MLA Cancer Flashcards
What are the risk factors for bladder cancer?
Smoking, age, family history
Genetics
Exposure to chemicals
Chronic infections
Radiation
Which cancer commonly metastasise to the brain?
Most common: lung
Also breast, melanoma, kidney, and colorectal
What are the risk factors for cervical cancer?
Highest: HPV
Also weakened immune system, smoking, STI’s
At what age is cervical cancer most common?
20-50 years
What’s an adenocarcinoma?
Cancer that starts in glands that line organs
What are the risk factors for endometrial cancer?
Highest: obesity
Highly linked to oestrogen levels. Obesity increases oestrogen exposure
Also age, PCOS, family history, early menarche
What are the risk factors for gastric cancer?
H.pylori, especially if chronic
Family history
Smoking
Age
GORD
Environmental exposure
Pernicious anaemia
Previous surgery
What are the different types of leukaemia?
CLL: most common, usually in elderly. Slow developing, doesn’t always need treatment
ALL: rare, more common in paeds
AML: Aggressive, usually affects elderly
CML: slow developing
What is the presentation of leukaemia?
Fever, chills, night sweats
Fatigue
Easy bleeding and bruising
Lymphadenopathy
Unexplained weight loss
Bone pain
Pallor
Frequent, severe infections
Anaemia, breathlessness
What are the subtypes of lung cancer?
Non-small cell (80-90%)
- Adenocarcinoma most common. Not linked to smoking
- Squamous cell linked to smoking
- Large cell carcinoma
Small cell
- More aggressive, usually spreads before it’s detected
Mesothelioma
What are the characteristics of melanoma?
Asymmetrical
Irregular borders
Nonuniform colour
>6 mm
Evolving
Itching/bleeding
Raised area
What is multiple myeloma?
Cancer of the bone marrow
Presentation (CRAB)
Calcium (elevated)
Renal damage
Anaemia
Bone damage (fractures/weakening)
What are some types of oesophageal cancer?
Adenocarcinoma (most common). Linked to Barrett’s oesophagus
Squamous starts higher is oesophagus and is linked to alcohol misuse and smoking
What is the presentation of pancreatic cancer?
No symptoms until late progression
Pain
Jaundice
Indigestion, nausea, vomiting, bloating
Diabetes
Blood clots
Weight loss
Why are anti-coagulants prescribed to cancer patients?
Cancer is a hypercoagulable state to anticoagulation prevents bleeding and VTE
LMWH is most often used
