Lecture 10: Cancer Histopathology Flashcards
what is the main cause and when does lung cancer develop
cigarette smoking
age 40-70
what is in the cigarette smoke that causes cancer
the benzopyrene and anthracenes in cigarette smoke as well as radioactive isotopes
what are the genetics of lung cancer
Stepwise accumulation of oncogenic DRIVER mutations resulting in neoplastic transformation of pulmonary epithelium
Examples include c-myc, K-RAS, EGFR, HER2
what is adenocarcinoma classified as
cancer that forms in the glandular tissues
involves components of growth factor receptor signalling pathways (EGFR, ALK, MET) - all code for proteins part of pathway
invasive and malignant epithelial tissue
what does oncogenic gain of function mutations mean
- refers to changes in the genetic code of cancer cells
- mutions cause gene to be oceractive or produce an abnormal protein
what are the various patterns of adenocarcinoma
acinar
lepidic
papillary
micropapillary
what does small cell carcinoma mean
frequent loss of function
genetic irregularities -> p53, RB
how do we see small cell carcinoma on the slides
small blue cells with scant cytoplasm
ill defined cell borders
finelelu granular nuclear chromatin
how do we classify large cell carcinoma
undifferentiated, malignant without cytological features of other lung cancers
what can be seen on a large cell carcinoma slide
large and vesicular nuclei
moderate amount of cytoplasm
well defined cell borders
necrosis/haemorrhage
what is the diagnosis of large cell carcinoma based on
marker exckusion as lacks markers of adenocarcionma
what are examples of bengign tomach muscle tumours
polyps (hyperplastic vs adenomatous)
leiomyomas (smooth muscle)
lipomas (adipose tissue)
what are examples of malignant stomach tumours
adenocarcinoma
lymphoma
what are features of gastric adenocarcinoma
bulky tumour
intestinal morphology
glandular structure
epithelial cells appear cylindrical
what is colorectal cancer
Adenomacarcinoma of colon
-> most common malignancy of GI tract
what are the risk factors of colorectal cancer
aging
family history
inflammatory bowel disease
what is the clinical preentation of colorectal cancer
persistant chane in bowel habit
abdominal pain
bloating and discomfort from eating
eating less
weight loss
what is the pathogenesis of colorectal cancer
Various genetic and epigenetic mutations
Most common is the β-catenin/APC pathway
APC protein binds to and destroys β-catenin
why is APC needed for colorectal cancer
B catenin can accumulate and translocate to the nucleus
it then forms a complex with DNA binding factor TCF
activates the transcription of genes controlling proliferation
what is the cli nical investigation of colon cancer
faecal test assessing blood in stools
positive -> colonoscopy and tissue biopsy
is cervical cancer common
yes, fourth most common cancer in women
what are risk factors of cervical cancer
infection with HPV16, 18
what can smoking do with cervical cancer
increase risk via immunosuppressive capabilities
what is cervical intraepithelial neoplasia caused by
HPV virus
what is cervical intraepithelial neoplasia
pre-cancerous state with abnormal cells growing on surface of cervix
what is the cytology in cervical cancer used for
used as a screen tool
used for diagnosis in symptomatic patients
specimen - urine, sputum, body cavity fluids, cellular material
what can prevent cervical cancer
cervical screening
what are the risk factors of breast cancer
age
family history
breast biopsies
oestrogen exposure
diet
what is the role of hormone epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2) in breast cancers
makes HER2 proteins which are receptors on breast cells
help control growth/division/repair
makes breast cells grow in uncontrolled manner
what is responsible for familial breast cancer
mutations in BRCA-1 and 2
they are tumour suppressor genes involved in DNA repair and apoptosis
what are the risk factors of sporadic breast cancer
hormone exposure
gender
menopause
reproductive history
breast feeding
what is breast cacner screening
use of a mammogram (x-ray) to detect cancer too small to see
finds cancers early - 50-70 years of age
