Molecular Identification of Somatic Mutations in Cancers 3 Flashcards
Trilateral Retinoblastoma
A malignant midline primitive neuroectodermal tumor occurring in patients with inherited uni- or bilateral retinoblastoma.
Neuroectoderm
Embryonic ectoderm that gives rise to nervous tissue.
Ectoderm
The outermost layer of cells or tissue of an embryo in early development, or the parts derived from this, which include the epidermis and nerve tissue.
Unilateral Retinoblastoma
Retinoblastoma that only affects one eye.
Bilateral Retinoblastoma
Retinoblastoma that affects both eyes.
Leukocoria
An abnormal white reflection from the back of the eye.
Strabismus
Inward or outward misalignment of the eye.
Pineal gland
A small endocrine gland in the brain of most vertebrates. The pineal gland produces melatonin, a serotonin-derived hormone which modulates sleep patterns in both circadian and seasonal cycles. The shape of the gland resembles a pine cone, which gives it its name. The pineal gland is located near the center of the brain, between the two hemispheres, tucked in a groove where the two halves of the thalamus join.
Endocrine System
A chemical messenger system comprising feedback loops of the hormones released by internal glands of an organism directly into the circulatory system, regulating distant target organs. In humans, the major endocrine glands are the thyroid gland and the adrenal glands.
Adrenal Glands
A small gland that makes steroid hormones, adrenaline, and noradrenaline. These hormones help control heart rate, blood pressure, and other important body functions. There are two adrenal glands, one on top of each kidney.
Parasellar
A region in the brain next to the hollow in the skull bone that contains the pituitary gland.
Pituitary Gland
An endocrine (hormone-producing) gland that sits just beneath the base of the brain, behind the bridge of the nose. It is very small, about the size of a pea.
Suprasellar
A cerebrospinal fluid filled space between the top of the pituitary and bottom of the hypothalamus.
Extrocular Muscles
The seven extrinsic muscles of the human eye.
Dystrophy
A disorder in which an organ or tissue of the body wastes away.
Chorioretinal Atrophy
Disease of the choroid and retina.
Choroid
A part of the Uvea, the vascular layer of the eye, and contains connective tissues, and lies between the retina and the sclera.
Phythisis Bulbi
The end-stage ocular response to trauma and/or severe ocular disease. The presentation is that of a very soft, atrophic, blind, and shrunken eye with disorganization of the intraocular structures.
Preauricular
The major salivary glands located beneath the floor of the mouth. They each weigh about 15 grams and contribute some 60–67% of unstimulated saliva secretion; on stimulation their contribution decreases in proportion as the parotid secretion rises to 50%.
Cervical Lymph Nodes
Lymph nodes found in the neck.
Neuroblastoma
Cancer of immature nerve cells arising from the adrenal gland, nerve ganglia or the neck.
Nerve Ganglia
The relay stations of the body’s nervous system: As one nerve enters a ganglion, another nerve exits it. Ganglia play an essential role in connecting the parts of the peripheral and central nervous systems.
Medulloblastoma
A malignant tumor of the central nervous system, most commonly found in the cerebellum in children.
Basophillic
A technical term used by pathologists. It describes the microscopic appearance of cells and tissues, as seen down the microscope, after a histological section has been stained with a basic dye.
Enucleate
To remove the nucleus from (a cell).
Focal Therapy
A treatment for prostate cancer of low to intermediate aggressiveness that is completely contained (localized) within the prostate.
Brachytherapy
One type of radiation therapy that’s used to treat cancer. Sometimes called internal radiation. Allows doctors to deliver higher doses of radiation to more-specific areas of the body, compared with the conventional form of radiation therapy.
Wilms Tumor
A rare kidney cancer that affects children.
Nephrogenesis
Development or growth of the kidney.
Congenital Mesoblastic Nephroma
Rare, but is the most common kidney neoplasm diagnosed in the first three months of life and accounts for 3-5% of all childhood renal neoplasms. Generally non-aggressive and amenable to surgical removal.
Renal Neoplasm
The presence of a neoplasm of the kidney.
Nephrectomy
Surgical removal of part or whole of kidney; usually done to prevent cancer spread.
Cystic
Characterized by cysts.
Gonadoblastoma
A complex neoplasm composed of a mixture of gonadal elements, such as large primordial germ cells, immature Sertoli cells or granulosa cells of the sex cord, and gonadal stromal cells. By definition benign, but more than 50% are malignant, and an additional 10% have other more aggressive malignancies, and as such are often treated as malignant.
Sertoli Cells
A “nurse” cell of the testicles that is part of a seminiferous tubule and helps in the process of spermatogenesis, the production of sperm.