oncology - exam 1 Flashcards
what is cancer?
refers to a large group of diseases characterized by uncontrolled cell proliferation and spread of abnormal cells
When is cancer most asymptomatic?
in early stages due to body’s ability to adapt to slow growing tumors
cancer S&S
pain - local and referred
hx of cancer
N&V
loss of appetite
weight loss
fever, chills, sweats (night)
swollen and NON-tender lymph nodes
malaise and fatigue
what is hyperplasia?
increased number of cells
what is metaplasia?
an adult cell changes from one type to another
what is dysplasia?
greater presence of abnormal cells
what is metastasis?
spread of cancerous cells from the primary tumor
what is differentiation?
normal cells mature or differentiate into mature types of normal tissue
what is unique about differentiation and cancer?
malignant cells dont differentiate into mature types of normal tissue
the more undifferentiated, the more aggressive the cancer
what is anaplasia?
loss of differentiation
hallmark sign of malignant disease
how is a neoplasm classified?
- cell type
- tissue origin
— primary: arises from local tissue
— secondary: metastasized from distant tissue to another part of the body - degree of differentiation
- anatomic site
- benign (noncancerous) or malignant (cancerous)
what does the stage of the disease at the time of diagnosis reflect?
rate of growth
extent of neoplasm
prognosis
what are the stages of cancer?
stage 0: carcinoma in situ (premalignant, preinvasive)
stage I: early stage, local cancer
stage II: increased risk of spread because of tumor size
stage III: local cancer has spread but may not be metastasized to distant regions
stage IV: cancer has spread and metastasized to distant sites
what are the most diagnosed cancers?
lung - largest number of deaths
breast - most prevalent
colorectal
all involve mucous producing glands therefore adeno carcinomas are most common in adults
what are the most treatable cancers?
prostate and breast
what are the top 3 most common cancers in men? women?
men:
1. prostate
2. lung
3. colorectal
women:
1. breast
2. lung
3. colorectal
what is endogenous etiology?
genetic origin in 5-10% of cases
most often prostate, breast, ovarian and colorectal
what are exogenous etiology?
environmental or external origin
50% of all cancers caused by lots of cancer-causing agents
- makes cancer more preventable!
what is mixed etiology?
most develop due to genetic, viral and environmental factors working together
what are risk factors (NOT causes) of cancer?
heredity
prior cancer
aging
lifestyle
viruses
excessive and abnormal amounts of hormones
- estrogen: early menses, late menopause, no children or breast feeding
- insulin and testosterone
geographic location
gender
race
socioeconomic status
inflammatory diseases
precancerous lesions
stress and depression
what is the pathogenesis/development of the disease?
chromosomal changes can include the addition or deletion of entire chromosomes by risk factors
how are malignant tumors different than benign tumors?
malignant metastasizes
benign don’t metastasize - non cancerous
when does metastasis usually occur?
3-5 years after initial dx
what are the 5 most common sites of metastasis?
lung - most common site
liver
bone
brain
lymph nodes
