Neoplasia: Breast and Prostate Cancer

Question 1

Principle risk factors for breast cancer:

Answer 1

• BRCA 1 and 2 (cause defective DNA Repair)
• Hormone replacement therapy
• Late menopause
• High dietary fat intake
• Alcohol/smoking….

Question 2

The majority of breast cancer is in origin:

Answer 2

Ductal

Question 3

Symptoms of breast cancer:

Answer 3

• distortion of a lobule
• Dimpling (indentation in the surface)
• Most of the tumor begin to invade surrounding tissues before they found it.
• Lump (Usually due to fibrocystic change, benign growths or fibroadenoma, 10% are cancerous)

Question 4

Invasive ductal carcinoma:

Answer 4

the tumor has spread to the walls of the duct.

Question 5

Lobular carcinoma:

Answer 5

Usually in situ, but can invade others tissues

Question 6

One of the method for evaluating prognosis:

Answer 6

Is to see whether or not the tumor cell still has the normal receptors or not.

• If the estrogen receptors are still present, it gives physicians a way to tx the cancer with hormone blocking agents. (better prognosis)
• If the HER2 is overexpressd at the surface of the tumor cells (prognosis is grimmer)

Question 7

Evolution of the breast cancer assessment/diagnosis:

Answer 7

1. Histopathology (after removal of the tumor, they would determine what type and stage)
2. Molecular pathology (characterize the presence or absence of certain features)
3. Gene analysis, genotyping (genetic abnormalities)
4. Gene expression analysis (provide info related to prognosis, metastasis, recurrence)

Question 8

Strategies uses as therapies for cancer:

Answer 8

• Chemotherapy, radiation and surgery
• Anti-angiogenetic therapy (blocking grown of the blood vessels)
• Tumor specific antibodies
• Drugs interfere with hormone and responsiveness of the tumor.

Question 9

Surgery available for breast cancer:

Answer 9

Modified radical mastectomy
Simple mastectomy
Lumpectomy
(better long-term survival with no radical mastectomy)

Question 10

Sentinel Lymph nodes are:

Answer 10

The lymph node that drains the area of the tumor

Question 11

2 ways of treating tumors that are estrogen receptors positive with hormone therapy:

Answer 11

1. Blocking the estrogen receptor (partial agonist, block the estrogen receptor)
2. Blocking the synthesis of estrogen (more powerful=more side effects)

Question 12

Monoclonal antibody therapy to treat breast cancer target which cell?

Answer 12

The growth factor HER2 (block the cancer cell to growth)

Question 13

Symptoms of breast cancer in Men:

Answer 13

a lump
nipple discharge
reddening
inversion of the nipple
Skin dimpling

Question 14

Best method of detection for prostate cancer is:

Answer 14

Digital rectal exams

Question 15

Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia (BPH) is

Answer 15

an enlargment of the prostate

Question 16

T or F: Benign Prostatic hyperplasia is also named benign prostatic tumor.

Answer 16

FALSE. Enlargement vs ABNORMAL CELL. But sometime can occurs both, need an analyses from the pathologist to know if it is a benign tumor.

Question 17

Prostate cancer has the same histological change as all others cancer, the particularity with the this cancer is:

Answer 17

Androgen independent cancer where the cell will accumulate mutations as they go through the stages, until they have enough to become a cancer cell, become malignant and eventually netastasize

Question 18

3 Ways accomplished by the hormone therapy for prostate cancer:

Answer 18

• Block signaling from the hypothalamus and pituitary
• Block the testes from making the androgens
• Block the periphery by blocking the testosterone receptors.

Question 19

4 ways the tumor can resist the hormone therapy:

Answer 19

1. De novo androgenesis: it makes its own androgens
2. Overexpression of the androgen receptor: even tiny amount of androgens can keep it going
3. Non-specific ligand recognition: will start reponding to other ligands besides the androgen to stimulate its growth
4. Ligand independent activation: does not need androgens at all anymore, completely independent.

Question 20

Hormone therapy has also an effect on the androgen, what is the effect on androgen?

Answer 20

• By blocking the pituitary control, the effect will be the androgen depletion.
• The use of anti-androgens that block the receptor or the synthesis.

Question 21

Brachytherapy is;

Answer 21

radioactive units inserted aroung the region of the tumor cells is, release radiation and kill locally the cancer cells.

Question 22

Prostate specific Antigen (PSA) is

Answer 22

• an enzyme secreted into the lumen to keep the semen liquid.
• It is produced in the columnar epithelial cells within the prostate gland (secretory cells within the intermediate section on the gland)
• When you have prostate tumor, the tumor tends to secrete a lot more PSA than the normal prostate.
• 22% having a normal PSA had the prostate cancer (not perfect measure)
• Good for monitoring the effectiveness of some tx, such as brachytherapy.

Question 23

Prostate cancer risk factors:

Answer 23

-Link between comsuption of red meat and prostate cancer.

Question 24

HPV (human papillomavirus) can cause cervical cancer: mechanisms:

Answer 24

Viral protein inactivates RB and P53