Lecture 11.3: Neoplasia 3

Question 1

Give some examples of effect of metastases.

Answer 1

Local lymphadenopathy, bone pain, jaundice, seizures.

Weight loss, anorexia, paraneoplastic effects such as immunologic symptoms of clubbing.

Question 2

What can tumour markers tell us?

Answer 2

Because tumour markers may sometimes be elevated for no specific reason, we only use it to follow up a cancer for regression.

Question 3

What’s a con to cytology?

Answer 3

We aspirate cells from the site, but we cannot see cells in relation to one another at their site.

Question 4

True or false? Carcinogens can make metaplastic squamous stratified epithelium invasive.

Answer 4

True.

Question 5

What do TNM refer to in staging?

Answer 5

T = size of tumour, location.

N = Regional lymph node metastases

M = Absence/presence of distant metastases.

Question 6

What are the two main categories of targeted therapy?

Answer 6

Small molecules that inhibit factor receptors or tyrosine kinase.

Monoclonal antibodies that target specific proteins or receptors.

Question 7

Adenocarninomas harbour what mutations?

Answer 7

EGFR, ALK. Others include KRAS and BRAF. Significant EGFR in young non smoking asian females.

Question 8

What drugs are used against EGFRs?

Answer 8

Gefitinib/Erlotinib used to inhibit EGFR tyrosine kinase. But only some are susceptible.