MOD 8.1 - Neoplasia 1

Question 1

What is the definition of benign neoplasia?

Answer 1

The abnormal growth of cells that persists after the initiating stimulus has been removed

Question 2

Describe the appearance of a benign neoplasia

Answer 2

• Rounded mass due to the pushing growth

- Remains at the site of origin

Question 3

What is the definition of malignant neoplasia?

Answer 3

The abnormal growth of cells that persists after the initiating stimulus has been removed and invades and spreads to distant sites

Question 4

Describe the appearance of a malignant neoplasia

Answer 4

• Irregular and has a ‘craggy’ shape due to infiltrative growth edge
• May spread to a distant site and form a secondary growth

Question 5

What is an oncogene?

Answer 5

A proto-oncogene that has been permanently activated

Question 6

What are the hallmarks of cancer?

Answer 6

• Self sufficient growth signals
• Resistance to anti growth signals
• Grow indefinitely
• Induce new blood vessels
• Resistance to apoptosis
• Invade and produce metastases

Question 7

Give an example of a self sufficient growth signal. How is this significant?

Answer 7

• HER2 gene amplification (breast cancer)
• Promotes cell proliferation
• Opposes apoptosis

Question 8

How can deletion of the CDKN2A gene lead to resistance to anti-growth signals?

Answer 8

Opposes apoptosis

Question 9

What can happen to cause a cell to grow indefinitely?

Answer 9

• Activation of the telomerase gene

- Elongates telomeres on chromosomes = provides a selective growth advantage

Question 10

How can cancer cells cause angiogenesis?

Answer 10

Activate expression of VEGF

Question 11

What causes resistance to apoptosis in neoplastic cells?

Answer 11

• BCL2 gene translocation (lymphoma)

Question 12

What can cause production of metastases after invasion?

Answer 12

Altered E-cadherin invasion

Question 13

How are neoplasms monoclonal?

Answer 13

Descend from a common ancestral cell as a cell population

common ancestral cell = the one that was originally mutated so could grow uncontrollably

Question 14

Describe a benign neoplasm

Answer 14

• Little variation in size and shape
• Low mitotic count, normally shaped
• Well differentiated i.e. look like host tissue

Question 15

Describe a malignant neoplasm

Answer 15

• Variation in size and shape can be varied
• Can have a low to high mitotic count, potentially abnormally shaped
• Differentiation is varied from low to high

Question 16

What is dysplasia?

Answer 16

Abnormal maturation cells within a tissue

Question 17

How are neoplasms classified?

Answer 17

• Whether they are benign or malignant

- By tissue type i.e. epithelial, connective tissue, lymphoid/haematopoietic, germ cell

Question 18

What would a benign neoplasm of stratified squamous epithelium be called?

Answer 18

• Squamous papilloma e.g. of the skin

- Any tumour with finger like projections

Question 19

What would a benign neoplasm of transitional epithelium be called?

Answer 19

• Transitional cell papilloma

e. g. of the bladder mucosa

Question 20

What would a benign neoplasm of glandular epithelium be called?

Answer 20

Adenoma e.g. adenomatous polyp of the colon

Question 21

What would a malignant neoplasm of stratified squamous epithelium be called?

Answer 21

Squamous cell carcinoma

e.g. of the skin, larynx etc

Question 22

What would a malignant neoplasm of transitional epithelium be called?

Answer 22

Transitional cell carcinoma

e.g. of the bladder/ureters

Question 23

What would a malignant neoplasm of glandular epithelium be called?

Answer 23

Adenocarcinoma e.g. of the stomach

Question 24

What is leiomyoma and leiomyosarcoma?

Answer 24

• Leiomyoma = benign neoplasm of smooth muscle

- Leiomyosarcoma = malignant neoplasm of smooth muscle

Question 25

What are fibroma and fibrosarcoma?

Answer 25

• Fibroma = benign neoplasm of fibrous tissue

- Fibrosarcoma = malignant neoplasm of fibrous tissue

Question 26

What are osteoma and osteosarcoma?

Answer 26

• Osteoma = benign neoplasm of bone

- Osteosarcoma = malignant neoplasm of bone

Question 27

What are chondroma and chondrosarcoma?

Answer 27

• Chondroma = benign neoplasm of cartilage

- Chondrosarcoma = malignant neoplasm of cartilage

Question 28

What are lipoma and liposarcoma?

Answer 28

• Lipoma = benign neoplasm of fat

- Liposarcoma = malignant neoplasm of fat

Question 29

What are neurofibroma and neurofibrosarcoma?

Answer 29

• Neurofibroma = benign neoplasm of the nerve

- Neurofibrosarcoma = malignant neoplasm of the nerve

Question 30

What are neurilemmoma and neurilemmosarcoma?

Answer 30

• Neurilemmoma = benign neoplasm of the nerve sheath

- Neurilemmosarcoma = malignant neoplasm of the nerve sheath

Question 31

What are glioma and malignant glioma?

Answer 31

• Glioma = benign neoplasm of glial cells

- Malignant glioma = malignant neoplasm of glial cells

Question 32

What is a myeloma?

Answer 32

A malignant plasma cell neoplasm formed in the bone marrow that destroys adjacent bone

Question 33

What is a lymphoma?

Answer 33

• Malignant neoplasm of B and T cells
• Occurs in lymphoid tissue
  e. g. [non] hodgkins lymphoma

Question 34

What is leukaemia?

Answer 34

• Haematopoietic malignant neoplasm
• Occurs in bone marrow
• Abnormal cells enter blood after

Question 35

Give some types of germ cell neoplasm

Answer 35

• Malignant teratoma (testis)
• Seminoma (testis)
• Benign teratoma/dermoid cyst (ovary)