Neoplasia Flashcards
Neoplasia definition
Uncontrolled growth of cells
Normal regulation of proliferation fails
Cell growth is autonomous, excessive, and disorganized
Tumor definition
Proliferation of neoplastic cells that forms a mass
Cancer definition
Malignant neoplasms
Benign versus malignant neoplasm
Benign: limited growth potential, typically good outcome, no metastases
Malignant: uncontrolled growth and spread, potential to kill host, can metastases
Metastasis definition
Spread of a neoplasm from one site in the body to another
Only malignant neoplasms are capable of doing this
Gross appearance of benign versus malignant tumors
Benign: smooth borders, looks the same throughout
Malignant: infiltrative border, spreads into other tissues, hemorrhage and necrosis, can get into blood and lymph vessels
Epithelial tumors
Benign ones are often called adenomas
Benign ones in the skin, urinary bladder, and larynx that protrude above the surface are often called papillomas
Malignant ones are called carcinomas
Epithelial tumor classification:
- Glands/ducts
- Squamous epithelium
- Transitional cells
- Neuroendocrine cells
- Liver cells
- Kidney cells
- B: adenoma, M: Adenocarcinoma
- B: Squamous papilloma, M: squamous cell carcinoma
- B: Transitional cell papilloma, M: transitional cell carcinoma
- B: neuroendocrine tumor, M: small or large cell neuroendocrine carcinoma
- B: Hepatocellular adenoma, M: hepatocellular carcinoma
- B: Renal adenoma, M: renal cell carcinoma
Mesenchymal tumors
Neoplasms originating from connective tissues such as adipose, bone, muscle
Ending in -oma
Mesenchymal tumor classification:
- Fibroblast
- Fat cell
- Blood vessel
- Smooth muscle
- Striated muscle
- Cartilage
- Bone
- B: fibroma, M: fibrosarcoma
- B: lipoma, M: liposarcoma
- Hemangioma, angiosarcoma
- Leiomyoma, leimyosarcoma
- Rhabdomyoma, Rhabdomyosarcoma
- Chondroma, chondrosarcoma
- Osteoma, osteosarcoma
Benign versus Malignant tumors in:
- Neural cells
- Glial and neural support cells
- Germ cells
- Melanocytes
- Mesothelium (only M)
- Ganglioneuroma, neurblastoma
- Glioma, glioblastoma multiforme
- Teratoma, seminoma or embryonal carcinoma
- Melanocytic nevus, melanoma
- M = mesothelioma
Teratoma
Benign tumor derived from germ cells
Contains tissue formed from all 3 germ layers (ecto, meso, endoderm)
Ovary most common
Contain teeth, hair, skin, etc
Blastoma
Tumors composed of embryonic cells originating from embryonic primordia
Mostly in children
Eponymic tumors (3 examples)
Carry name of physicians who described them first
Hodgkin’s disease: a type of lymphoma
Ewing’s sarcoma: type of bone sarcoma
Kaposi’s sarcoma: type pf vascular malignancy
What is grading versus staging based on?
Grading: based on histologic examination
Staging: based on clinical assessment during gross examination, surgery, x-rays, etc
What does TMN stand for?
T = size and local invasiveness of tumor N = presence of lymph node metastases M = distant metastases
Grading
Degree of differentiation (well to poor)
Based on tissue architecture, mitoses, degree of cell atypia
Low grade looks like normal tissue
Less important than staging with a few exceptions
Staging
TNM
T1-4 based on size of tumor or depth of invasion
N0-N3 based on number and location of involved lymph nodes
M0-M2 based on presence, location, and number of metastases
More prognostic significance than grade (usually)
Metastasis definition
The process of malignant cells moving from one site in the body to another site
3 pathways of metastasis
- Lymphatics
- Blood (hematogenous spread)
- Seeding of the surface of the body cavities
To metastasize, a tumor (clone) must be able to…
Escape the immune system
Be capable of entering the bloodstream/lymph/body cavity
Arrive at the new site, invade and be capable of forming a new blood supply (angiogenesis)
3 general classes of exogenous causes
Chemical agents
Physical agents
Biologic agents
2 classes of endogenous causes
Oncogenes
Tumor suppressor genes