Diagnosis & Staging Flashcards
What lab tests are commonly used to diagnose cancer?
- Lab tests (chemistry - high or low can be d/t Ca)
- CBC (particularly for leukemias)
- Cancer gene mutation testing
- Cytogenetic analysis (changes in chromosomes in WBC’s or bone marrow)
- Immunophenotyping (identifies cells based on antigens presented; good for blood cancer monitoring)
- Sputum cytology
- Tumor marker tests (presence, levels or activity that may be signs of cancer)
- Urinalysis (Dx kidney and urothelial Ca)
- Urine cytology (bladder Ca dx)
What are common tumor imaging techniques?
- MRI scan (visualizes tissue hidden by bone)
- xray
- CT scan (not useful when surrounded by bone; shows difference in tissue density)
- PET scan
- Nuclear medicine
- Contrast within these studies can better visualize malignancies
- Ultrasound
What tumor marker is specific for prostate Ca?
PSA
What tumor marker is specific for testicular Ca?
AFP and HCG
What tumor marker is specific for ovarian Ca?
CA-125
What tumor marker is specific for melanoma Ca?
S100
What are examples of invasive diagnostic imaging?
- Endoscopy
- Biopsy
What is a pathology report?
- Document containing diagnosis as was determined by examining cells and tissues under a microscope
- Can contain information about size, shape and appearance of specimen (the gross description)
- Critical in cancer diagnosis and stating and therefore tx options; treatment options for cancers from within the same organ can differ significantly based on the histopathology
What is absolutely necessary before diagnosing cancer?
A histologic tissue confirmation, often obtained by biopsy
What is a tumor grade?
The description of a tumor based on how abnormal the tumor cells and tissue look under a microscope
What does ‘ well differentiated’ mean?
- The cells of the tumor and organization of its tissue are close to those of normal cells and tissue
= Tend to grow at a slow rate
What does “undifferentiated” or “poorly differentiated” mean?
Abnormal looking cells and may lack normal tissue structures
What does stage refer to?
The size and/or extent of the primary tumor, and whether or not Ca cells have spread in the body
What is the difference between grade 1-4 tumors?
G1: Well differentiated (low grade)
G2: Moderately differentiated (intermediate)
G3: Poorly differentiated (high grade)
G4: Undifferentiated ( high grade)
What is the TNM system?
- Most widely used cancer staging system
- T = size and extent of main tumor
- N = number of nearby lymph nodes with Ca
- M = indicates if it has metastasized