Outline of Cancer Process

Question 1

What are the 4 words to describe cancer?

Answer 1

Mass
Tumour
Growth
Neoplasm

Question 2

What is the description of carcinoma?

Answer 2

Disorderly growth of cells (usually epithelial) which invade adjacent tissue and spread by the lymphatics and blood vessels.

Question 3

What does monoclonal mean?

Answer 3

Arise from a single cell.

Question 4

What % of cancers are lung cancer?

Answer 4

22

Question 5

What will be seen under the microscope in cancer?

Answer 5

Lots of dividing cells with irregular nuclei, at different stages of mitosis.

Question 6

What stages can cells go to in G1 stage?

Answer 6

S

G0

Question 7

What are G0 cells?

Answer 7

Non-proliferating cells

Question 8

How do you differentiate between cancer cells and normal cells?

Answer 8

Cancer: loss of contact, increase in growth factor, increase in oncogene, loss of tumour suppressor genes
Normal: oncogene rare, intermittent growth factors, presence of tumour suppressor genes

Question 9

What is the process of preclinical cancer?

Answer 9

Carcinogen
Initiation
Promotion
Tumour growth

Question 10

What occurs during clinical cancer?

Answer 10

Progression

Question 11

What power of 10 is cancer detectable at?

Answer 11

9

Question 12

What power of 10 is cancer fatal?

Answer 12

12

Question 13

What are the 3 causes of initiation?

Answer 13

Chemical
Physical
Viral

Question 14

What are the 2 causes of promotion?

Answer 14

Growth factors

Oncogenes

Question 15

What is the cause of progression?

Answer 15

Metastasis

Question 16

What 3 cancers can be caused by chemicals in alcohol and smoking?

Answer 16

Lung
H&N
GI

Question 17

What cancer is caused by Hep B?

Answer 17

Liver

Question 18

What do oncogenes represent?

Answer 18

A gain in function to transformed cells.

Question 19

What are growth factors?

Answer 19

Polypeptide molecules

Question 20

What do growth factors stimulate?

Answer 20

Activation of intracellular signal transduction pathways.

Question 21

What are the 2 types of stimulation?

Answer 21

Autocrine

Paracrine

Question 22

What happens during autocrine stimulation?

Answer 22

Cell carries receptor and secretes GF, escapes normal control.

Question 23

What happens during paracrine stimulation?

Answer 23

GF’s acting on cell are produced locally by cell or neighbour.

Question 24

What is an example of tumour suppressor genes?

Answer 24

P53

Question 25

What is the normal function of p53?

Answer 25

Promotes DNA repair

Induces apoptosis

Question 26

What is p53 induced by?

Answer 26

DNA damage

Question 27

Is metastasis random?

Answer 27

No

Question 28

What is metastasis?

Answer 28

Cascade of limited sequential steps.

Question 29

Where does tumour invade form?

Answer 29

Basement membrane

Question 30

What does the tumour invade after moving into ECM or connective tissue?

Answer 30

Blood vessels

Question 31

What 3 enzymes are involved in invasion of ECM?

Answer 31

Matrix metalloproteinases
Plasmin
Cathepsin

Question 32

What 3 enzymes are involved in invasion of cell adhesion?

Answer 32

Cahedrins
Integrins
CD44

Question 33

Why do blood vessels need to be formed for a tumour?

Answer 33

To allow it to grow greater than 2mm in diameter.

Question 34

What is necessary for angiogenesis?

Answer 34

Degradation of ECM

Question 35

What does anti-VEGF antibody prevent?

Answer 35

Interactions with receptors

Activation of downstream signalling pathways.

Question 36

Why can cancer cells hide from T-cells?

Answer 36

Ligand for T lymphocytes are on tumour cells and the interaction suppresses T cell action.

Question 37

What side of the T-cell is PD1 on?

Answer 37

Inhibition