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Pathophysiology 1 > neoplasms > Flashcards

neoplasms Flashcards

1
Q

What is cancer?

A
  • Cancer refers to a group of disorders and not a single disease. (more than 200 diseases)
  • Cancer is a malignant tumor that will spread into adjacent tumors and eventually metastasis if not destroyed
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2
Q

Cancer Stats

A
  • 76% of cases dx after age 55
  • Cancer incidence is higher in males
  • 2nd most common cause of death in US
  • Cancer incidence and death rates highest in AA
  • 5-year survival rate overall is 65%
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3
Q

What is Invasive Growth

A
  • Cancer cells are able to invade into adjacent tissues and grow into adjacent tissues.
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4
Q

Differentiation

A
  • an orderly process in which proliferating cells are transformed to different and specialized cell types
  • for example hepatic cells, muscle cells, etc.
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5
Q

Apoptosis

A
  • the normal “programmed” death of cells
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6
Q

Stem Cells: Why So Special?

A
  • Stem cells are cells that remain incompletely differentiated throughout their lifetime.
  • They can be thought of as “reserve cells” – quiescent until there is a need for proliferation.
  • Stem cells have 2 important features: self-renewal and potency.
  • Stem cells have a potential for treatment of a variety of health problems, including cancer.
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7
Q

Mode of growth for benign and malignant

A
  • malignant tissues can invade other tissues, as well as the lymphatic system and the bloodstream.
  • Benign tumors do not invade other tissues, they grow by expansion and are usually encapsulated.
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8
Q

Metastasis

A
  • Benign tumors do not spread by metastasis; malignant tumors have that capability
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9
Q

Barrett’s esophagus

A

Pre-cursor to cancer

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10
Q

poorly differentiated

A

malignant

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11
Q

well differentiated

A

benign

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12
Q

metaplasia

A

Chronic injury or irritation

abnormal change in the nature of a tissue.

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13
Q

dysplasia

A

persistent cellular injury or irritation

the presence of cells of an abnormal type within a tissue, which may signify a stage preceding the development of cancer.

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14
Q

Carcinogenesis

A

Carcinogen that induces a genetic or cellular change (mutation) that starts process of carcinogen production

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15
Q

Angiogenesis

A

Tumor causing new blood vessels to be produced to enhance the growth of the tumor

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16
Q

6 hall marks of cancer

  • Gene mutations cause (or allow):
A

1) Self- sufficiency in growth signals
2) Insensitivity to anti-growth signals
3) Evading apoptosis (evading “self-destruct”)
4) Limitless replication potential
5) Sustained angiogenesis
6) Tissue invasion and metastasis

17
Q

1 type of cancer

A

Skin cancer

18
Q

cell inhibition

A
  • when cells touch other cells, they are inhibited from further growth. Cancer cells, however, disregard this normal function and “crowd out” normal cells.
19
Q

Cancer Associated Genes

A
  • Proto-oncogenes - normal genes that become cancer-causing if mutated. They encode for growth factors.
  • Chromosomal translocations - are associated with Burkitt lymphoma and chronic myelogenous leukemia
  • Gene amplification - multiple copies of the same gene can occur in one type of breast cancer.
20
Q

Cell differentiation is usually an ______ ______; in cancer the cells can revert back to an __________ state.

A

orderly process

undifferentiated

21
Q

Proliferation of cells becomes _______ (not faster) and we refer to time it takes to double tumor size.

A

continuous

22
Q

Anatomic Classifications of cancer (4)

A
  • Carcinomas – origin in epithelial, mucosal tissues
  • Sarcomas – origin in bone, muscle, nerve
  • Adenocarcinomas (adeno = glandular); also, lymphoma, melanoma
  • Histologic Classification
    grade 1 - 4
23
Q

Most common sites (males):

A
  • Prostate, lung, colorectal (colon and rectal)

common site doesnt mean common death

24
Q

Most common sites (females):

A
  • breast, lung, colorectal

common site doesnt mean common death

25
Q

Early Warning Signs (American Cancer Society)

A
    1. Unusual bleeding/discharge
    1. A sore that does not heal
    1. Change in bowel or bladder habits
    1. Nagging cough or hoarseness
    1. Lump in breast or other part of the body
    1. Obvious change in moles
      1. Difficulty in swallowing
26
Q

TNM

A

Tumor
Nodes
Metastasis

27
Q

“carcinoma in situ”

A

An early stage cancer in which the cancerous growth or tumor is still confined to the site from which it started, and has not spread to surrounding tissue or other organs in the body

28
Q

Stage and Grade of Cancer definitions

A
  • Stage – how small, or large, is the tumor and has it spread?
    Grade – pathologist determines from tissue slides – how abnormal are the cells? Grade 1 through 4. Low grade = slow growth, less aggressive. High grade = rapid growth, very poorly differentiated
29
Q

Host and Environmental Factors

A
  • Heredity
  • Hormonal factors – estrogen/androgen
  • Immunologic - AIDS related; Kaposi’s Sarcoma
  • Environmental/ chemical carcinogens
  • Oncogenic viruses (example, HPV)
30
Q

Systemic Manifestations of Most Solid Tumors

(you can see the tumor unlike blood)

A
  • Anemia
  • Anorexia and cachexia
  • Fatigue and sleep disorders
  • Compression or obstruction of tissues/organs
  • Pain (not usually an early symptom)
  • Psychosocial integrity/ quality of life
31
Q

Diagnostics

A
  • Tissue biopsy – (essential!)
  • Xrays, CT scans, endoscopies, etc
  • Determination of Stage and Grade
  • Tumor markers – useful in some types of cancer, primarily as monitors of progression or regression of the tumor. Examples: CEA (colon, pancreas, breast, etc), CA-125 (ovarian CA), PSA (prostate Cancer).
32
Q

3 Cancer treatments

A
  • surgery
  • radiation
  • chemotherapy
33
Q

Radiation

with side effects

A
  • A commonly used treatment, can be used alone or as adjuvant treatment with surgery, chemotherapy or both
  • Can be used as palliative Rx
  • Side effects of radiation include: Primary systemic effect is fatigue; others depend on where the source of radiation is being directed: xerostomia,bone marrow suppression, skin burns, hair loss
34
Q

Chemotherapy

with side effects

A
  • They are most effective against rapidly proliferating cells.
  • Side effects are usually on normal cells that are also rapidly dividing, e.g. hair loss, bone marrow suppression, anorexia, nausea & vomiting (GI cells rapidly divide);
35
Q
  • Four Major Classifications of anticancer drugs:
A

o 1. Cytotoxic agents- kill cells directly
o 2. Hormones and hormone antagonists
o 3. Biological response modifiers- immunomodulators
o 4. Targeted drugs- bind to specific molecules (target) that promote cancer growth

36
Q

Why do you use different methods of cancer treatment at once?

A

To target different stages of the cell cycle

Pathophysiology 1 (3 decks)

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