Lecture 4: Metastasis

Question 1

Term for cancer moving into a blood vessel

Answer 1

Intravasate

Question 2

Term for cancer leaving a blood vessel

Answer 2

Extravasate

Question 3

Why can’t cancer cells divide in a blood vessel?

Answer 3

1) Pressure

2) Flow

Question 4

What four target organs does cancer move to by way of the circulatory system?

Answer 4

1) Brain
2) Bone
3) Liver
4) Lungs

Question 5

Which bone cells lay down bone?

Answer 5

Osteoblasts

Question 6

Which bone cells resorb bone (osteolysis)?

Answer 6

Osteoclasts

Question 7

What do osteoclasts and osteoblasts release that feeds a pathway that causes proliferation of tumor cells?

Answer 7

Ca2+

Question 8

What chain of events does the Ca2+ released by osteoblasts and osteoclasts cause?

Answer 8

Ca2+ stimulates the parathyroid hormone, which stimulates osteoblasts, which stimulate osteoclasts, releasing TGF-beta, stimulating the proliferation of tumor cells.

Question 9

How does bone cancer ultimately kill?

Answer 9

The calcium that is released shuts down the kidneys and liver.

Question 10

What drugs interupt the Ca2+ so that the bone cancer cycle is stopped?

Answer 10

bisphosphanates