Malignancies (Breast Cancer)

Question 1

Morphogenesis

Answer 1

Highly complex process that is poorly understood, but controls the development of structural shape and form

Question 2

Hypertrophy

Answer 2

Increase in cell size

Question 3

Hyperplasia

Answer 3

Increase in cell number due to increased cell division

Question 4

Atrophy

Answer 4

Reduction in size of a tissue due to shrinkage of cells or decrease in number. Reduction in number is due to apoptosis

Question 5

Metaplasia

Answer 5

Adaptive response to a change in environment, where one cell type differentiates into a new mature cell type

Question 6

Hypoplasia

Answer 6

Reduction in the number of cells and can lead to involution. Not the opposite of hyperplasia (refers to developmental abnormality)

Question 7

Neoplasia

Answer 7

New growth of cells caused by genetic mutations and leads to autonomous growth

Question 8

Ectopia (heterotopia)

Answer 8

Presence of normal-looking tissue in the wrong place as a developmental abnormality (congenital)

Question 9

Treatment for Stage 0 breast cancer

Answer 9

Lumpectomy
Hormone therapy

Question 10

Treatment for Stage 1 breast cancer

Answer 10

Lumpectomy
Occasional radiotherapy
Hormone therapy
Lymph node biopsy or dissection

Question 11

Treatment for Stage 2 breast cancer

Answer 11

Lumpectomy or mastectomy
Radiotherapy
Chemotherapy before surgery (possibly)
Lymph node removal and biopsy
Possible use of hormone, targeted or immunotherapy

Question 12

Treatment for Stage 3 breast cancer

Answer 12

Lumpectomy and/or mastectomy
Chemotherapy before surgery
Radiation after surgery
Removal of lymph nodes
Possible targeted therapies

Question 13

Treatment for Stage 4 breast cancer

Answer 13

Palliative treatment focusing on managing pain and symptoms
May include chemotherapy, hormone therapy, radiotherapy, immunotherapy and/or surgery

Question 14

Sarcoma

Answer 14

Cancer arising from mesodermal cells (bone, cartilage, connective tissue, muscle)

Question 15

Leukaemia

Answer 15

Cancers of the white blood cells

Question 16

Lymphoma

Answer 16

Cancers that begin in the cells of the lymph system

Question 17

Glioma

Answer 17

Cancer arising from cells of the brain and spinal cord

Question 18

Polyp

Answer 18

An abnormal growth of tissue projecting from a mucous membrane. Can be pedunculated or sessile

Question 19

Ulcer

Answer 19

Macroscopic discontinuity of the normal epithelium

Question 20

Dysplasia

Answer 20

Abnormality in the appearance of cells (size, shape, nuclei etc.) and is an early step in neoplastic transformation

Question 21

Radical Treatment

Answer 21

Primary treatment
May be surgery, systemic drug treatment (e.g. chemotherapy) or local treatment (radiotherapy)

Question 22

Adjuvant Treatment

Answer 22

After primary treatment
May include systemic drug treatment (e.g. chemotherapy, hormone therapy etc.) or local treatment (radiotherapy)

Question 23

Neo-adjuvant

Answer 23

Before primary treatment
May include systemic drug treatment (e.g. chemotherapy) or local treatment (radiotherapy)

Question 24

How does cancer spread to distant metastatic sites?

Answer 24

Through blood vessel or lymph vessel invastion

Question 25

Proto-oncogenes

Answer 25

Stimulate cell division

Question 26

Which three classes of genes are involved in cancer?

Answer 26

Proto-oncogenes
Tumour suppressor genes
DNA repair genes

Question 27

How many alleles must be mutated in a tumour suppressor gene to cause cancer?

Answer 27

Both alleles as the mutation is recessive

Question 28

How many alleles must be mutated in a proto-oncogene to cause cancer?

Answer 28

Single allele as the mutation is dominant

Question 29

Carcinoma

Answer 29

Cancer arising from epithelial tissue

Question 30

Carcinoma in situ

Answer 30

High-grade dysplasia
Abnormal cells have not yet invaded the basement membrane

Question 31

Invasive carcinoma

Answer 31

Neoplasia
Abnormal cells have invaded the basement membrane