 1

What is a tumour?

Answer 1

Any abnormal swelling.

Question 2

What is a neoplasm?

Answer 2

An AUTONOMOUS, ABNORMAL, PERSISTENT (so persists even after the initial stimulus has been removed) NEW GROWTH.

Question 3

What are the 2 components of a neoplasm?

Answer 3

• Neoplastic cells (derived from an identifiable origin tissue).
• Stroma. This is a connective tissue framework responsible for supporting the growth of the neoplastic cells.

Question 4

What is angiogenesis and why is it important to neoplastic growth?

Answer 4

• Growth of new blood vessels.

- Important as these blood vessels are required to support a neoplasm to grow beyond 2mm.

Question 5

What is a benign neoplasm?

Answer 5

• A localised, NON-INVASIVE tumour.
• Slow growth rate
• Close resemblance to the origin tissue.
• Usually clearly separated from the surrounding tissues (easier to remove).

Question 6

Why are benign neoplasms still cause for concern?

Answer 6

• Place pressure on adjacent structures
• Obstruct flow
• Can produce hormones (e.g. hyperthyroidism).
• Can become malignant.

Question 7

What is a malignant neoplasm?

Answer 7

• INVASIVE
• Metastases (spreads around the body).
• Rapid growth rate
• Doesn’t always represent the origin tissue.
• Often have a poorly defined/ irregular border (makes them harder to remove cleanly).

Question 8

What suffix is used for ALL neoplasms?

Answer 8

“-oma”

Question 9

What is a papilloma?

Answer 9

• A benign tumour of non-glandular, non-secretory epithelium.
• Should be prefixed with cell type of origin (e.g. squamous cell papilloma).

Question 10

What is an adenoma?

Answer 10

• A benign tumour of glandular or secretory epithelium.

- Prefix with cell type of origin (e.g. adrenal adenoma).

Question 11

What is a carcinoma?

Answer 11

• A malignant tumour of epithelial cells.

- Should be prefixed by the name of the epithelial cell type (e.g. urothelial carcinoma).

Question 12

What is an adenocarcinoma?

Answer 12

• Malignant tumour of glandular epithelium (so effectively a type of carcinoma).

Question 13

How do we name benign connective tissue neoplasms?

Answer 13

• Name according to what the neoplastic cells look most like.

e.g.:
lipoma = adipocytes
chondroma = cartilage
osteoma = bone
angioma = vascular

Question 14

How do we name malignant connective tissue neoplasms?

Answer 14

• If it is a malignant tumour, we use the suffix “sarcoma” rather than just “oma”
• e.g. lipoma is benign, whereas liposarcoma is malignant.

Question 15

What is an anaplastic neoplasm?

Answer 15

• This is a neoplasm that is so poorly differentiated, we can no longer tell the cell of origin.

Question 16

What is a melanoma?

Answer 16

• A malignant neoplasm of the melanocytes in the skin.
• Not called a “melanocarcinoma” as there is no such thing as a benign neoplasm of melanocytes, so we can shorten the name.

Question 17

What is a lymphoma?

Answer 17

• A malignant neoplasm of lymphoid cells.

- Shortened to just lymphoma rather than lymphscarcoma as there is no such thing as a benign lymphoid neoplasm.