Neoplasia Flashcards
define neoplasia
new growth
3 general characteristics of neoplasia
- behave as parasites and compete with normal tissue for food and oxygen
- tumor has a certain degree of anatomy and increases without regard for the condition of the host. not under body control.
- neoplasms are crtically dependent on host blood supply
define hyperplasia
increase in number of cells
define metaplasia? example?
substitution of one cell for another cell that is fragile
example: person who is a smoker: respiratory passage
define dysplasia? another name for this?
loss of uniformity of cells meaning they don’t all look the same
- cells have abnormal cell size and shape
- may not revert to normal
- also known as pre-cancerous cells
what is dysplasia due to?
prolonged irritation
define anaplasia? another name?
proliferation of abnormal cells
- no body control
- also known as cancer cells
characteristics of benign tumors
- well-differentiated: some cells look like normal tissue
- functional cells: cells still do their job
- slow growing: get bigger slowly
- mitotic figures: normal
- encapsulated: tumor is in pouch and separated from rest of body
- tumor cells don’t spread
malignant tumor characteristics
- poorly differentiated; not normal
- non-functional cells
- rapid growth
- abnormal mitotic figures
- not capsulated
- tumor cells spread to the rest of the body
what is something tumor cells lack?
cohesiveness
-put together in a test tube, they aren’t drawn together. which is the reason for papanicolan
define metastasis
refers to the spread of a cancer from its primary location to other locations in the body
what are the 4 possible ways cancer can spread?
- seeding in body cavities: new tumors formed in body cavity such as colon cancer or intestinal cancer
- direct transportation: operation to remove a tumor and tumor cells get transported to different part of body by manipulation
- lymphatic permeation: most common way
- transport through blood vessels: not very common
what is the major cause with cancer?
metastasis
define carcinogens?
things that cause cancer
what are the 3 causes of cancer?
- chemicals: preservatives in cured meat, smoking, tobacco, some hormones
- viruses: HPV, Epstein-Barr, Hepatitis B
- Radiation: UV from the sun
how does it affect one’s chance for cancer if they are on immuno-suppressant drugs?
people on immuno-suppressant drugs have 100 times greater risk of developing cancer
treatment now for cancer damages what?
good tissue
what is the most common predisposition to cancer?
someone who smokes
what other factors affect someone developing cancer?
- race
- sex
- age
- geographical area
- nutrition
- heredity
what cancer is common in Japan?
colon cancer
What is the best way to diagnose cancer?
take the tissue and look at it under a microscope
what are some treatments of cancer?
- surgically remove cancer
- chemotherapy
- radiation therapy
- future treatment: immunotherapy
