Neoplasia Flashcards
What is neoplasia?
Abnormal growth of cells
What is oncology?
The study of tumours
How do we know if growth is neoplasticism?
No one single feature
Comprised neoplastic cells plus connective tissue stroma
What does malignant mean?
A neoplasm with potentially lethal, abnormal characteristics with the ability to invade and metastasise
What does benign mean?
Does not have the ability of malignant cells
What are the main distinguishing features of neoplasm?
Differentiation
Rate of growth
Local invasion
Metastasis
What is differentiation?
The extent to which neoplastic tissues resemble their corresponding normal tissue of origin
What are features of poor differentiation?
Nuclear polymorphism
Abnormal nuclear features
Increased mitotic activity
Loss of cell polarity
Tumour giant cells
Necrosis
What does stage mean?
Measures the extent of spread of a tumour
What is metaplasia?
Change in phenotype of differentiated cells
What is dysplasia?
Describes confined neoplastic change
Confined within basement membrane
What is carcinoma in-situ?
Cytomorphological features of malignancy but WITHOUT invasion
What is associated with rapid growth?
Mitosis
Necrosis
What are benign tumours?
Cohesive and expansile masses
Localised
Don’t metastasise
Slow growth
What are malignant tumours?
Invasive
Penetrate organ walls/ tissues
