EFFECTS OF A TUMOR Flashcards
what is a tumor
A small growth in the absence of inflammation, caused by an abnormal growth of cells. Benign or malignant. It persists after removal of stimulus
clinical effects of a tumor are attributable to
LocationOriginBehaviour
when do local effects of a tumor occur
Secondary to a malignant or benign tumor. Compression, Invasion, Ulceration
invasion
Causes erosion and destruction of local structures- erosion of a pulmonary artery by a lung carcinoma
compression
Compression/obliteration of surrounding structure, thus affecting normal functioning = pituitary adenoma
ulceration
Ulceration of the skin or mucosa can occur, secondary to pressure from either malignant or benign
metabolic effects in tumors; hormones
- tumors are autonomous, no signal required
, nor the total number of functioning cells B cell adenoma in the pancreas may produces enough insulin
non specific metabolic effe- cachexia-progressive loss of body fat, weakness, anaemia, anorexia- cytokine induced- which breaks down muscle and fat tissue
paraneoplastic syndrome
constellation of symptoms that imply the presence of cancer but cannot be explained by either a metastatic/distant spread or by production of certain hormones that are usually produced by the tissue in ehich the tumor arose
how do cytokines cause cachexia
Breaks down musclee and fat tissue= wasting
why are paraneoplastic syndromes important to recognize -3
breaks down fats and tissueand tissue
examples of systems affected by paraneoplastic syndromes - 4
Vascular, Endocrinopathy, Skin changes, Soft tissue changes
endocrinopathy
- Hormone produced by organs that do not normally produced them, eg, the lung carcinoma producing ACTH = ectopic hormone production (cushing’s syndrome)
hypercalcaemia
- osteolysis in the bone causes release of calcium, but is not paraneoplastic- when calcium is produced by extra osseous neoplasms = paraneoplastic - exaample - lung carcinoma producing PTH
acanthosis nigricans
Thickened skin of hyperpigmentation usually in flexures- it is benign in childhood and cancerous in adulthood… common in GIT adenocarcinomas
neuromyopathic PNS - 4
- Peripheral neuropathy 2. Poliomyopathy resembling poliomyositisc3. Myasthenia gravis 4. Cortical cerebral degeneration
hypertrophic osteoathropathy
Occurs in lung cancer where an individual presents with arthritis of joints, clubbing of digits and peristoneal bone formation
trousseau syndrome
Clot forming at a specific location, resolves then forms somewhere else- it is common in deep seated cancers of the pancreas and lungs due to tumor associated inflammation or coagulation/pro coagulant s produced by tumors
Other vascular and haematologic effects
- acute DIC (prostatic adenocarcinoma, leukemia
- nonbacterial fibrinous vegetations/non bacterial thrombotic endocarditis in pts with mucin secreting carcinomas.
