Introduction to Pathology - Dr. Wendt Flashcards

1
Q

Cancer Definition

A

Any malignant neoplasm

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2
Q

Tumor Definition

A

A nonspecific term meaning lump or swelling

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3
Q

Neoplasm Definition

A

Meaning new growth, may be benign or malignant

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4
Q

Neoplasia Definition

A

A process of expansion due to defects in the molecular controls that regulate cellular proliferation and/or cell death

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5
Q

Hyperplasia Definition

A

An increase in organ or tissue size due to an increase in the number of cells. Can be physiologic, compensatory, or pathologic

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6
Q

Metaplasia Definition

A

An adaptive, substitution of one type of adult tissue to another type of adult tissue

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7
Q

Dysplasia Definition

A

An abnormal cellular proliferation in which there is loss of normal architecture

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8
Q

Anaplasia Definition

A

A loss of structural differentiation

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9
Q

Desmoplasia Definition

A

The formation and proliferation of connective tissues and cells

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10
Q

Carcinoma Definition

A

Malignant neoplasm of epithelial cell origin

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11
Q

Adenoma Definition

A

An epithelial neoplasm which produces or is derived from glandular tissue

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12
Q

Papilloma Definition

A

Benign tumor of surface epithelium in which neoplastic cells grow outward in finger like fibrovascular stalks

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13
Q

Teratoma Definition

A

A germ cell neoplasm made of several different differentiated cell/tissue types

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14
Q

Sarcoma Definition

A

Malignant neoplasm with origin in mesenchymal tissues or its derivatives

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15
Q

Lymphoma and Leukemia Definition

A

Malignant neoplasms of hematopoietic tissues

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16
Q

Blastoma Definition

A

is a type of cancer, more common in children, that is caused by malignancies in precursor cells, often called blasts. Examples are nephroblastoma, medulloblastoma and retinoblastoma

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17
Q

Melanoma Definition

A

is a type of cancer of pigment producing cells (melanocytes) in the skin or the eye (uveal Melanoma)

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18
Q

Normal epithelial tissues are very ____________

A

organized

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19
Q

_______ and ________ can stain small intestinal epithelium

A

Hematoxylin; Eosin

H&E

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20
Q

Unlike carcinomas, sarcomas arise from…

A

…soft tissues such as muscle, fat, blood vessels, nerves and tendons.

Although rare, they can be very aggressive and metastatic

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21
Q

Leukemia is a…

A

cancer of the white blood cells of hematopoietic origin

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22
Q

Lymphomas arise from…

A

cells that populate lymph nodes

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23
Q

Staging of carcinomas - Numerical staging system:

0
I
II
III
IV
A

0: In situ carcinoma, no sign of local invasion.
I: microscopic invasion of surrounding tissue.
II:4-9 Surrounding Lymph nodes are involved
III: 10 or more surrounding lymph nodes are involved
IV: Distant metastases are detected

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24
Q

Staging of carcinomas are largely based on…

A

tumor size, location and number

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25
Q

Primarily only ______ tumors get staged

A

solid

26
Q

TNM Staging System:

T
N
M

A

T = Primary tumor

N = Regional Lymph Nodes

M = Distant Metastasis

27
Q

Primary tumor (T):

TX

T0

Tis

T1, T2, T3, T4

A

TX: Primary tumor cannot be evaluated

T0: No evidence of primary tumor

Tis: Carcinoma In Situ (CIS; abnormal cells are present but have not spread to neighboring tissue; although not cancer, CIS may become cancer and is sometimes called preinvasive cancer)

T1, T2, T3, T4: Size and/or extent of invasion of the primary tumor

28
Q

Regional Lymph Nodes (N):

NX

N0

N1, N2, N3

A

NX: Regional lymph nodes cannot be evaluated

N0: No regional lymph node involvement

N1, N2, N3: Degree of regional lymph node involvement (number and location of lymph nodes)

29
Q

Distant Metastasis (M)

A

MX: Distant metastasis cannot be evaluated

M0: No distant metastasis

M1: Distant metastasis is present

30
Q

In situ Staging Definition

A

Abnormal cells are present only in the layer of cells in which they developed

31
Q

Localized Staging Definition

A

Cancer is limited to the organ in which it began, without evidence of spread

32
Q

Regional Staging Definition

A

Cancer has spread beyond the primary site to nearby lymph nodes or tissues and organs

33
Q

Distant Staging Definition

A

Cancer has spread from the primary site to distant tissues or organs or to distant lymph nodes

34
Q

Unknown Staging Definition

A

There is not enough information to determine the stage

35
Q

Tumor grade is the __________ of a tumor

A

description

36
Q

Well-differentiated Definition

A

If the cells of the tumor and the organization of the tumor’s tissue are close to those of normal cells and tissue

37
Q

Undifferentiated or Poorly Differentiated

A

These tumors tend to grow and spread at a slower rate than tumors that are “undifferentiated” or “poorly differentiated,” which have abnormal-looking cells and may lack normal tissue structures.

38
Q

Tumor Grading:

GX

G1

G2

G3

G4

A

GX: Grade cannot be assessed (undetermined grade)

G1: Well differentiated (low grade)

G2: Moderately differentiated (intermediate grade)

G3: Poorly differentiated (high grade)

G4: Undifferentiated (high grade)

39
Q

What are the two biggest “causes” of cancer?

A

Tobacco and Diet

40
Q

RSV is a retrovirus which means…

A

genetic information flows backwards. HIV is also a retrovirus

41
Q

The use of inactivated retro viral particles to genetically modify cancers is ________ place in research

A

common

42
Q

What is an oncogene?

A

A gene that has the potential to cause cancer

43
Q

Src is an ________

A

oncogene

44
Q

RSV encodes a protein (______) that is very similar to the ___________

A

v-Src; eukaryotic protein Src

45
Q

Src and v-Src are capable of driving ___________ and _____________. First example of what we now term an oncogene.

A

proliferation; tumor progression

46
Q

Molecular causes of cancer?

A

Cancer is a breakdown of cellular maintenance that be manifested by several causes.

In the last several years genomic and molecular research have drastically increased our understanding of the molecular roots of cancer.

These findings are “translating” into a multitude of new therapies.

47
Q

Oncogenes are opposed by __________

A

tumor suppressors

48
Q

Tumor suppressors ____________ and when inactivated can lead to ____________

A

prevent cancer formation; cell proliferation and tumor progression

49
Q

Unlike activation of proto-oncogenes which act as dominant alleles, ____________ in tumor suppressor genes are generally ____________

A

loss of function mutations; recessive

50
Q

Therefore, _____________ in tumor suppressor genes are more often transmitted as _____________ and therefore associated with ___________ forms of cancer.

A

heterozygous mutations; germ line mutations; heritable

51
Q

In general, therapies are driven by _______________

However, some new therapies are focused on _______________

A

detection of oncogenes; reactivation of tumor suppressors

52
Q

Two examples of tumor suppressors

A

Retinoblastoma (Rb) and BRCA

53
Q

Retinoblastoma (Rb)…

A

…regulates the cell cycle. Loss of Rb can manifest in increased susceptibility to cancer.

54
Q

BRCA…

A

…maintains the integrity of the genome by participating in DNA repair. Genetic testing for BRCA mutations can present difficult prophylactic decisions.

55
Q

Diagnostic Molecular Pathology…

A

Genomic DNA from lung cancer biopsies are tested via PCR for a particular mutation of EGFR.
If positive these patients will go on anti-EGFR therapies.

56
Q

Molecular Pathology: __________ helps to predict recurrence and therefore can prevent ___________, but these tests _________ drive indications for specific therapies.

A

Oncotype Dx; overtreatment; DO NOT

57
Q

Cancer is a disease of ___________

A

progression

58
Q

Tumor microenvironment “soil”:

The ___________ cells of a tumor greatly affect its development and ___________.

Most treatments focus on targeting the ___________.

A

non-cancer; metastasis; tumor cells

59
Q

For many tumors the growth of the primary tumor is _____ going to be life threatening.

These events can take place of periods of _______.

Cells from a primary tumor can sit in an organ for very long periods of time before growing again to produce a ____________.

A

not; years; metastasis

60
Q

Tumors can change through __________

A

metastasis