Pathoma Chapter 3C Flashcards
Malignant tumors are classically
poorly differentiated (anaplastic)
Characteristics of malignant tumors include
- Disorganized growth (loss of polarity) 2. Nuclear pleomorphism and hyperchromasia 3. High nuclear to cytoplasmic ratio 4. High mitotic activity with atypical mitosis 5. Invasion (through basement membrane or into local tissue)
What is the hallmark of malignancy?
Metastatic potential - benign tumors never metastasize
What is the target cell type for the immunohistochemical stain of Keratin?
Epithelium
What is the target cell type for the immunohistochemical stain of Vimentin
Mesenchyme
What is the target cell type for the immunohistochemical stain of desmin
Muscle
What is the target cell type for the immunohistochemical stain of Neurofilament
Neurons
What is the target cell type for the immunohistochemical stain of PSA
Prostatic epil helium
What is the target cell type for the immunohistochemical stain of ER
Breast epithelium
What is the target cell type for the immunohistochemical stain of Thyroglobulin
thyroid follicular cells
What is the target cell type for the immunohistochemical stain of chromogranin?
neuroendocrine cells (small cell carcinoma of lung and carcinoid tumors)
What is the target cell type for the immunohistochemical stain of S-100?
Melanoma
What is used to characterize tumors that are difficult to classify on histology?
Immunohistochemistry
What are serum tumor markers?
Proteins released by tumor into serum (e.g PSA)
Serum tumor markers are useful for what?
screening, monitoring response to treatment, and monitoring recurrence
Elevated levels of serum tissue markers require what?
it requires tissue biopsy for diagnosis of carcinoma (e.g., biopsy of prostate with elevated PSA),
What is involved in the grading of cancer?
Microscopic assessment of differentiation (how much a cancer resembles the tissue in which it grows); takes into account architectural and nuclear features
What is low grade?
Well differentiated?resembles normal parent tissue
What is high grade?
poorly differentiated?does not resemble parent tissue
Cancer grading is important for what?
determining prognosis; well-differentiated cancers have better prognosis than poorly-differentiated cancers.