Disorders of Growth (Cancer) Flashcards
What’s a NEOPLASM
It’s an abnormal mass of tissue which grows faster and unco-ordinated compared to normal tissues. It keeps growing at the same rate/manner after cessation of the stimuli which evoked the change.
What’s NEOPLASIA?
It’s the process which forms a NEOPLASM
What’s the definition of TUMOUR?
- It means swelling.
- But unconventionally is used as a synonym for neoplasm.
What sort of factors are taken into account in order to classify a tumour/neoplasm.
- The behaviour (is it benign/malignant)
- What does it look like (site of it/ conformation of it)
- Histological factors (What tissue does it look like, how close does it resemble)
- Cell of origin of the cancer (Histogenesis)
- How did it come about:Aetiological (inheritance v Environmental)
What are the properties of a benign tumour?
- It grows by expansion
- Displaces adjacent tissue
- Cannot metastasise
- Can be harmful if compresses organs/ parts of the body (eg- in the brain)
What are the properties of malignant tumours?
- Malignant tumours grow by infiltration of local tissues
- Has the ability to spread to other parts of the body and metastasise
What is the difference between a primary and secondary tumour?
Primary tumours are the ORIGINAL malignant tumour.
Secondary tumours are the ‘offspring’ of a primary malignant tumour.
Give some examples of possible routes of metastasis…
- Blood
- Lymph
- Transcoelomic (the spread of tumour through bodily cavities)
- Along epithelial-lines space
- Within epithelium
What does Transcoelomic mean?
It mean the spread of a tumour through bodily cavities (ie peritoneal/pleural)
How does a tumour metastasise through lymphatics?
- May directly invade lymphatics.
- And emboli can be filtered out then grow in lymph nodes.
How does a tumour spread through blood?
- May invade blood vessles
- Emboli may be filtered out by capillary beds - lung, liver
What is an example of how a tumour may spread within the epithilium:
- Peritoneal or pleural
- Bronchiolo-alveolar carcinoma of the lung
- Paget’s disease of the nipple, vulva and anus
An example of a tumour spreadingWITHIN EPITHELIUM is:
Paget’s disease of nipple, vulva and anus
What is an example of how a tumour may metastesize through blood:
- Stromal (connective tissue) malignancy and later stages of epithelial malignancy
- Bronchiolo-alveolar carcinoma of lung
- Peritoneal/ pleural
METASTASIS VIA BLOOD is:
Typical of stromal (connective tissue) malignancy and later stages of epithelial malignancy
Name some particular sights of metastases
- Lymph nodes
- Liver (GIT carcinoma, bronchus, breast)
- Lungs (thyroid, breast, kidney)
- Bone (breast, thyroid, bronchus, prostate, uterus)
- Brain (bronchus carcinoma)
- Endocrines (Bronchus carcinoma)
- Skin (melanoma, kidney)
What factors affect the naming of cancers?
The name of cancers depends on:
- Their site
- Behaviour
- Histogenesis (cell type)
What names are given to benign epithelial tumours?
The names given to benign epithelial tumours are:
- Adenoma
- Papilloma
- Cystadenoma
- Polyp
Adenoma, Papilloma, Cystadenoma and Polyps are all what type of tumour
Adenoma, Papilloma, Polyp and Cystadenoma are all BENIGN EPITHELIAL TUMOURS
What is the definition of a Polpy
A polyp is a mass attached to a surface which may or may not be a neoplasm
What is the term ‘Cancer’
It means any malignant tumour
What does the term ‘Carcinoma’ mean?
It’s a malignant tumour of epithelial tissue
What is a ‘Sarcoma’
It’s a malignant tumour of stromal tissue (connective tissue)
What name is given to the cancer of connective tissue (STROMAL tissue)
SARCOMA is the name given to a malignant stromal tissue (connective tissue)
_________ is the name given to a malignant epithelial tumour?
CARCINOMA is the name given to a malignant tumour of the epithelial tissue
Is a mesenchymal tumour likely to be malignant if it ends in
-OMA
or
-SARCOME
OMA is if it’s benign. SARCOMA if it’s malignant
eg:
-Lipoma (benign)
-Liposarcoma (malignant)
