Introduction to Pathology - Dr. Wendt Flashcards
Cancer Definition
Any malignant neoplasm
Tumor Definition
A nonspecific term meaning lump or swelling
Neoplasm Definition
Meaning new growth, may be benign or malignant
Neoplasia Definition
A process of expansion due to defects in the molecular controls that regulate cellular proliferation and/or cell death
Hyperplasia Definition
An increase in organ or tissue size due to an increase in the number of cells. Can be physiologic, compensatory, or pathologic
Metaplasia Definition
An adaptive, substitution of one type of adult tissue to another type of adult tissue
Dysplasia Definition
An abnormal cellular proliferation in which there is loss of normal architecture
Anaplasia Definition
A loss of structural differentiation
Desmoplasia Definition
The formation and proliferation of connective tissues and cells
Carcinoma Definition
Malignant neoplasm of epithelial cell origin
Adenoma Definition
An epithelial neoplasm which produces or is derived from glandular tissue
Papilloma Definition
Benign tumor of surface epithelium in which neoplastic cells grow outward in finger like fibrovascular stalks
Teratoma Definition
A germ cell neoplasm made of several different differentiated cell/tissue types
Sarcoma Definition
Malignant neoplasm with origin in mesenchymal tissues or its derivatives
Lymphoma and Leukemia Definition
Malignant neoplasms of hematopoietic tissues
Blastoma Definition
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
Melanoma Definition
is a type of cancer of pigment producing cells (melanocytes) in the skin or the eye (uveal Melanoma)
Normal epithelial tissues are very ____________
organized
_______ and ________ can stain small intestinal epithelium
Hematoxylin; Eosin
H&E
Unlike carcinomas, sarcomas arise from…
…soft tissues such as muscle, fat, blood vessels, nerves and tendons.
Although rare, they can be very aggressive and metastatic
Leukemia is a…
cancer of the white blood cells of hematopoietic origin
Lymphomas arise from…
cells that populate lymph nodes
Staging of carcinomas - Numerical staging system:
0 I II III IV
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
Staging of carcinomas are largely based on…
tumor size, location and number
Primarily only ______ tumors get staged
solid
TNM Staging System:
T
N
M
T = Primary tumor
N = Regional Lymph Nodes
M = Distant Metastasis
Primary tumor (T):
TX
T0
Tis
T1, T2, T3, T4
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
Regional Lymph Nodes (N):
NX
N0
N1, N2, N3
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)
Distant Metastasis (M)
MX: Distant metastasis cannot be evaluated
M0: No distant metastasis
M1: Distant metastasis is present
In situ Staging Definition
Abnormal cells are present only in the layer of cells in which they developed
Localized Staging Definition
Cancer is limited to the organ in which it began, without evidence of spread
Regional Staging Definition
Cancer has spread beyond the primary site to nearby lymph nodes or tissues and organs
Distant Staging Definition
Cancer has spread from the primary site to distant tissues or organs or to distant lymph nodes
Unknown Staging Definition
There is not enough information to determine the stage
Tumor grade is the __________ of a tumor
description
Well-differentiated Definition
If the cells of the tumor and the organization of the tumor’s tissue are close to those of normal cells and tissue
Undifferentiated or Poorly Differentiated
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.
Tumor Grading:
GX
G1
G2
G3
G4
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)
What are the two biggest “causes” of cancer?
Tobacco and Diet
RSV is a retrovirus which means…
genetic information flows backwards. HIV is also a retrovirus
The use of inactivated retro viral particles to genetically modify cancers is ________ place in research
common
What is an oncogene?
A gene that has the potential to cause cancer
Src is an ________
oncogene
RSV encodes a protein (______) that is very similar to the ___________
v-Src; eukaryotic protein Src
Src and v-Src are capable of driving ___________ and _____________. First example of what we now term an oncogene.
proliferation; tumor progression
Molecular causes of cancer?
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.
Oncogenes are opposed by __________
tumor suppressors
Tumor suppressors ____________ and when inactivated can lead to ____________
prevent cancer formation; cell proliferation and tumor progression
Unlike activation of proto-oncogenes which act as dominant alleles, ____________ in tumor suppressor genes are generally ____________
loss of function mutations; recessive
Therefore, _____________ in tumor suppressor genes are more often transmitted as _____________ and therefore associated with ___________ forms of cancer.
heterozygous mutations; germ line mutations; heritable
In general, therapies are driven by _______________
However, some new therapies are focused on _______________
detection of oncogenes; reactivation of tumor suppressors
Two examples of tumor suppressors
Retinoblastoma (Rb) and BRCA
Retinoblastoma (Rb)…
…regulates the cell cycle. Loss of Rb can manifest in increased susceptibility to cancer.
BRCA…
…maintains the integrity of the genome by participating in DNA repair. Genetic testing for BRCA mutations can present difficult prophylactic decisions.
Diagnostic Molecular Pathology…
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.
Molecular Pathology: __________ helps to predict recurrence and therefore can prevent ___________, but these tests _________ drive indications for specific therapies.
Oncotype Dx; overtreatment; DO NOT
Cancer is a disease of ___________
progression
Tumor microenvironment “soil”:
The ___________ cells of a tumor greatly affect its development and ___________.
Most treatments focus on targeting the ___________.
non-cancer; metastasis; tumor cells
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 ____________.
not; years; metastasis
Tumors can change through __________
metastasis
