Exam 2 Biology of Cancer Flashcards
What kind of tumor does cancer reference? And what is cancer the result of?
Cancerous tumors are often referred to as Malignant tumors, but it is important to note that cancer is NOT a tumor, but rather the result of abnormal growth that leads to uncontrolled proliferation (reproduction). As well as it can be referred to as a neoplasm (or new growth).
Differentiate Benign from Malignant Tumors.
Benign tumors are defined by small growth in a well enclosed and localized capsule. As well as they have highly differentiated cells and cell division, are non invasive, and are not considered metastatic (able to invade other parts of the body).
Whereas Malignant tumors are indicated by rapid and nonencapsulated growth, highly invasive and therefore highly metastatic in potential, and also by anaplasia (Which is poor cellular division and organization or a lack thereof).
How do you classify/name a Benign Tumor? What is an example?
Benign tumors are frequently named according to their tissue location and the added suffix “-oma”.
One example being lipoma or a fat tumor. Or even Leiomyoma or a smooth muscle tumor.
How are Malignant tumors classified/named? Give an example.
Simply, Malignant tumors are often named by their point of origin, since they are metastatic in nature and easily have the ability to travel across the body.
One example would be, Sarcomas, which are malignant tumors of connnective tissues.
Another prime example is Luekemias or cancers of blood forming cells.
What does CIS stand for? And what traits define it?
CIS stands for Carcinoma In Situ, which is defined as being “pre invasive” tumors of glandular or squamous origin which have not broken through or invaded surrounding stoma.
What are the three typical diagnosis/results of CIS?
CIS can be either;
1)Stable for long period of time (Such as the case with cervical cancers that are inactive for years before becoming malignant).
2)Can progress into invasive and metastatic cancers.
and
3)Also can potentially regress and disapper.
What factors are typically associate with cancer development?
1) Cancer is most often a disease of aging.
2)Clonal (a single cell type) proliferation or expansion will occur through mutations that give them a selective advantage over neighboring cells. (Such as an increased growth rate or decreased apoptosis(Cell death)).
And
3)It takes multiple mutations before a cancer can develop.
Transformation is the process of accumulating mutations that lead to a cell becoming cancerous. List and Describe the steps in this process.
1)Autonomy- This is where the cell no longer relies on extracellular signals for it’s proliferation control.
2)Lacking of Contact Inhibition- Or where the uncontrolled growth rate begins to create and pile up more cells.
3)Anaplasia-Cell growth is in such excess that there is no proper differentiation between tissues and no tissue organization what so ever.
4)Immortality- This is where cell death drastically decreases and there is unlimited potential for cell proliferation.
In our discussions what is the general definition of a Mutation? Name 3 specific mutations discussed and what they are.
For the purposes of Cancer Biology, and in general, a mutation is an alteration in DNA sequence that affects the expression or function of a gene. Some examples we discussed were;
1) Point mutations- These are small scale mutations such as with Sickle Cell Anemia which is the result of a point mutation in the beta heamoglobin gene.
2) Driver Mutations- Which simply “drive” the progression of cancers.
Then
3) Passenger Mutations- which are just random mutations that accompany a driver mutation.
What is Gene Amplification?
With chromosomes you typically have a duplicated pair. But in the event of gene amplification, there is repeated and excessive duplication of a chromosome as opposed to it’s 1 matching set. Meaning that tens or even hundreds of the same gene are made.
What is Chromosome Translocation?
Chromosome Translocation is when a piece of one chromosome is translocated to another chromosome and therefore results in large changes to chromosomal structure. This is most noteably seen in Leukimia, Breast Cancer, and also Down Syndrome.
What is Clonal Proliferation?
Clonal Proliferation (or Clonal Expansion) is when cells that have mutated into cancerous versions accumulate faster than their non mutated counterparts/neighbors.
What is Malignant Transformation?
Is the process during which a normal cell turns into a cancer cell. These transformations are made up of a heterogenous mixture of cells, and typically take place in Stroma cells (make up connective tissue) as they are the preferred enviroment for these transformations.
What is Cancer Heterogenity?
Cancer heterogenity is a term used to refer to either;
The differences between tumors of the same type in different patients, the differences between cancer cells in the same tumor, or even the diffferences between the cell make up in a primary tumor V. a secondary tumor. All of which are a direct result of cell proliferation and mutation.
What process in the body is similiar to that of Cancer development?
The wound healing process is actually the most comparable to that of cancer development.
