L20 Neoplasia II

Question 1

7 characteristics of cancer

Answer 1

self sufficiency in growth signals
insensitivity to antigrowth signals
evasion of apoptosis
limitless replication potential
tissue invasion + metastasis 
sustained angiogenesis
evade immune response

Question 2

how does a cancer cell have limitless replicative potential

Answer 2

telomeres on end of chromosome are restored with telomerase so they can divide as much as they like

Question 3

How do cancer cells perform angiogenesis

Answer 3

1. perivascular development

2. new sprouting of blood vessels into cell until new pronounced vasculature

Question 4

How do cancer cells evade immune response

Answer 4

tumor antigens not always produced

cells stop expressing MHC protein

Question 5

Structure of a neoplasm

Answer 5

1. parenchyma: neoplastic cells

2. stroma: non-neoplastic, host-derived connective tissue

Question 6

Categories of neoplasms

Answer 6

benign
in situ
malignant
uncertain or unknown behavior

Question 7

Characteristics of benign tumors (+micro and macro appearance)

Answer 7

contained, slow growing, no metastatic potential, can cause obstruction, compression of surrounding tissue, potential for haemorrhage

macroscopic: encapsulated, well-defined margins
microscopic: cells are well differentiated, look like cell of origin, can function properly, LESS mitotic activity

Question 8

Characteristics of an in situ tumor

Answer 8

pre-invasive stage of cancer, severe dysplasia

Question 9

Characteristics of malignant tumor (+micro and macro appearance)

Answer 9

destruction of tissue, systemic cachexia (wasting away of body)

macroscopic: poorly defined borders, invasive necrosis
microscopic: show variable differentiation, intense staining in nuclei, cellular atypia, pleomorphism, MORE mitotic activity

Question 10

Two malignant suffixes and their origin

Answer 10

carcinoma (epithelial origin)

sarcoma (bone cartilage and muscle origin)

Question 11

Three exception suffixes that are actually malignant

Answer 11

melanoma
lymphoma
leukemia

Question 12

Three ways metastasis can spread and why it happens later in tumors life

Answer 12

blood, lymph, body cavities

able to detach, be mobile, independent angiogenesis, invade

Question 13

Four most common sites of tumor metastasis

Answer 13

liver
lung
brain
bone

Question 14

How is severity determined

Answer 14

grade and stage

Question 15

What is a tumors grade dependent on

Answer 15

based on differentiation (microscopic)
extent to which tumor cells resemble their normal counterparts histologically
low grade = better survival
vascular invasion = worsens prognosis, microscopic

Question 16

What is a tumors stage dependent on

Answer 16

degree of spread (macroscopic)

size, depth, location of metastases, stage III and above = invasion of tissue

Question 17

Current cancer treatments

Answer 17

surgery = remove localized mass
radiotherapy = local, target rapidly dividing cells
chemotherapy = systemic, target rapidly dividing cells
targeted therapies (being researched)

Question 18

Limitations of treatments

Answer 18

genomic instability
structure and function of cell
substantial side effects
BBB in brain