Intro Flashcards
Neoplasia
New growth
Abnormal proliferation of cells, tissue, or organ
Synonymous w/ tumor
Hyperplasia
Proliferation of cells w/in an organ that may result in gross enlargement in response to physiological stimulus
Remains under normal regulatory control mechanisms
Hypertrophy
Increase in cell size
Dysplasia
Early form of pre-cancerous transformation detected in a biopsy or Pap smear
Cells are different from tissue of origin
Carcinoma “in situ”
“cancer in place”
Cells have lost their tissue identity
-Growth is rapid and w/o regulation
Remains localized to a specific area/organ
Invasive Carcinoma
Invading beyond the original tissue layer/location
May be able to spread to another part of the body - metastasize
Metaplasia
Changes in response to chronic physical or chemical irritation
-cigarette smoking causes mucus secreting ciliated epithelium to be replaced w/ simple squamous epithelium
The change is benign and reversible to a certain limit
Cell progression through cancer stages
Metaplasia -> Dysplasia -> Neoplasia
What is the most common cancer in women (excluding skin cancer)?
Breast cancer
What is the most common cancer in men (excluding skin cancer)?
Prostate
What type of cancer causes the most deaths each year in men and women
Lung
Which cancer is the most deadly?
(Has lowest survival rate)
Pancreatic
Diet and Cancer risk
Veggies lower GI risk - esophageal, stomach, colon
Lycopene (tomatoes) lowers prostate CA risk
Low fat dairy lowers breast CA risk
High red meat intake increase colon cancer risk
Type 2 Diabetes most increases which cancer risk
Liver
Pancreas
Endometrium
Also colon, breast, bladder
Decrease risk prostate cancer
Excess alcohol most increases which CA risk
Head and neck
Esophageal
Liver
Pediatric cancer prominence
0-14 = leukemia is prominent
15-19 = Brain/CNS and HL
Pediatric Cancer Deaths
0-14 = Brain, leukemia, soft tissue (including heart)
15-19 = leukemia, bone & joint, brain
Gain of Function Mutations
Altered or unregulated activity of proto-oncogene leads increased production
AKA Gain of function mutation
Dominant - only single mutation needed to stimulate cell proliferation
Loss of Function Mutation
Loss of tumor suppressor activity -> get unregulated pathways and tumorigenesis
AKA underactive mutation
Recessive - need two mutation events that inactivate both copies of that gene
Type of cell that tumors originate from
Carcinoma
Sarcoma
Lymphoma/Leukemia
Germ cell
Blastomas
Carcinoma: epithelial cells
Sarcoma: connective tissue cells
Lymphoma/Leukemia: blood cells
Germ cell: Testicle and ovary
Blastomas: immature cells or embryonic tissue
Methods of Metastasis
Spread through blood
Spread through lymph
Seeding into spaces of body
-peritoneal, pericardial, pleural space
Sites of Common Cancer Metastases
Breast
Lung
Colorectal
Prostate
Melanoma
Primary Brain
Breast: Axialla, internal mammary nodes, bone
Lung: Hilar, mediastinal, supraclavicular nodes
Colorectal: Pelvic and mesenteric nodes, liver, lung, CSF
Prostate: Pelvic nodes, bone and brain
Melanoma: Reginal nodes - very sneaky
Primary Brain: Brain, CSF
