Oncology Flashcards
What cancers is HPV associated with?
Cervical
Anal
Head and neck
What subtypes of HPV are cancerous?
HPV16 and HPV18
HPV16 produces E6 protein, which binds to and inactivates p53 protein leading to dysregulation of cell cycle and apoptotic pathways
What cancer is Epstein Barr Virus associated with?
non-Hodgkin’s lymphomas
What cancer is HTLV1 infection associated with?
T-cell lymphomas
What cancer is H. Pylori associated with?
MALT (mucosal associated lymphoid tissue) tumours
What is the 2nd commonest cancer?
Lung cancer
What are the different types of lung carcinoma?
- Small cell lung carcinoma
- Non-small cell lung carcinoma
a) Squamous cell
b) Adenocarcinoma
c) Large cell carcinoma
d) Adenocarcinoma in situ - Mesothelioma
- Sarcoma
- Lymphoma
What is the most common lung carcinoma?
Adenocarcinoma is now the most common lung cancer (40%) - it used to be squamous cell lung carcinoma until the 80s
What does small cell lung cancer arise from?
Endocrine cells called Kulchitsky cells
What type of lung cancer is more aggressive?
Small cell lung cancer
Grows rapidly and is highly malignant
70% are disseminated at presentation
Metastasise earlier in their course so often cannot be treated by surgery
What gene mutations are commonly found in adenocarcinomas?
EGFR - 19 & 21 mutations
ALK - translocation
ROS1 - mutation
Which patients is the EGFR mutation more common in?
East Asians
Females
Non-smokers
Young patients
What are the main causes of lung cancer?
Smoking - 90%
Occupation - asbestos exposure, uranium mining, ship building, petroleum refining
How does lung cancer usually present in order of most common symptoms?
Cough - 80%
Haemoptysis - 70%
Dyspnoea - 60%
Chest pain - 40%
Weight loss, anorexia, lethargy
Recurrent pneumonia
How does an apical Pancoast tumour present?
Horner’s syndrome
Ptosis, miosis, anhidrosis
Hoarseness of voice
How can a mediastinal tumour present?
Hoarseness of voice due to recurrent laryngral nerve palsy
SVC obstruction
What types of lung cancer can cause paraneoplastic syndromes?
Small cell lung cancer
Squamous cell lung cancer - hypercalcaemia
Large cell cancer - gynaecomastia
Give examples of paraneoplastic syndromes and their relevant hormone
Excess ACTH - Cushing’s
Excess PTH - hypercalcaemia
Excess HCG - gynaecomastia
Excess ADH - SIADH
What are some skin manifestations of lung cancer?
Dermatomyositis
Herpes zoster
Acanthosis nigricans
What signs might be seen on inspection of the hands in lung cancer?
Clubbing
Anaemia - pale palmar creases
Pain in the wrist - hypertrophic pulmonary osteoarthropathy
On auscultation of the chest, what sounds would be heard in lung cancer?
Monophonic wheeze due to partial airway obstruction
What factors of the history, examination and investigations would indicate squamous cell carcinoma?
Cigarette smoking
Hypercalcaemia - they secrete PTH-related peptide
Bronchial obstruction - often found centrally, close to bronchi
What factors of the history, examination and investigations would indicate adenocarcinoma?
History:
- Woman
- Non-smoker
- Asbestos exposure
Investigations:
- EGFR, ALK, ROS1 mutations
- Peripheral tumour
What might be seen on a chest x-ray in lung cancer?
Nodule Hilar enlargement Consolidation Pleural effusion Lung collapse Bony mets
If there is suspicion of lung cancer from a CXR, what following investigations should be carried out?
Sputum cytology
CT thorax for staging
Either:
- CT guided biopsy
- Navigation bronchoscopy if lesion cannot be reached by CT guided biopsy
PET scan to check for mets not seen on CT
Lung function tests to check suitability for lobectomy
What is the histopathology for small cell lung carcinoma?
Small blue oval-shaped cells
Absent nucleoli
Decreased cytoplasm
What is the TNM staging for lung cancer?
T1-4: tumour size and invasion
N1: same hemithorax as tumour
N2: nodes in mediastinum on same side as tumour
N3: lymph nodes on other side from tumour
M1a: mets to other lung; pleural/pericardial effusion
M1b: distant mets outside thorax
M1c: multiple mets in different organs
What is the mainstay treatment for small cell lung cancer?
Chemotherapy (SCLC is considered a systemic disease at diagnosis)
When is radiotherapy used in SCLC?
Adjuvant radiotherapy as primary treatment with chemo
Prophylactic cranial irradiation - brain mets are common so reducing those reduces risk of relapse
Palliative
What are the different options for treatment of non-small cell lung carcinoma?
Surgery – usually lobectomy but if severe consider bi-lobectomy/pneumonectomy
Radiotherapy – 3times/day for 12 days straight. 20% 5 year survival
Chemotherapy – neoadjuvant for radiotherapy or palliative
Immune therapy – 1st line alone or combined with chemo
What is the untreated life expectancy for SCLC? What does chemotherapy increase this to?
Untreated life expectancy = 2-4 months
Chemotherapy increases it to 12 months
What are the 2 main types of breast carcinoma?
Ductal carcinoma (85%) - epithelial lining of ducts
Lobular carcinoma (15%) - epithelium of terminal ducts of lobules
Which breast carcinoma is more infiltrative?
Lobular carcinoma - it can present similarly to gynaecological cancers
What genes are associated with increased risk of breast cancer and what chromosomes are they found on?
BRCA1 - Chr17
BRCA2 - Chr13
What risk factors associated with oestrogen exposure increase the risk of breast cancer?
Early menarche Late menopause HRT use Obesity (especially post-menopause) Nullparity First child after 30
Where is oestrogen produced?
Premenopausal women – oestrogen produced in ovaries
Postmenopausal women – synthesis in fat cells (adipose tissue), skin, liver, muscle, breast
What is the most common presentation of breast cancer?
Breast lump
Hard, painless lump with irregular margins
Fixed to skin/chest wall
What are other common presentations of breast cancer aside from breast lump?
Breast pain Skin changes - peau d'orange, skin dimpling Nipple discharge Nipple changes - paget's disease Axillary lymphadenopathy
What causes peau d’orange?
Oedema due to lymphatic invasion from tumour
What questions are important to ask in a breast cancer history?
- How long?
- Skin/nipple changes?
- Associated symptoms – discharge/pain?
- Related to menstrual cycle?
- Previous breast lumps?
- Lumps under arm?
- Family history
How do you investigate a suspected breast cancer?
Triple assessment
1) Examination - breast, axilla, supraclavicular fossa\
2) Radiology - mammogram, USS
3) Biopsy - fine needle aspiration, cytology, histology
What is the treatment of choice for localised disease in breast cancer?
Surgery
Either:
- Wide local excision to remove lump
- Mastectomy to remove breast
What is required in all breast cancer patients after conservative?
Adjuvant radiotherapy to residual breast tissue +/- lymph node areas
40 Grays in 15 fractions over 3 weeks
Reduces risk of local relapse by half
What determines the efficacy of endocrine therapy in breast cancer?
The presence of oestrogen and progesterone receptors (60%) because it blocks oestrogen action and production
What endocrine therapy is only useful in post-menopausal women?
Why?
Aromatase inhibitors (anastrozole, letrozole)
They stop oestrogen production by blocking the action of aromatase enzyme which converts cholesterol to oestrogen in fat cells
What are some side effects of aromatase inhibitors?
Mood changes Vaginal dryness Loss of libido Arthralgia Myalgia Decreased bone density
What endocrine therapy is only useful in pre-menopausal women?
Ovarian ablation
What endocrine therapy can be used in pre- and post-menopausal breast cancer patients?
Tamoxifen
Selective oestrogen receptor blocker
What is the risk with tamoxifen?
Endometrial cancer - warn patient about abnormal vaginal bleeding
What is HER-2?
What is its relation to breast cancer?
HER-2 is an endothelial factor receptor oncoprotein that allow rapid multiplication of the cell
15% breast cancers overexpress HER-2
What drug can be used in HER2 positive breast cancers?
Herceptin = transtazumab (monoclonal antibody)
Give for 12 months
What is a risk of herceptin?
Cardiotoxicity
i.e. it makes the heart baggy
It is reversible
Which breast cancers are most responsive to chemotherapy?
ER-negative
HER2-positive
What chemotherapy drugs are typically used in breast cancer?
EC (epirubicin + cyclophosphamide) for 3 cycles
Docetaxel for 3 cycles
(if no lymph nodes involved, only EC for 6 cycles)
What chemotherapy agents can be given for ER positive breast cancers?
CDK4/6 inhibitors
What are some poor prognostic indicators in breast cancer?
Triple negative HER2 positive High TNM stage Lymph node involvement >5cm mass Higher grade
What are 95% of prostate cancers?
Adenocarcinomas of glandular tissue in posterior/peripheral zone
Where do prostate carcinomas most common metastasise to?
Bone - especially spine
Lymph nodes
What genes increase risk of prostate cancer?
BRCA2
pTEN
What urinary symptoms might be seen in prostate cancer?
Decreased flow
Hesitancy
Frequency
Nocturia
Describe how the prostate feels on DRE in prostate cancer
Hard Enlarged Irregular/craggy Nodular Obliteration of median sulcus Immobile
What scale is used for grading of prostate cancer?
Gleason’s Pattern Scale
A pathologist looks at prostatic tissue under microscope and grades the morphology of the cells from 1 to 5
What investigation is done to diagnose prostate cancer?
Trans rectal ultrasound of prostate (TRUS) + biopsy - diagnostic
When should you avoid treatment in prostate cancer?
If it is asymptomatic
In patients where other conditions are more likely to kill
What surgery can be done for prostate cancer?
Robotic radical prostatectomy
What patients is surgery a better option for in prostate cancer?
Patients with localised disease and are symptomatic and have >10 year life expectancy
What risks are there with a prostatectomy?
Impotence
Urinary incontinence