Oncology Flashcards
somatic mutation
mutations acquired after conception
not passed on to offspring
BWS cancer surveillance
exam and 3monthly abdo USS until 8 years
Looking for Wilms + hepatoblastoma
t(1;13) or t(2;13)
alveolar rhabdomyosarcoma
this translocation is diagnostic
worse prognosis than embryonal RMS
mets to bone marrow
t(8;14)
Burkitts lymphoma or B-ALL
t(11;22) in bone
Ewings sarcoma
22q12 EWSR1 gene associated with sarcomas
MYC amplification
MYC-N= Neuroblastoma
MYC-C (translocation)= Burkitts
RB1 gene
RetinoBlastoma
tumor suppression gene
1 gene lost= predisposition
2 genes lost= cancer
Loss of INI1/SMARCB1 gene
Rhabdoid brain (ATRT) or kidney
P52 mutation
loss of this tumor suppression gene =
Li Fraumeni syndrome
AD
osteosarcoma
soft tissue sarcoma
brain tumors
breast cancer
leukemia
Small round blue cell tumors
Neuroblastma
Medulloblastoma
Ewings sarcoma
Whilms
Rhabdomyosarcoma
Retinoblastoma
Hepatoblastoma
blue is nucleus on H+E stain - as rapidly dividing
Causes cytopenia
leukemia (blasts) or solid tumor bone marrow infiltration
why do we always use chemo instead of surgery
improves survival even in localised cancers
kills micro metastases (too small to see on imaging but we know they are almost always there)
makes surgery easier and safer, as tumor is less vascular (less bleeding) and smaller
Kills residual tumor that has to be left behind
Chemo that has highest risk second cancer
what age does renal cell carinoma present
> 10 years
Where do Whilms tumor metastasise to
lungs
lymph nodes
clots in IVC
WAGR syndrome
Wilms tumor (50%)
Aniridia (100%)
Genitourinary abnormalities
Retardation
WT1 deletion
Denys Drash syndrome
Nephropathy (proteinurea etc)
Intersex
Wilms tumor
WT1 missense mutation
Ewings sarcoma features
Embryonal - small round blue cell
Present in adolescence (but often younger than osteosarcoma)
2nd most common bone malignancy after osteosarcoma
Bone or soft tissue primary
Location: Diaphysis (“D” near “E”) + pelvic bones
Xray: Lytic (less bone, more black), onion skin (compared to osteosarcoma- scleorotic/sunburst)
Mets: lungs, bone, marrow (number of mets is a prognostic feature)
Symptoms: pain, soft tissue mass/swelling, erythema, mass, fever, anemia, unwell
Genetics: t(11;22) in 90%- diagnostic osteosarcoma doesnt have translocation*
EWSR1 rearrangement (chr 22)
Rs: surgery, chemo +/- radiation (radiosensitive unlike Osteosarcoma)
Axial tumors have worse prognosis as difficult to resect
Osteosarcoma features
Present in adolescence
Most common bone cancer in children
Location: Metaphysis (“M” near “O”)
- knee and proximal humerus most common
Xray: sunburst, sclerotic (extra bone, more white)
Mets: lung and bones
Symptoms: pain, mass, pathological #
Genetics: retinoblastoma predisposition (RB1), P53 mutation, prior RT
Rx: surgery and chemo, no radiation,
Rhabdomyosarcoma
Malignant tumor arising from mesenchymal cells arrested in myogenic differentiation, can arise anywhere in body that has muscle
Embryonal
- “resemble foetal muscle”
- more common
- better prognosis
- younger age
- central
- low-mod invasiveness
- mets to lung
- no translocation
Alveolar
- “resembling pulmunary alveoli”
- worse prognosis
- fusion protein t(1;13) t(2;13)
FOXO1-PAX5 fusion
- mets everywhere
- incurable
Neuroblastoma presentation
Localised disease
1. Asymptomatic mass in neck, thorax, abdomen, pelvis
2. Hepatomegaly
3. Symptoms due to mass effect
Spinal cord compression
Motor deficits are most common followed by radicular back pain, bladder an bowl dysfunction, and rarely sensory deficits = MEDICAL EMERGENCY, rapidly progressive
Bowel obstruction
Superior vena cava syndrome
Horner’s syndromeor just ptosis (always check if there is a neck lump with new onset ptosis)
Thorax–>respiratory distress, Horner’s, incidental
Pelvic/sacral–> mass, dysuria, constipation
Metastatic disease
1. Non-specific symptoms of marrow failure: fever, bruising, petechiae, pallor
2. “Racoon eyes” - Ptosis and periorbital ecchymoses suggests orbital metastases
3. Bone pain, limp, refusal to walk
Systemic symptoms
1. Produce catecholamines–> sweating, hypertension (NB. hypertension may also be due to renal artery compression)
2. Tumour lysis syndrome
3. DIC
4. Weight loss
5. Irritability
6. Intractable diarrhoea (VIP)
Subcutaneous nodules
3 types of neuroblastoma risk
High risk malignant
- MYCN amplification
- rx kitchen sink including stem cell transplant and immune therapy (Dinutuximab)
Intermediate risk
- chemo and surgery
- no stem cell transplant, no immune therapy, radiation rare
Low risk
- localised
- small ones in babes can resolve spontaneously (highest rate of spontenous resolution of any cancer)
- larger ones cured with resection alone
Blueberry nodules on a baby + rapidly expanding liver + resp distress –> quick death
Familial adenomatous polyposis
APC mutation
hundreds to thousands of precancerous colorectal polyps (adenomatous polyps). If left untreated, affected individuals inevitably develop cancer of the colon and/or rectum at a relatively young age.
Risk hepatoblastoma in affected kids
Risk factors hepatoblastoma
BWS
FAP
Li Fraumeni
T18
NF-1
Ataxia telangiectasia
TS
Fanconi anemia
AFP is elevated in
Hepatoblastoma
HCC
Germ cell tumors
Ataxia telangiectasia
Hepatoblastoma chemo
cisplatin
carboplatin
Sodium thiosulfate
antidote for cyanide poisoning
protects against cisplatin induced hearing loss
Germ cel tumors
begins in cells that give risk to sperm or eggs
can occur anywhere in body
benign or malignant
GCT: 1/3 gonadal, 2/3 extragonadal from aberrant migration
Most are curable but some are highly malignant
Risk increased with gonadal dysgenesis - eg Kleinfelters- mediastinal GCC
Turners - increased risk gonadoblastoma
Immature germ cell tumors (malignant) are positive for AFP or bHCG
Mature teratomas (benign) are negative for AFP and bHCG
**as AFP normal values change with age quickly in first year of life, may need to do serial measurements
Rx: platinum chemotherapy (cisplatin or carboplatin) or surgery alone (eg ovarian teratoma doesnt need chemo)
WT1 mutation associated with
Wilms tumor/Denys Drash/WAGR syndrome
AML
somatic mutations mean the cancer is there in that tissue
germline mutations are inherited and give predisposition to cancer eg WAGR, Denys Drash, Frasier syndrome
what do you do if a kid presents with lower back pain and subjective alteration in perianal sensation
urgent MRI spine
Alterations in perianal sensation/saddle parasthesia often preceed complete loss of sensation, bladder/bowel incontience and weakness
Cauda equine and cord compression may progress or complete in under 24 hours, and defects at that stage are typically irreversible
Therefore dont wait for full blown clauda equina, look for subtle signs as the longer the nerve is damaged, the lower the chance of recovery
would need high dose steroids and surgery
to decompress
is HSCT used in solid tumors?
yes
Autologous transplant to allow more/higher dose chemo to be given
**allogenic STC used in leukemias “graft versus disease”
tumor suppressor vs oncogenes
Tumour suppressor genes (inactivation)
Regulators of cellular growth and apoptosis
Inactivation of BOTH alleles required for a tumour suppressor gene
Inheritance of one germline mutation can be AD
A second mutation at somatic level still required
In inherited mutations, one inactivated allele may be inherited and the other undergoes spontaneous inactivation
Examples: P53 (usually initiates apoptosis) , APC, Rb, BRCA
Proto-oncogenes (activation)
Activating mutation in ONE gene results in an oncogene , via:
1. Amplification
2. Point mutations
3. Translocation
These gees interfere with apoptosis, continue to proliferate
Examples
Chromosome translocation
T(1;19) – pre- B ALL
T(14:18) – C Myc in Burkitt’s
T(9:22) – Philadelphia chromosome in ALL, CML
Gene amplification = N myc in neuroblastoma (poor prognosis)
Point mutation
1p in AML – NRAS signal transducer, point mutation
translocations are usually proto onco genes*
T (14:18)
C Myc
Burkitts lymphoma
T(9:22)
Philadelphia chromosome
ALL, CML
BAD PROGNOSTIC FACTOR
T (1:19)
pre B-ALL
Inactivation in DNA repair genes results in
Fanconi anaemia (AR leukaemia)
Bloom’s syndrome (AR leukemia and lymphomas)
Ataxia-telangiectasia (AR lymphoreticular cancers)
Dysplastic nevus syndrome (AD melanoma)
Dyskeratosis congenita predisposes to cancer by which mechanism
Mutations in telemere maintenance pathways
Short telemeres
Viruses and cancer predisposition
EBV: Burkitt lymphoma
Diffuse large cell B cell lymphoma
Hodgkin lymphoma
Post-transplant lymphoproliferative disorder
Nasopharyngeal carcinoma
Leiomyosarcoma
Gastric adenocarcinoma
Hepatitis B: Hepatocellular carcinoma Hepatitis C: Hepatocellular carcinoma HPV :Cervical carcinomas Anus, penis, vulva/vagina, oropharyngeal carcinomas HHV8: Kaposi’s sarcoma Primary effusion B-cell lymphoma Plasma cell variant of Castleman disease
Li Fraumeni syndrome
mutation in p53- inactivation of tumor suppression gene
Sarcomas (soft tissue and osteosarcoma), leukeminas,astrocytoma, medulloblastoma, breast cancer, bone, lung, brain
If adrenocorticocarcinoma or choroid plexus carcinoma, LFS unless proven otherwise
If medulloblastoma + Li-Fraumeni, almost certainly Sonic Hedgehog subtype
NF1 cancers
optic glioma
neurofibroma
phaeochromocytma
meningioma
astrocytoma
soft tissue sarcoma
breast cancer >age 50
NF2 cancers
bilateral acoustic neuromas, meningiomas, epyndymomas
Von Hippel-Lindau disease
Autosomal dominant, mutation of tumour suppressor gene VHL
Cysts, benign and malignant tumours
hemangioblastoma
renal cell carcinoma
pheochromocytoma
Bloom syndrome
Short stature, photosensitive telangiectatic erythema(red rash in sun exposed areas, esp face/cheeks)
Immune deficiency
Excessive number of broken chromosomes due to DNA repair defects
Increased risk leukaemia, lymphoma, solid tumours(AML most common
Ataxia telangiectasia
AR
Mutation in ATM tumour suppressor gene (11q22-23)
Neurodegenerative; ataxia, telangiectasia, immunodeficiency with sinopulmonary infections, impaired organ maturation, X-ray hypersensitivity
Lymphoma, leukaemia
Defects in immune surveillace lead to ..
Leukaemia+ lymphoma
1. Wiskott-Aldrich
2. SCID, CVID
3. X linked lymphoproliferative syndrome
4. Kostmann syndrome
1. Congenital neutropaenia
Risk of myelodysplastic syndrome/ leukaemia
Downs syndrome cancer risk
500 fold increase in AML. 25% of kids with TAM develop AML
20 fold increase in ALL
Gorlins syndrome
medulloblastoma + BCC
MEN 2A
Medullary carcinomas of thyroid
PTH adenoma
Phaeochromocytoma
Alkylating agents examples and MoA
Add alkyl groups –> cell cycle arrest –> death
Work in all phases of cell cycle
Cyclophophamide
Ifosfamide
- both alkylate guanine and thus inhibit DNA synthesis
Cyclophosphamide side effects
N/V
Myelosuppresion
Alopecia
HAEMORRHAGIC CYSTITIS
PULMUNARY FIBROSIS
SIADH
INFERTILITY
Secondary neonplasm
**use hyperhydration + mesna to prevent haemorrhagic cystitis
Ifosfamide side effects
N/V
Myelosuppression
Haemorrhagic cystits (less common than cyclophosphamide)
SIADH
Iphosphamide encephalopathy (rx thiamine, methylene blue)
Renal tubular acidosis (proximal RTA/Fanconi)
Infertility
Antimetabolites MoA
Disrupt DNA synthesis
Cause cell death during S phase of cell cycle
Eg
Methotrexate = folate atagonist, inhibits DNA synthesis
6- mercaptopurine = inhibits purine syntheiss
Cytarabine (Ara-C)= pyrimidine analog, inhibits DNA polymerase
5-flurouracil = pyrimidine analog
Methotrexate adverse effects
N/V
Hepatitis (LFT derangement)
Photosensitive dermatitis
Myelosuppression
High dose- renal and CNS toxicity (lowers IQ)
can accumilate and cause toxicity in 3rd space fluid eg pleural/ascites
Need hyperhydration, urinary alkalinisation and folinic acid to avoid toxicity
Vinca alkaloids MoA
Inhibit microtubule assembly during MITOSIS, causing cell arrest
eg
Vincristine
Vinblastine
Vincristine side effects
constipation
abdo pain
neuropathy- peripheral, autonomic, cranial nerve
jaw pain
mucositis
phlebitis
Alopecia
VESICANT
IV only
Minimal myelosuppression
Not ematogenic
Topoisomerase MoA
Disrupts topoisomerase I and II –> inhibits DNA replication
Works in S + G 2 phase of cell cycle
eg
Etoposide
Etoposide side effects
N/V
Myelosuppression
Secondary leukemia
Type 1 hypersensitivity reactions
Anthacyclin MoA
increase oxygen free radicals–> cell apoptosis
Intercalates DNA
Not specific to any phase in cell cycle
eg
Doxorubicin
Danorubicin
Doxorubicin side effects
N/V
Cardiomyopathy
Radiation dermatitis
Myelosuppression
Arrythmia
*dexrazoxane reduces risk of cardiotoxicity**
Platinum agents MoA
Inhibit DNA synthesis by cross linking DNA
Not phase specific
eg
carboplatin
cispatin
Cisplatin side effects
HIGHLY EMATOGENIC including delayed N/V
Ototoxicity - very common
Nephrotoxicity
Hypomagnesemia
Myelosuppression, seizures, neuropathy- uncommon
THROMBOSIS
**sodium thiosulfate and amifostine otoprotective
L- asparaginase works at which phase of cell cycle
G1
L-asparaginase side effects
Anaphylaxis
Pancreatitis
Coagulopathy
Hyperglycemia
Cerebral sinus thrombosis
*give PEG asparaginase if become allergic to L-asparaginase