MOD S9 - Neoplasia I

Question 0

What is the difference between benign and malignant neoplasms?

Answer 0

Malignant ones invade and spread to other sites (metastasise) whereas benign remain at the site of origin
Malignant have irregular edges due to infiltrative growth edges but benign have smooth, rounded edges (minimal variation in size and shape)
Malignant have a higher mitotic count and may have abnormal forms
Benign tend to retain their specialisation but malignant can be poorly differentiated

Question 1

Define neoplasia

Answer 1

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

Question 2

What factors are necessary for a mutation to lead to a neoplasm?

Answer 2

The mutation must:
Cause an alteration in cell growth and behaviour
Be passed on to daughter cells
Not be lethal

Question 6

Where can neoplasm-causing mutations take place?

Answer 6

Proto-oncogenes

Tumour suppressor genes

Question 7

How will a mutation affect a proto oncogene to cause neoplasia?

Answer 7

If it is mutated so it is permanently activated, it becomes an oncogene

Question 8

How will a mutation affect a tumour suppressor gene to cause neoplasia?

Answer 8

It is permanently inactivated

Question 9

What are some key differences between neoplastic and healthy cells?

Answer 9

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

Question 10

How does a neoplastic cell have self-sufficient growth signals?

Answer 10

HER2 gene amplification

Question 11

How does a neoplastic cell have resistance to anti-growth signals?

Answer 11

CDKN2A gene deletion

Question 12

How does a neoplastic cell grow indefinitely?

Answer 12

Telomerase gene activation

Question 13

How does a neoplastic cell induce new blood vessels?

Answer 13

Activation of VEGF expression

Question 14

How does a neoplastic cell have resistance to apoptosis?

Answer 14

BCL2 gene translocation

Question 15

How does a neoplastic cell invade and produce metastases?

Answer 15

Through altered E-cadherin expression

Question 16

Discuss the clonality of neoplasms

Answer 16

They are monoclonal

Aka a cell population descended from one common ancestor (which mutated to escape normal growth control)

Question 17

Define dysplasia

Answer 17

Abnormal maturation of cells within a tissue

Question 18

How can a carcinoma in-situ be distinguished from a malignancy in epithelial tissue?

Answer 18

They share all the features of a neoplasm, but a carcinoma will not have invaded the tissue beneath the basement membrane

Question 19

How are neoplasms named?

Answer 19

If they are benign or malignant

By tissue type (epithelial, connective, haemopoietic, ect)

Question 20

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

Answer 20

A squamous papilloma

Question 21

What would a benign neoplasm in a transitional epithelium be called?

Answer 21

Transitional cell papilloma

Question 22

What would a benign neoplasm in a glandular epithelium be called?

Answer 22

An adenoma

Question 23

What would a malignant epithelial neoplasm be called?

Answer 23

A carcinoma

Question 24

Where could a squamous cell carcinoma be found?

Answer 24

Skin, larynx, oesophagus

Question 25

Where could a transitional cell carcinoma be found?

Answer 25

Bladder, ureter

Question 26

Where could an adenocarcenoma be found?

Answer 26

Stomach, colon, lung, prostate, breast, pancreas

Question 27

Where could a basal cell carcinoma be found?

Answer 27

Skin

Question 28

What would be the benign and malignant names for a smooth muscle neoplasm?

Answer 28

Benign: leiomyoma
Malignant: leiosarcoma

Question 29

What would be the benign and malignant names for a fibrous tissue neoplasm?

Answer 29

Benign: fibroma
Malignant: fibrosarcoma

Question 30

What would be the benign and malignant names for a bone neoplasm?

Answer 30

Benign: osteoma
Malignant: osteosarcoma

Question 31

What would be the benign and malignant names for a cartilage neoplasm?

Answer 31

Benign: chondroma
Malignant: chondrosarcoma

Question 32

What would be the benign and malignant names for a neoplasm in fat tissue?

Answer 32

Benign: lipoma
Malignant: liposarcoma

Question 33

What would be the benign and malignant names for a neoplasm in nerves?

Answer 33

Benign: neurofibroma
Malignant: neurofibrosarcoma

Question 34

What would be the benign and malignant names for a neoplasm in a nerve sheath?

Answer 34

Benign: neurilemmoma
Malignant: neurilemmosarcoma

Question 35

What would be the benign and malignant names for a glial cell neoplasm?

Answer 35

Benign: glioma
Malignant: malignant glioma

Question 36

Why are there no benign haemopoietic or lymphoid neoplasms?

Answer 36

They are all regarded as malignant because they are already all over the body as they are in the blood

Question 37

What would a lymphoid neoplasm be called?

Answer 37

Lymphoma (B and T)

Question 38

Describe lymphomas

Answer 38

Neoplasia of lymphoid cells
Usually in lymph nodes
Can be further categorised as Hodgkin’s disease or non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma

Question 39

What would a haemopoietic neoplasm be called?

Answer 39

Acute or chronic leukaemia

Question 40

Describe a myeloma

Answer 40

Malignant plasma cell neoplasm
Found in bone marrow
Destroys adjacent bone

Question 41

What neoplasms can occur in the testis?

Answer 41

Malignant teratoma

Benign seminoma

Question 42

What neoplasm could occur in the ovary?

Answer 42

Benign teratoma or dermoid cyst