MoD Flashcards
Define neoplasm
Abnormal growth of cells that persists after inital stimulus is removed
Define a malignant neoplasm
Abnormal growth of cells that persists after initial stimulus is removed and invades surrounding tissue with potential to spread to distal sites
Define a tumour
Clinically detectible lump or swelling
Define cancer
Any malignant neoplasm
Define metastasis
malignant neoplasm spread from its original site to a non contiguous site
Define dysplasia
Preneoplastic alteration - cells show disordered tissue organization but the alteration is reversible. It is usually seen in epithelia and can antedate appearance of cancer. There is a loss of uniformitiy of individual cells as well as architectural organization
Which neoplasms show the ability to metastase?
Malignant
Describe bengin tumours
Grow in confined local area and have pushing outer margin- fibrous capsule that enables surgical excision
Describe malignant tumours
Irregular outer margin and shape - they can show areas of ulceration and necrosis - may get loss of function
Describe how well cells are differentiated in benign and malignant tumours
bengin - well differentiated
malignant - vary from well to poorly differentiated
Define anaplastic
No ressemblance to any tissue
Give some features of worsening differentiation
Cells have increased nuclear size, nuclear:cytoplasmic ratio, increased nuclear staining, increased mitotic figures, and increased variation in size and shape of nuclei - pleomorphism
What indicates differentiation?
Grade - high grade poor differentiation
How are neoplasms caused ( briefly)
Accumulated mutations in somatic cells caused by inhibitors which are mutagenic agents and promoters that cause cell proliferation
What are the main intiators?
Chemicals, infection and radiation
Describe what monoclonal is and how this relates to neoplasm
All originate from a single cell
Describe the study that worked out that neoplasms were monoclonal
From G-6-P dehydrogenase where there are several isoenzymes. In heterozygous women early in embyrogenesis one allele is randomly inactivated in each cell. 1 allele is heat stable and the other is heat labile - normal tissue is a patchwork but neoplasmic tissue only expresses one enzyme
Genetic alterations leading to neoplasm affect what genes?
Proto oncogenes - oncogenes that become abnormally activated to favour neoplasm formation
Tumour supressor genes - normal supress neoplasm formation become inactivated
How are neoplasms named?
Site of origin
bengin of malignant
type of tissue formed
gross morphology - cyst or papiloma
What does a benign neoplasm end in?
Oma
What does a maligant epithlial neoplasm end in?
Carcinoma
What does a maligant stromal neoplasm end in?
Sarcoma
What does it mean if a malignant neoplasm is in situ or invasive ?
In situ- no invasion through the basement membrane
Invasive - through basement membrane
What is a leukaemia ?
Malignant neoplasm of blood forming cells arising in bone marrow
What is a lymphoma?
Malignant neoplasm of lymphocytes - lymph nodes
What is a myeloma ?
Malignat neoplasm of plasma cells
What are germ cell neoplasms?
Arise from pluripotent cells in ovaries or testes
What are neuroendocrine neoplasms ?
Cells distrubuted throughout the body
What are blastomas?
Occur mainly in children formed form immmature precursor cells
What is an adenoma ?
Benign epithlial neoplasm that forms in glandualar patterns and tumour derived from glands
What is a papilloma?
Benign epithlial neoplasm producing macro or microscopic finger like projections from epithelial surface
What is a squamous cell carcinoma ?
Carcinoma producing recognisable squamous cells
What is a leiomyoma?
Benign tumour of smooth muscle cells eg in the uterus
What is a lipoma?
Benign tumour of fatty tissue
What is a sarcoma ?
Malignant tumour arising from mesencymal tissue
What is a leiomysarcoma ?
Malignant tumour of smooth muscle
What is a glioma?
Primary brain tumour that originates from the supportive cells of the brain including astrocytoma, oligodendroglioma and ependymoma.
What is a seminoma?
Malignant neoplasm of testicular epithelia
What is an embyronic carcinoma?
Characterised by primative epithelial cells with marked pleomorphism and various histological patterns - often part of mixed germ cell tumour
What is a teratoma ?
Neoplasm arising from totipotent eclls - has tissue or organ components resembling normal derivatives of all three layers
What does the ability of malignant cells to invade and spread to distant sites lead to ?
Increased tumour burden
What must a neoplasm be able to do to produce secondary sites??
Grow and invade at site one
Enter a transport system and lodge at secondary site
Grow at secondary site to form a new tumour
During the production of a secondary tumour what must neoplastic cells be able to do?
Avoid destruction by immune cells
What transport systems might neoplastic cells invade ?
Blood via capillaries and venules
lymphatic vessels
fluid in body cavities - transcoelmic spread
During the production of a secondary tumour what stage is the neoplasmic cells likely to fail at?
Colonisation
What does invasion involve? What does this cause?
3 alterations
> altered adhesion
> stromal proteolysis
> motillity
Causes carcinoma cell phenotype that appears more like mesenchyme
How is altered adhesion brought about ?
Decrease in E-cadherin expression ( between malignant cells) and changes in integrin expression (between malignant cells and stromal proteins )
Explain proteolysis when invading to form a secondary tumour?
Cells must degrade basement membrane and stroma to invade - proteases including matrix metalloproteinases.F
How do malignant cells take advantage of non neoplastic cells?
Formation of a cancer niche to provide growth factors and proteases
Altered motility causes what?
Changes in actin cytoskeleton
What causes a relapse?
Micrometastases starting to grow
What determines the site of secondary tumour?
Regional drainage
Seed and soil phenomenon - explains unpredictable distrubution of blood borne metastases interaction between malignant cells and local tumour enviroment at secondary site
What are the most common secondary tumour sites?
Lung
bone
brain
liver
What are the local effects of neoplasm?
Direct invasion and destruction of normal tissue
ulceration at surface leading to bleeding
compression of adjacent structures
blocking of tubes and orifices or rupture and infarct
What are the systemic effects of neoplasm?
Increased tumour burden- parasitic effect on host
Together with secreted factors cause decrease in appetite , weight loss, malaise, immunosupressent and thrombosis
Benign neoplasm of endocrine glands produce hormones - malignant tumours cause release of PTHrP
neuropathies - brain and peripheral nerves affected
Skin problems, abnormal pigmentation , fever, clubbing and myositis
Describe the alterations in growth control
Increased proliferation- self sufficiency in growth signals and insensitivity to inhibitory signals
Decreased cell death
Increased life span - telomerase activity
Altered growth factor / hormone and receptor
altered cell to cell interactions
What is a fibroma?
benign tumour of fibroblastic cells
What is a chondroma?
Bengin tumour of cartilaginous cells
What is a osteoma?
Bengin tumour of osteoblasts
What is a cystadeonoma?
Benign epithelial neoplasm that forms large cystic masses
What is a fibrosarcoma?
Malignant tumour that arises from fibroblasts
What is a liposarcoma?
Malignat tumour of fatty tissue
What is a rhabdomyosarcoma?
Malignant tumour of straited muscle
What is a mesothelioma?
Malignant neoplasm of mesothelium
What is a basal cell carcinoma?
Skin cancer derived from and perserving from basal cells
What is a hydatidiform mole ?
avascular or polycystic benign placental mass - occurs when extra set of paternal chromosomes in fertilised egg.
What is a hamartoma?
Mass of disorgansed by mature specialised cells or tissue indignous to particular sites resulting from observant differentiation
Describe the process of invasion
Process of infiltration and active destruction of surrounding tissues
How do benign tumours cause hypercalcaemia? What are the symptoms?
Primary parathyroid adenomas produce hyperparathyroidism by increasing parathyroidism , increased Ca and bone reabsorption. hypophophataemia, increased excretion of ca and phosphate in urine
Painful bones, renal stones, groans and moans
How doe malignant tumours cause hypercalcaemia ?
Ectopic secretion of PTHrP in paraneoplastic syndrome
What is paraneoplastic syndrome?
Disease or symptom that is a consequence of presence of cancer in the body but not due to local presence of cancer cells mediated by humoral factors excreted by tumour cells or by an immune response against the tumour
What malignancies are associated with humoral hypercalcaemia of malignancy?
Breast, lung, kidney, and ovary
How is anaemia caused in malignancy?
Iron deficiency due to chronic external haemorhagging
anaemic of chronic disease - due to cytokine production normal stored iron
myelophthisic anemia - destruction of bone marrow
Aplastic anaemia secondary to treatment
Megaloblastic anaemia secondary to folate acid antagonists
immunohaemolytic anaemia secondary to reaction to drugs / tumour
What is cachexia?
Severe weight loss and debility due to loss of muscle mass and fat
How is cachexia caused?
Increased expenditure of resting energy due to cytokine production
production of lipid and proteins mobilising factors
anaemia and decreased food intake
What does the size of a cells population depend upon?
Rate of proliferation, differentiation and death via apoptosis
How do cells signal to each other?
Hormones, local chemical mediators and direct contact
Which genes control normal cell proliferation and how ?
Proto-oncogenes controlled by chemical signals from micro enviroment causing stimulation or inhibition when signalling molecules bind to receptor modulation of gene expression
Name some growth factors
EGF VEGF PDGF and GCSF
What are growth factors ?
Local mediators involved in cell proliferation- polypeptides act on cell surface receptors that are code for by proto-oncogenes
How do growth factors work?
Bind to specific receptors stimulating transcription of genes that regulate entry into the cell cycle and passage through it
Increase growth by decreasing the time taken for cell cycle and conversion of quiescent cells to proliferating cells by making them enter the cell cycle.
What do growth factors effect?
Cell proliferation/ inhibition, locomotion, contractibility, differentiation, viability, activation and angiogenesis
Where are the key check points in the cell cycle? Where and what is the R point?
End of G2
End of G1 - R point ( point of no return)
What happens if a check point in the cell cycle is activated?
Delay the cell cycle and triggers DNA repair mechanisms or apoptosis by p53.
How is the cell cycle controlled ?
Cyclins ( proteins) and CDK ( enzymes ) at G1/S transition. CDKs become activated by binding to and complexing with cyclins leading to phosphorylation and driving the cell cycle eg retinoblastoma susceptible proteins
How is the activity of cyclins and CDKs regulated?
Tightly by cyclin inhibitors
Describe permenant tissue in terms of their ability to regenerate ?
Stem cells present but not enough to mount an effective proliferation response to significant damage
How are neurones replaced?
Glial cells
Describe stable cells in terms of ability to regenerate
Stem cells normally quiscent or proliferate at a v. slow rate but proliferate persistently when required
Describe labile cells in terms of ability to regenerate
Stem cells divide persistantly to replace losses
What is meant by the CNS shows plasticity
Lost neurones cannot be replaced - severed axons do not grow back after stroke but CNS able to establish alternative pathways
Define regeneration
cells multiply to replace losses with identical cells
Defin hyperplasia
Cells increase in number
Define hypertrophy
Cells increase in size
Define atrophy
Cells decrease in size
Define metaplasia
Cells replaced by different type of cell
Describe regeneration
Induced by growth factors, cell - cell communication and electrical/ nerve stimuli.
Usually as good as new but not always and not immediately- can be beneficial as influenza virus cannot attack regenerating ells
Maximum number of tissues dependent on lifespan - telomere shortening
What is reconsitution ?
Replacement of a lost body part- coordinated regeneration of several types of cell
RARE cannot do a nail or a sweat gland
Describe hyperplasia
Remains under physiological control and is reversible - increased functional demand or external stimuli.
Can occur secondary to pathological cause - proliferation normal response to abnormal condition
Repeated cell division expose cell to risk of mutation and neoplasm
Give a physiological hyperplasia
Proliferating endometrium in response to oestrogen, increased bone marrow production of RBCs in response to decreased O2
Give some pathological hyperplasia
Eczema, psorasis , and goitre formation in iodine deficiency
Describe hypertrophy
Increased functional demand or hormonal stimulus leading to increased structural components so the workforce is shared over greater mass.
On removal of stimuli cells back to normal
Give some examples of physioloigcal hypertrophy
Skeletal muscle and pregnant uterus
Give some pathological hypertrophy examples
Ventricular hypertrophy in response to hypertension or valvular disease
Smooth muscle hypertrophy above intestinal stenosis
Bladder smooth muscle hypertrophy with some bladder obstruction in response to enlarged prostate gland
Which organ may hypertrophy pathologically or physiologically ?
Cardiac muscle - exercise heart only under strain for short time frames, capillary beds also hypertrophy but not to same extent meaning in pathological heart relatively anoxia leading to increased chance of MI
Describe atrophy
Decreased structural components and function in response to decreased fuel or growth factors
Organ atrophy -combination of cellular atrophy and increased apoptosis - parenchymal cells disappear before stromal cells leaving lots of connective tissue.
Associated with age
What may be seen under a microscope when looking at atrophied tissue
Residual bodies in cells - autophagosomes
Extracellular matrix can be lost - osteoporosis
Give a physiological atrophy
Ovarian atrophy post menopause
Give the causes of pathological atrophy and an example of each
Decreased functional demand - atrophy of disease - muscles
Loss of innervation - denervation atrophy- hand muscles after median nerve disease
Inadequate blood supply- thinning of skin on legs with peripheral vascular disease
Inadequate nutrition -muscles
Loss of endocrine stimulation - breast and reproductive organs
Persistant injury- polyomyostis
Aging - senile atrophy - brain and heart
Pressure - tissue around enlarging benign tumour
Thoracic aortic anyuerism - erodes throrax
Occulsion of secretory duct
Toxic agent and drugs
X-ray by direct cellular damage and microcirculatory damage
Immunological mechanism
Describe metaplasia
Abnormal regneration - altered stem cell differentiation - may represent an adaptive subsitiution of cells - sensitive to stress by cell type better able to withstand adverse enviroment
Some times prelude to dysplasia and cancer .
There is no metaplasia accross germ layers and only in cells that can replicate.
Change causes expression of a new genetic programme to occur secondary to signals from molecules such as cytokines and GF
Give some examples of metaplasia
Smoking - bronchial pseuostratified ciliated to stratified squamous epithelial
Barretts oesophagus - stratified squmaous to gastric glandular epithilium with persistent acid reflux
Bone marrow tissue destroyed- splenic tissue to bone marrow
Connective tissue to bone in skeletal muscle post injury
Define hypoplasia
Under or incomplete development of tissue/ organ at embyronic stage - inadequate cell number eg kidneys, breast, testes and chamber of heart
Define aplasia
Complete faillure of an organ to develop- embyronic development disorder
Define involution
Normal programmed shrinkage of an organ eg uterus post child birth
Define atresia
Congential imperforation of an openning
Define atheroma
Accumulation of intracellular and extracellular lipid in the intima and media of large and medium sized arteries
Define atherosclerosis
Thickening and hardening of arterial walls as a consequence of atheroma.
Clinical effects include heart disease and stroke
Define arteriosclerosis
Thickening of the walls of ateries and arterioles usually as a result of hypertension or diabetes mellitus
What are the macroscopic features of atheroma
Fatty streak - lipid deposits in the intima, yellow and slightly raised
Simple plaque - raised yellow/white, irregular outline, widely distrubuted and enlarged
Complicated plaque- thrombosis, haemorrhaging into plaque, calcification and aneuryism formation
What are the early microscopic features of atheroma?
Proliferation of smooth muscle, accumulation of foam cells and extracellular lipids
What are the later microscopic features of atheroma?
Fibrosis, necrosis, cholesterol clefts, and presence of inflammatory cells , disruption of internal elastic lamina , damage extends to media, ingrowth of blood vessels and plaque fissuring
What are the complications of atheroma ?
Thrombosis, haemorrhaging into the plaque, calcification and aneuryism formation
What are the common sites of atheroma ?
Aorta, coronary arteries, carotid arteries, cerebral arteries, and leg arteries
What are the clinical effects of ischaemic heart disease?
Sudden death, MI, angina pectoris, arrhymias , cardiac failure
What are the clinical effects of cerebral ischaemia?
Transient ischaemic attack, stroke and multi infarct dementia
What are the clinical effects of mesentric ischaemia ?
Ischaemic colitis, malabsorption and intestinal infarct
What are the clinical consequences of peripheral vascular disease?
Intermittent claudication, leriche syndrome, ischaemic rest pain and gangrene
What is intermittent claudication?
Pain in calf due to poor perfusion of walking/exercise
As atheroma worsens pain comes on in decreasing distances
What are the pathogenesis factors for the development of atheroma ?
Age - slowly increases throughout adult life
Gender - women protected before menopause
Hyperlipidaemia - high plasma cholesterol associated with atheroma (LDL most significant)
Smoking - powerful risk factor for IHD - risk falls when given up
Hypertension
Diabetes mellitus - doubles risk of IHD, protective effect in pre menopausal women lost
Alcohol- greater than five units a day
Infection - chlamydia pneumonia, helicobacter pylori, cytomegalovirus
Obesity
Soft water
Oral contraceptives
Genetics - variation in apolipoproteins
Stress and personality types
Describe the thrombogenic thoery for development of atheroma
Plaque formed by repeated thrombi sticking to arterial walls then become associated with lipid which forms a cap over thrombus
Atheroma grows as process is repeated
Describe the insudation theory of development of atheroma
Endothelial injury leads to inflammation and increased permeability to lipid from plasma allowing lipids into vessel wall from plasma
Describe the monoclonal hypothesis for development of atheroma
Crucial role for smooth muscle cell proliferation- each plaque is monoclonal and might represent abnormal growth control - they are benign tumours
Describe the reaction of injury hypothesis for development of atheroma
Plaque forms in response to endothelial injury, hypercholesterolaemia leads to endothelial damage. Injury increases permeability and allows platelet adhesion and monocytes penetrate endothelium, smooth muscle cells proliferate and migrate.
Describe the unifying hypothesis
1) Endothelial injury due to raised LDL, toxin, hypertension and haemodynamic stress
2) causes platelet adhesion , PDGF release, SM proliferation and migration, insudation of lipid, LDL oxidation , uptake of lipid by SM and macrophages, migration of monocytes
3) stimulation of smooth muscle cells to produce matrix material
4) Foam cells secrete cytokines causing further SM cell stimualtion and recruitment of other inflammatory cells
What is the function of endothelial cells in atherogenesis?
Haemostasis - altered permeability to lipoprotein, secretion of collagen and stimulation of proliferation and migration of SM cells
What is the function of platelets in atherogenesis ?
Role in haemostasis and stimulation proliferation and migration of SM cells
What is the function of smooth muscle cells in atherogenesis?
Take up LDLs and other lipids to become foam cells
Synthesise collagen and proteoglycans
What is the function of macrophages in atherogenesis?
Oxidise LDLs, take up lipids to become foam cells, secrete protease modifying matrix, stimulate proliferation and migration of smooth muscle cells.
What is the function of lymphocytes in atherogenesis?
TNF may effect lipoprotein metabolism, stimulate proliferation and migration of smooth muscle cells
What is the function of neutrophils?
Secrete proteases leading to continued damage and inflammation
How can atheroma be prevented?
No smoking Reduce fat intake Treat hypertension/ diabetes Not too much alcohol Aspirin Lipid lowering drugs Regular exercise and weigh control
Describe the cellular events which lead to atheroma?
Endothelial damage leads to platelets which released PDGF and this causes smooth muscle proliferation. The smooth muscle cells take the lipid with it into the intima from the media and macrophages arrive and phagocytose fat becoming foam cells.
Define haemostasis
Arrest of bleeding either by physiological properties of vasoconstriction and coagulation or by surgical means.
It represents a balance between procoagulant and anticoagulant forces.
What does successful haemostasis depend on?
Vessel wall - constrict to limit blood loss
Platelets - adhere to damage vessel wall and each other to form a platelet plug
What is the platelet release reaction?
ATP hydrolysed causing platelet aggregation
Platelet factor 3 and 5HT important in coagulation
Von willebrand factor release is also prothrombotic
Platelets coalesce after aggregation
Describe the major features of the coagulation system
Cascade - series of inactive components converted to active components, mostly synthesized in the liver and needs vitamin K
Prothrombin to thrombin leading to conversion of fibrinogen to fibrin
Tight regulation is needed as lots of amplification at each stage
What is the fibrinolytic system?
Break down of fibrin- plasminogen to plasmin with activator
Streptokinase and tPA
CLOT BUSTERS
Define a thrombus
Formation of a solid mass from the constituents of blood within the circulatory system during life
What are the three fundamental predisposing factors to thrombosis? What do they make up?
Abnormalities in blood flow - stagnation and turbulence
Abnormalities of the vessel wall - atheroma, direct injury and inflammation
Abnormalities of the constituents of blood - smokers, post op, post partum
Known as VIRCHOW’S TRIAD
Give the appearance of a arterial thrombi
Pale, granular, lines of Zahn, low cell count
Give the appearance of a venous thrombi
Soft, gelatinous, deep red, higher cell count
What are the outcomes of thrombosis?
1) lysis - dissolution of thrombus, fibrinolytic system active, blood flow is re-established
2) propagation - progressive spread of thrombosis - distally in arteries and proximal in veins
3) organisation - reparative process - ingrowth of fibroblast and capillaries - lumen remains obstructed
4) Recanalisation - blood flow established but usually incomplete , one or more channel formed from organising thrombus
5) Embolism - part of the thrombus breaks off , travels through blood stream and lodges at distant site
What are the effects of a venous thrombus?
Congestion, oedema , ischaemia and infarction
What are the effects of a arterial thrombus?
Ischaemia, infarction, depends on site and collateral circulation
Define an embolism
Blockage of a blood vessel by a solid, liquid or gas at a site distant from its origin
Other than a thrombus what can cause an embolism?
Air, amniotic fluid, nitrogen, medical equipment and tumour cells
What are some of the predisposing factors form DVTs?
Immobility, post op, pregnancy and post partum, oral contraceptive pill , severe burns, cardiac failure and disseminated cancer
What treatment is there fore DVTs?
Better to identify people at risk and treat prophylaxily
Intravenous heparin/ oral warfarin and leg compression during surgery
When is a PE fatal?
> 60% reduction in blood flow
What do recurrent minor PEs lead to ?
Pulmonary hypertension
What causes a fat embolism?
Post fracture leakage from bone marrow
Describe haemophilia
X linked recessive
A - problem with factor 8
B- problem with factor 9
Features - excessive bleeding , easy bruising , haemartritis
Lab findings - normal PT, increased PTT, Prolonged APTT
Treatment - prevent bleeding , manage injuries. watch meds that may thin blood, infusion of missing factor
What is disseminated intravascualr coagulation?
Generalised activation of platelets and coagulation cascade causes formation of thromboembolism in distal blood vessels which uses up all clotting factors and platelets
What are the consequences of disseminated intravascular coagulation?
Spontaneous bleeding, bleeding at sites of thrombosis, ischaemia of most organs
What are the causes of disseminated intravascular coagulation?
Systemic disease, major trauma, chemotherapy, septicemia, snake bite, obstetric complications
What is the treatment for disseminated intravascular coagulation?
Plasma transfusion of clotting factors, heparin to prevent clotting
What is thrombocytopenia?
Low platelet count due to defficiency
What are the causes of thromboytopenia?
Decreased production- aplastic anaemia due to cancer , B12 deficency, chemotherapy , cytotoxic production
Dilution - after large transfusion
Sequestered - due to large spleen which reduces number in circulation
Increased destruction - idiopathic
What are the test results for thrombocytopenia?
Normal PT and PTT
Decreased platelet count
prolonged bleeding time
What are the treatments for thrombocytopenia?
Glucocorticoids/ immunoglobulin to treat abnormal immune reaction, platelet transfusion and splenectomy
What is thrombophilia?
Blood has increased tendancy to clot
What types of thrombophilia are there?
Factor V leiden - caused by gene mutation
Prothrombin 20210 mutation - excessive prothrombin leads to more clots
Anti thrombin deficiency - lack of natural anticoagulants
Antiphospholipid syndrome - automimmune destruction of lipids by antibodies
What are the symptoms of thrombophilia?
Increased risk of DVT and pulmonary embolism
How do you diagnose thrombophilia?
Blood test to look for anticoagulant deficiency
What are the treatments for thrombophilia?
Anticoagulants
loose weight
avoid risk factors for DVT
What happens during chronic inflammation?
Process of healing with production of granulation tissue occur simultaneously
What is the dominant cell in chronic inflammation?
Macrophage
What might the injurious agent be in chronic inflammation?
Micro organism, sterile but irritating substance, foreign body, crystaline substance or antigen overlapping with host immune system