Neoplasms: Small and Large Bowel - Mackinnon Flashcards
Name (4) major risk factors for small intestine adenocarcinoma
- Crohn’s disease
- Adenomas
- Celiac disease
- Familial adenomatous polyposis (FAP)
What is the most common soft tissue tumor of the GI tract?
What cell population does it arise from?
Where is this type of tumor most often found?
What tends to be the most useful first-line therapy for this type of tumor? Why? What other key disease is this therapy used for?
GIST (gastrointestinal stromal tumor)
Arises from **Interstitial Cells of Cajal **(pacemaker cells of the GI tract)
Stomach (60%) and small intestine (30%)
Imatinib (Gleevec) - active against c-kit mutations (85% of GISTs have a mutation). Also used for CML
Name (3) immunohistochemical markers that are highly specific for GIST. Which is the most specific?
- CD117 (c-kit gene product) -> 90-100%
- DOG1 (“Detected on GIST 1”) -> most specific marker
- CD34 -> 85-95%
Muscle markers such as actin (25%), desmin (10%), and S-100 (5%) might be helpful but are fairly non-specific
On c-kit, which receptor domain is most often mutated in GIST?
Besides c-kit, what other tyrosine kinase receptor type might underly GIST (5-10% of the time)
juxtamembrane domain (exon 11) -> 60-70%
PDGFRA
Give (4) presenting symptoms of carcinoid syndrome
What is the most common elevated neuroendocrine finding in carcinoid tumors?
Hisologically, how might a carcinoid tumor be described?
- Vasomotor disturbances
- Intestinal hypermotility
- Wheezing
- Hepatomegaly
- Cardiac involvement
Elevated serotonin (5-HT or 5-HIAA) is the most common neuroendocrine finding
Histo:
- Submucosal nodule (often confused for a polyp grossly)
- Organized into nests of neuroendocrine cells pushing up the overlying mucosa
Name the two major morphological classifications of intestinal polyps
Pudunculated -> mushroom-shaped
Sessile -> flat
Are hamartomas benign or malignant?
Describe them histologically
Benign
Composed of mature, histologically normal local tissue growing in a disorganized manner
In contrast to a hamartoma, what might you call the ‘wrong’ type of local tissue growing in an organized fashion?
choristoma
Who gets hamartomatous polyps?
Describe them
Children < 5 y.o.
- 80% occurring in the rectum
- Pedunculated, 1-3cm (large)
- Expanded lamina propria (bulk of the polyp) with variable inflammation
- Abundant cystically dilated, tortuous glands
- Non-neoplastic
What is Juvenile Polyposis Syndrome?
What genetic defects are responsible for it?
Describe the relative cancer risks of this syndrome
Syndrome of multiple juvenile polyps (>5, 50-100 or more)
Genetic defects: SMAD4 (20%), BMPR1A (20%), PTEN
Significantly increased risk of adenomas with 10-50% lifetime incidence of GI cancers
What is the genetic defect in Peutz-Jeghers symdrome? Describe this syndrome.
Are Peutz-Jeghers polyps malignant? Describe them.
STK11 (autosomal dominant)
- Multiple GI polyps
- Hyperpigmentation of the mouth mucosa and fingertips
- Increased risk of intussiception
- Increased risk of pancreatic, breast, lung, ovary, and uteral cancers
The polyps have no malignant potential. However, the syndrome carries a 50% lifetime risk of cancer
- Large and pedunculated
- Connective tissue and smooth muscle extending into the polyp stalk
- Abundant glands a goblet cells
Name the syndrome is characterized by:
- hamartomatous polyps with no malignant potential
- Skin lesions of the nose and lips (facial trichilemmomas, oral papillomas, and acral keratoses)
- Increased risk of tyroid and breast cancer
Autosomal dominant or autosomal recessive?
Cowden syndrome
Autosomal dominant
Name the non-hereditary syndrome characterized by:
- GI hamartomatous polyps
- Nail atrophy and alopecia
Cronkhite-Canada
What is a pseudopolyp?
An inflammatory polyp consisting of regenerating mucosa adjaced to ulceration (often seen in severe IBD)
What is a lymphoid polyp?
A mucosal bump caused by intramucosal follicles. These are normal.
Name the two classes of serrated polyp. Which is more common?
Why are they called ‘serrated’?
Where are they generally found?
Hyperplastic (60-90%) and Sessile Serrated (10-30%)
The lumina of the glands look jagged (instead of smooth and round) and have increased numbers of goblet cells
Which carries greater malignant potential: hyperplastic or sessile serrated polyps?
Describe the migration/proliferation pattern of the neoplastic cells in each
Sessile serrated polyps have high malignant potential. Hyperplastic have no malignant potential.
Migration:
- Hyperplastic: grows ‘up’ from crypts to the tips of polyp
- Sessile serrated: grows ‘up’ to the tips **and **‘down’ to the crypts
What genetic abnormalities are seen in sessile serrated polyps?
BRAF V600E mutations
Hypermethylation of tumor suppressor genes
microsatellite instability