MoD: Neoplasia

Question 1

Define a malignant neoplasm

Answer 1

An abnormal growth of cells that persists after the initial stimulus has been removed AND invades surrounding tissue with potential to spread to distant sites

Question 2

What is a tumour?

Answer 2

Any clinically detectable lump or swelling

Question 3

What is a metastasis?

Answer 3

A malignant neoplasm that has spread from its original site to a new non-contiguous site. The original site is the primary site and the place it has spread to is the secondary site.

Question 4

A cancer is…

Answer 4

Any type of malignant neoplasm

Question 5

What is dysplasia?

Answer 5

A pre-neoplastic alteration in which cells show disordered tissue organisation. It is not neoplastic because the change is reversible.

Question 6

What is the difference in behaviour between benign and malignant neoplasms?

Answer 6

Benign neoplasms remain confined to their site of origin and do it produce metastases. Malignant neoplasms have the potential to metastasise.

Question 7

How do benign and malignant tumours appear different from each other to the naked eye?

Answer 7

Benign tumours grow in a confined area and so have a pushing outer margin - so they are rarely dangerous. Malignant tumours have an irregular outer margin and shape and may show areas of necrosis and ulceration if they are on a surface

Question 8

How does a benign neoplasm appear under the microscope?

Answer 8

Cells closely resemble the parent tissue i.e. They are well differentiated.

Question 9

How do malignant neoplasms appear under the microscope?

Answer 9

Range from well to poorly differentiated

Question 10

Define anaplastic.

Answer 10

Differentiated cells that bear no resemblance to the any tissue e.g poorly diff enlisted cells in a malignant neoplasm.

Question 11

What are the features seen in pleomorphism?

Answer 11

Increasing nucleus size
Increasing nucleus to cytoplasm ratio
Increased nuclear staining - hyperchromasia
More mitosis figures
Increase in variation in size and shape of cells and nuclei

Question 12

When are cells called monoclonal?

Answer 12

When they all originate from a single founding cell

Question 13

How can genetic alterations affect particular types of gene?

Answer 13

Proto-oncogenes can become abnormally activated (now called oncogenes) and will favour neoplasm formation.
Tumour suppressor genes, which normally cypress neoplasm formation, can become inactivated.

Question 14

Define Neoplasia

Answer 14

An abnormal growth of cells that persists after the initial stimulus is removed