Midterm Review Flashcards
What are vital signs?
Vital signs refer to the body’s essential physiological functions, including temperature, pulse, respiration rate, and blood pressure.
NOT considered vital signs: oxygen analysis
Compare etiology and epidemiology.
Etiology: Study of the cause of disease.
Epidemiology: Study of how often diseases occur in different groups of people and why.
Compare benign and malignant tumors
Benign tumors are slow-growing, encapsulated, and do not spread.
Malignant tumors are aggressive, invade nearby tissues, and metastasize.
What is the difference between undifferentiated and differentiated tumors?
Undifferentiated tumors: Cells do not resemble normal cells and tend to grow and spread quickly.
Differentiated tumors: Cells resemble normal cells and tend to grow and spread slowly.
What are the least and most radiosensitive tissues?
Least radiosensitive: Bone (not to be confused with bone marrow that is highly radiosensitive)
Most radiosensitive: Ocular lense muscle, nerve cells
Define neoplasm
A neoplasm is an abnormal growth of cells that persists after the stimulus is removed, classified as benign or malignant.
What are anaplastic cells?
Anaplastic cells are undifferentiated, highly abnormal, and often associated with aggressive cancers.
What are the borders considered in breast cancer treatment?
Superior border: Inferior edge of the clavicle.
Inferior border: 1-2 cm below the inframammary fold.
Medial border: Midline of the chest.
Lateral border: Mid-axillary line or beyond, depending on lymph node involvement.
This ensures tumor and lymph node coverage while minimizing radiation exposure to nearby structures like the heart and lungs.
What types of mastectomies are performed in breast cancer treatment?
Total (Simple) Mastectomy: Removal of the entire breast without axillary lymph node dissection.
Modified Radical Mastectomy: Removal of the entire breast along with axillary lymph nodes.
Radical Mastectomy: Removal of the breast, chest wall muscles, and all axillary lymph nodes (rarely performed today).
Skin-Sparing Mastectomy: Removal of breast tissue while preserving most of the breast skin for reconstruction.
Nipple-Sparing Mastectomy: Removal of breast tissue while preserving the nipple and areola complex.
Question: What secondary cancers or conditions can arise from breast cancer treatment?
Radiation-induced secondary cancers: Such as sarcomas or cancers in nearby tissues like the lungs or esophagus.
Lymphedema: Swelling due to lymphatic system damage, often resulting from lymph node removal or radiation.
Cardiac complications: Particularly from radiation treatment near the left breast, increasing the risk of heart disease.
Bone weakening: Radiation or hormonal therapies can lead to osteoporosis or bone fractures.
Question: How is staging done for specific breast cancers?
Tumor (T): Evaluates the size and extent of the primary tumor.
Node (N): Assesses whether cancer has spread to regional lymph nodes.
Metastasis (M): Determines if cancer has spread to distant organs.
Additional factors: Hormone receptor status (ER/PR), HER2 status.
What are the most common respiratory system (lung cancer) tumor types?
Small Cell Lung Cancer (SCLC) (10-15%) and Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer (NSCLC) (80-85%).
Who is most likely to develop lung cancer?
Smokers, people exposed to radon or asbestos, and those over 65 are at high risk.
What are the major anatomic structures involved in lung cancer?
The lungs, bronchi, pleura, and mediastinum are involved in lung cancers.
Is metastatic spread common in lung cancer?
Yes, lung cancer often metastasizes to the brain, bones, liver, and adrenal glands.
