Oncology Basics

Question 1

Define Neoplasia

Answer 1

Uncontrolled proliferation of cells that continues in absence of inciting cause from a single cell.

Question 2

What types of characteristics do benign tumours have?

Answer 2

Grow by expansion, low to moderate growth rate, no metastasis, tissue well organised, freely mobile on palpation, capsule, no haemorrhage or necrosis etc.

Question 3

What types of characteristics do malignant tumours have?

Answer 3

Grow by invasion, no capsule, not mobile, recurs after excision, internal necrosis and haemorrhage, metastasize, malignant markers.

Question 4

What is a malignant tumour of epithelial origin called?

Answer 4

A carcinoma

Question 5

What is a malignant tumour of mesenchymal origin called?

Answer 5

A sarcoma

Question 6

What is lymphoma? Benign or malignant?

Answer 6

A tumour of the lymphoid system, usually malignant.

Question 7

What is a melanoma? Benign or malignant?

Answer 7

A tumour of melanocytes. Some are benign, some are malignant.

Question 8

What is a mast cell tumour (mastocytoma)? Benign or malignant?

Answer 8

Tumour of mast cells. Vary in degree of malignancy.

Question 9

What is a Teratoma?

Answer 9

Germ cell tumour with elements of ectoderm, endoderm and mesoderm.

Question 10

What is a Sarcoid? What is it caused by?

Answer 10

Low grade fibrosarcoma commonly seen in the skin of horses. Caused by bovine papillomavirus infection.

Question 11

By what methods can a tumour be graded? Can you give an example of a tumour it might be used for?

Answer 11

Light microscopy (squamous cell carcinoma), Immunophenotyping (lymphoma), Detection of genetic mutations (lymphoma), Proliferation markers (MCT)