Neoplasia 1

Question 1

What is neoplasia?

Answer 1

Abnormal growth of cells that persists once the stimulus is removed

Question 2

How does dysplasia differ from neoplasia?

Answer 2

Dysplasia is when cells show disordered tissue organisation and is a reversible process whereas the neoplasia is irreversible

Question 3

How do tumours differ from neoplasms?

Answer 3

Neoplasia is a type of tumour

A tumour is any clinically detectable lump

Question 4

What is meant by the term metastasis?

Answer 4

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

Question 5

In what type of neoplasms would anaplastic cells be seen?

Answer 5

Malignant

Cells range from poorly differentiated so some cells present may have no resemblance to any other tissue type whereas cells of a benign tumour are well differentiated

Question 6

How does the macroscopic appearance of benign and malignant neoplasms differ?

Answer 6

B - Grow in confined, local area and have a pushing outer margin

M - Have an irregular outer margin, areas of necrosis and ulceration on the surface

Question 7

List the microscopic appearances of malignant neoplastic cells

Answer 7

Hyperchromasia, pleomorphisms, increased ratio of nuclear size to cytoplasm, increased number of mitotic figures

Question 8

What is tumour grade?

Answer 8

The description of a tumour on a scale ( 1-4) based on how abnormal the tumour cell

Question 9

What would a grade of G3 indicate and in which sort of cancers would this be the most relevant prognosis

Answer 9

Poorly differentiated cells present in the neoplasm

More relevant in breast cancers

Question 10

How does invasive malignancy differ from in-situ malignancy?

Answer 10

Invasive penetrates basement membrane

Question 11

How can scientists prove that neoplasms are made up of monoclonal cells?

Answer 11

• Use of X-linked enzyme glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase
• Different alleles of the gene code for different isoenzymes are resent in the population
• One allele present in the maternal egg cell will be inactivated in embryogenesis in process called lionisation
• In women who are heterozygous fro this gene, their normal tissue will be a patchwork of the heat labile and heat stable isoenzymes
• However neoplastic tissues only one isoenzyme will be expressed

Question 12

Which genes are altered in neoplasia?

Answer 12

Proto-oncogenes are activated to form oncogenes and tumour suppressor genes are inactivated

Question 13

What is a common name for benign germ cell tumours and where do they commonly form?

Answer 13

Teratomers

Ovaries, arise from pluripotent cells

Question 14

What is a carcinoma and list some examples?

Answer 14

Malignant neoplasm of the epithelial tissue

Squamous cell carcinoma, transitional cell carcinoma, adenocarcinoma

Question 15

What is a sarcoma and list some examples?

Answer 15

Malignant neoplasm of stromal tissue

Leiomyosarcoma, fibosarcoma, chondrosarcoma, malignant glioma, liposarcoma

Question 16

List some benign mesenchymal tumours?

Answer 16

Leiomyoma, fibroma, chondroma, lipoma, glioma, neuroma

Question 17

What are neuroendocrine tumours and list some examples?

Answer 17

Tumours that arise from cells distributed throughout the body Phaeochromocytoma, small cell carcinoma of bronchus, carcinoid tumours

Question 18

What are blastomas and when do they commonly occur?

Answer 18

Formed from immature precursor cells

Occur mainly in children

Question 19

What is leukaemia?

Answer 19

Malignant neoplasm of blood-forming cells arising in the bone marrow

Question 20

What is lymphoma?

Answer 20

Malignant neoplasms of lymphocytes mainly affecting lymph nodes

Question 21

Outline the differences between a papilloma and polyp

Answer 21

Papilloma - any tumour with finger like projections

Polyp - small benign growth protruding from a mucous membrane

Question 22

What tissues does an adenoma involve?

Answer 22

Benign tumour of glands in epithelial tissue

Question 23

Define malignant neoplasms

Answer 23

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

Question 24

What is a tumour?

Answer 24

Any clinically detectable lump or swelling. A neoplasm is just one type of tumour

Question 25

What is hypechromasia?

Answer 25

With worsening differentiation individual cells have increasing nuclear size and nuclear to cytoplasmic ratio, increased nucleus staining

Question 26

What is pleomorphism?

Answer 26

Used to describe the variability in the size, shape and staining of cells and/or their nuclei