Definitions Flashcards
Neoplasia
Neo + plasia = New + growth
Neoplasm is an abnormal growth of tissue, and, when it also forms a mass, is commonly referred to as a tumor. This abnormal growth (neoplasia) usually but not always forms a mass.
WHO classifies neoplasms into four main groups:
1 - Benign neoplasms
2 - In situ neoplasms
3 - Malignant neoplasms
4 - Neoplasms of uncertain or unknown behavior
Malignant neoplasms are also simply known as cancers.
Prior to the abnormal growth of tissue, as neoplasia, cells often undergo an abnormal pattern of growth, such as metaplasia or dysplasia. However, metaplasia or dysplasia does not always progress to neoplasia
Tumor
Swelling
Dysplasia
Dysplasia (dys- = “bad” or “difficult” and plasis- = “formation”) is an ambiguous term used in pathology to refer to an abnormality of development or an epithelial anomaly of growth and differentiation (epithelial dysplasia).
Dysplasia is premalignant condition
Features:
- Increased N/C ratio
- Irregular nuclear membrane
- Hyperchromasia
Cachexia and cancer cachexia
Cachexia ( kakos = “bad” and hexis = “condition”) or wasting syndrome is loss of weight, muscle atrophy, fatigue, weakness, and significant loss of appetite in someone who is not actively trying to lose weight. The formal definition of cachexia is the loss of body mass that cannot be reversed nutritionally: Even if the affected patient eats more calories, lean body mass will be lost, indicating a primary pathology is in place.
The exact mechanism in which these diseases cause cachexia is poorly understood, but there is probably a role for inflammatory cytokines, such as tumor necrosis factor-alpha (which is also nicknamed ‘cachexin’ or ‘cachectin’), interferon gamma and interleukin 6, as well as the tumor-secreted proteolysis-inducing factor.
Abscess
Localised form of acute purulent inflammation forming a pus filled cavity.
Purulent inflammation: Inflammation resulting in large amount of pus, which consists of neutrophils, dead cells, and fluid
Pus
Pus is an exudate, typically white-yellow, yellow, or yellow-brown, formed at the site of inflammation during bacterial or fungal infection. An accumulation of pus in an enclosed tissue space is known as an abscess, whereas a visible collection of pus within or beneath the epidermis is known as a pustule, pimple, or spot.
Adenocarcinoma
Malignant tumor of glandular epithelium
Adenoma
Benign tumor of glandular epithelium
Adhesion
Abnormal band of connective tissue fixing serosal membranes to each other
Agenesis
Failure of an organ to form during embryogenesis
AMYLOIDOSIS
Abnormal accumulation of specific extracellular proteins causing hardening, enlargement and malfunction of the involved organs
Staining: Congo red
ANAPLASIA
Lack of differentiation in malignant tumors
ANEURYSM
Abnormal permanent dilatation of a blood vessel or part of a heart chamber
APLASIA
Failure of growth of a tissue
APOPTOSIS
Programmed cell death, occuring in normal or pathological individual cells
ARTERIOSCLEROSIS
Hardening of the arteries caused by any condition
ARTERITIS
Inflammation primarily within the wall of arteries
ASCITES
Transudate in the peritoneal cavity
ATELECTASIS
Failure of alveolar expand, resulting firm consistency (increased lung density)
ATHEROSCLEROSIS
Hardening of the arteries caused by lipid accumulation in the intima
ATRESIA
Embryological failure of lumen formation in normally hollow organs or ducts
ATROPHY
Pathological or physiological cellular or organ shrinkage. Size/weight of cell and organ is decreased.
Physiological: Breast, thymus, uterus, ovarium
Pathological - 2 main types: Local and general
ATYPIA
Change of normal cellular appearance due to reactive or mainly neoplastic processes
AUTOLYSIS
Digestion of tissue by the enzymes contained within it
Metaplasia
A mature tissue type replaced by an other tissue type, usually because of some kind of irritation.
Ischemia
Ischemia is a restriction in blood supply to tissues
Hypoxia
Hypoxia is a condition in which the body or a region of the body is deprived of adequate oxygen supply at the tissue leve
Hemosiderin
Hemosiderin or haemosiderin is an iron-storage complex. It is only found within cells (as opposed to circulating in blood) and appears to be a complex of ferritin, denatured ferritin and other material
Use “Perls’ Prussian-blue” stain ;)
Purulent inflammation
An acute form of exudative inflammation in which the enzymes produced by white blood cells cause liquefaction of the affected tissues, resulting in the formation of pus. Also called suppurative inflammation .
Purulent inflammation
An acute form of exudative inflammation in which the enzymes produced by white blood cells cause liquefaction of the affected tissues, resulting in the formation of pus. Also called suppurative inflammation .
Lipofuscin
“Derived through lipid peroxidation of lipids of subcellular membranes.”
Finely granular yellow-brown pigment granules composed of lipid-containing residues of lysosomal digestion. It is considered to be one of the aging or “wear-and-tear” pigments, found in the liver, kidney, heart muscle, retina, adrenals, nerve cells, and ganglion cells. It is specifically arranged around the nucleus, and is a type of lipochrome.
It appears to be the product of the oxidation of unsaturated fatty acids and may be symptomatic of membrane damage, or damage to mitochondria and lysosomes. Aside from a large lipid content, lipofuscin is known to contain sugars and metals, including mercury, aluminum, iron, copper and zinc
Polymorphism
Hyperemia
Hyperaemia or hyperemia is the increase of blood flow to different tissues in the body. It can have medical implications, but is also a regulatory response, allowing change in blood supply to different tissues through vasodilation. Clinically, hyperaemia in tissues manifest as erythema, because of the engorgement of vessels with oxygenated blood. Hyperaemia can also occur due to a fall in atmospheric pressure outside the body.
Active and passive
Fibrous inflammation
Fibrinous Inflammation is a general morphological pattern of inflammation, whether acute or chronic. Fibrinous inflammation occurs when there is more extensive leakage of fluid from vasculature, thus allowing for passage of large plasma proteins, especially fibrinogen into tissue. If the leakage is small, much of the escaped fibrinogen will be removed during the resolution phase of inflammation. However, if leakage is extensive, the mass of fibrinogen is left in place and remodeled, ultimately evolving into fibrosis.
Pyogen
a pus-producing microorganism
Empyema
An empyema (from Greek ἐμπύημα, “abscess”) is a collection or gathering of pus within a naturally existing anatomical cavity. For example, pleural empyema is empyema of the pleural cavity. It must be differentiated from an abscess, which is a collection of pus in a newly formed cavity.
Sarcoidosis
Sarcoidosis is a disease involving abnormal collections of inflammatory cells that form lumps known as granulomas.
Langerhans giant cells
Langhans giant cells (also known as Pirogov-Langhans cells) are large cells found in granulomatous conditions.
They are formed by the fusion of epithelioid cells (macrophages), and contain nuclei arranged in a horseshoe-shaped pattern in the cell periphery
Although traditionally their presence was associated with tuberculosis, they are not specific for tuberculosis or even for mycobacterial disease. In fact, they are found in nearly every form of granulomatous disease, regardless of etiology.
Lipophagic giant cell
Touton giant cell (high lipid content)
Carcinoma in situ (In situ carcinoma)
“Pre cancer”
Mitotic figure
The microscopic appearance of a cell undergoing mitosis; a cell with the chromosomes that are visible by the light microscope.
Virchows lymph node
Left supreclavicular LN for gastric cancer
The batson veins
The Batson venous plexus (Batson veins) is a network of valveless veins in the human body that connect the deep pelvic veins and thoracic veins (draining the inferior end of the urinary bladder, breast and prostate) to the internal vertebral venous plexuses. Because of their location and lack of valves, they are believed to provide a route for the spread of cancer metastases. These metastases commonly arise from cancer of the pelvic organs such as the rectum and prostate and may spread to the vertebral column or brain. There is less evidence of spread of cancers from extra-pelvic origins, such as lung cancer.
