Colorectal Cancer Flashcards
what are the risk factors for colorectal cancer?
> most are sporadic
10% familial risk
CRC syndromes
inflammatory bowel disease (1%)
what are the risk factors for sporadic cases?
> age
male (significant)
previous adenoma/CRC
Environmental influences
what environmental influences affect risk of sporadic cases of colorectal cancer?
> diet: low fibre, low fruit + veg, low calcium, high reed meat, high alcohol > obesity > lack of exercise > smoking > diabetes mellitus
what are colorectal polyps?
> protuberant growths > variety of histological types > epithelial or mesenchymal > benign or malignant > can develop into colorectal cancer
are adenomas benign?
yes
what tissue does an adenoma originate from?
epithelial
what are the 2 main histological types of adenomas?
> tubular
villous
(>indeterminate tubulovillous)
what are the different morphological types of adenomas?
> pedunculated
> sessile
what factors mean adenoma lesions are high risk?
> size
number
degree of dysplasia
villous architecture
what is the molecular sequence that leads to development of a carcinoma from an adenoma?
> oncogene activation, k-ras, c-myc
tumour suppressor gene lost (APC, p53, DCC)
defective DNA repair pathway gene (microsatellite instability)
All this leads to cell proliferation and apotosis.
what is the presentation of colorectal cancer?
> rectal bleeding
altered bowel opening (diarrhoea)
Iron deficiency anaemia in men and non-menstruating women)
palpable rectal or right lower abdominal mass
acute colonic obstruction (stenosing tumour)
systemic symptoms (weight loss, anorexia)
when are presenting symptoms investigated?
> each symptom on its own, investigated if age >60yrs
> combined symptoms, investigated if age > 40 yrs
what sort of colonic malignancy is likely with iron deficiency anaemia?
right sided colonic malignancy
why is colonoscopy investigation of choice?
tissue biopsies can be taken and therapy can be delivered (polypectomy)
what radiological imaging is available for investigating colorectal cancer?
> barium enema
CT colonography
(> CT abdo/pelvis)
what investigations are used for staging colorectal cancer?
> CT scan chest/abdomen/pelvis
MRI scan for rectal tumours
PET scan/rectal endoscopic ultrasound in selected cases
describe dukes classification of cancer
A: tumour confined to the mucosa
B: tumour extended through mucosa to muscle layer
C: involvement of lymph nodes
D: distal metastatic spread
what treatment may Dukes A or cancer polyps require?
endoscopic or local resection
what does the operative procedure depend on?
> site
size
stage