GI Cancers Flashcards
What is a carcinoma?
Malignancy of the cells that make up the epithelial lining of skin or organs
What is an adenocarinoma?
Malignancy of glandular cells in epithelial tissue
What is an adenoma?
Benign tumour formed from glandular structures in epithelial tissues
What is the cancer with the highest prevalence in the UK?
Breast/prostate
What is the GI cancer with the highest prevalence??
Large bowel
What is the GI cancer with the lowest prevalence?
Liver
What are some common non specific signs of GI cancer?
Abdominal pain
Dysphagia
Weight loss
Blood in stools
Constipation
What GI cancer is likely with this presentation?
55yr old man presents with severe Dysphagia to solids and worsening Dysphagia to liquids. 40 pack yr smoking and a 6 pack of beer per day. Lost over 10% body weight and is currently nourished by milkshakes. Has mild odynophagia and is constantly coughing up mucus.
Oesophageal cancer
What is odynophagia?
Painful swallowing
What is the most common cause of oesophageal cancer histologically in the upper 2/3s of the Oesophagus?
Squamous cell carcinoma
What is the most common cause of Oesophageal cancer of the lower 1/3 histologically?
Oovu java version
Sucking dick (everyone’s apart from cal)
Your mum
Dawn Donoher
Smoking
Vomiting from Cals sperm eww
Cals sperm tastes like vomit
Its putrid
Smell all funky go get checked
Being daisy
Pots
Cups
Plates
Cals stupid attitude
Fuck cal
Stupid ass hoe
Imagine being ugly
What is the most common cause of Oesophageal cancer of the lower 1/3 histologically?
Adenocarinomas from columnar epithelia
Barretts oesophagus
What are the clinical signs of Oesophageal cancer?
Progressive Dysphagia
Initially solids more difficult t swallow than fluids, eventually hard to swallow liquids
Odynophagia
Unexplained weight loss
What is the main red flag symptom for oesophageal cancer?
Progressive Dysphagia
What is the acronym used to remember red flags for oesophageal cancer?
ALARM
What are the red flag symptoms for oesophageal cancer?
ALARM
Anaemia (GI cancers often ulcerate)
Loss of weight
Anorexia
Recent onset of progressive symptoms
Malaena or masses
What is malaena?
Black tarry stool due to an upper GI bleed
What are the risk factors of oesophageal cancer?
SCC = smoking, alcohol use and dietary (hot beverages)
Adenocarnioma = obesity, reflux disease, Barretts oesophagus
What is the prognosis of survival after being diagnosed with oesophageal cancer?
5% survival at 5yrs
What investigations should be done if suspecting oesophageal cancer?
FBC (Anaemia)
Oesophagogastroduodenoscopy with biopsy
CT thorax and abdomen to stage
What treatment is done for oesophageal cancer?
Endoscopic therapies (for early stage)
Oesphagectomy (removal of oesophagus
Chemoradiotherapy
What type of cancer is this patient likely to have?
77yr old
Weight loss of 6.8kg and 3month of Dysphagia and abdominal pain
Stools positive for occult blood
Gastric cancer
What is occult blood?
Blood that is not visible to the naked eye in the stool
What is the most common cause of gastric cancer histologically?
Adenocarcinomas
What are the most common locations for adenocarcinomas in gastric cancer to occur?
Cardia
Antrum
Body of stomach
How does gastric cancer of the cardia present?
Similar to oesophageal cancer (Dysphagia)
How does non cardia Gastric cancer present?
Vomiting due to cancer restricting the stomach contents entering the duodenum
What is the Lauren classification for gastric cancers??
Diffuse = poorly differentiated
Intestinal = better differentiation so has better prognosis
What are some strong risks of developing gastric cancer?
Pernicious anemia
H-pylori
N-nitroso compounds
How does pernicious anemia increase risk of gastric cancer?
Immune response to parietal cells leading to les intrinsic factor being produced
What foods are high n-nitroso compounds?
Processed foods
What are the most common signs or symptoms for developing gastric cancer?
Weight loss
Epigastric abdominal pain
Lymphadenopathy of VIRCHOWS node
Dysphagia (if located around the cardia)
Where is VIRCHOWS node located?
Left supraclavicular fossa
What is the prognosis for gastric cancer with local disease and metastasis?
Local = 70% 5 year survival
Metastasis = 5%
What investigations are done for gastric cancer?
Bloods (anaemia)
Upper GI endoscopy and biopsy for diagnosis
CT (Chest, abdomen and pelvis) for staging
How is Gastric cancer managed?
Superficial gastric caner = endoscopic mucosal resection
Localised = gastrectomy or Chemo
Advanced/metastatic = chemotherapy/immunotherapy and supportive care
What GI cancer is this patient likely to have?
45yr woman
Vague Epigastric pain
Treatment PPI, analgesia and antacids ineffective
Experiencing back pain
Pancreatic mass with liver metastases
Pancreatic cancer
What is the main histological type of pancreatic cancer?
Pancreatic duct all (exocrine) adenocarinoma