Repro Phys 4 Flashcards
What is the most common gynecologic malignancy worldwide?
Cervical cancer (due to lack of screening and HPV vaccine availability)
What is the general prognosis for localized breast cancer? Metastatic?
Localized: 99% 5 year survival rate
Metastatic: 31% survival rate
What are the different types of breast cancer in terms of receptors?
HR+/HER2+
HR+/HER2-
HR-/HER2+
HR-/HER2-
Out of all the types of breast cancer which has the worst prognosis and why?
HR-/HER- because it means the receptors will not be responsive to typical forms of treatment (hormones and antibodies) –> more aggressive
Which type of breast cancer is MC?
HR+/HER2+
What does it mean if a tumor is HR+?
It is likely to respond to hormonal treatment, i.e. tamoxifen or other SERMS, aromatase inhibitors
How does tamoxifen/SERMs work?
Block estrogen receptor to decrease estrogen exposure/effects
How do aromatase inhibitors work?
Block production of estrogen from sulfated DHEAS in granulosa cells
What does it mean if a tumor is HER2+?
It is responsive to antibody treatment
HR-/HER2- is more associated with BRCA1 or BRCA2?
BRCA1
What kind of hormones have HR receptors?
Progesterone and estrogen
Breast cancer risk factors
Increased estrogen exposure:
- early menarche
- late menopause
- obesity (adipose tissue increases estrogen production)
- nulliparity
- hormonal therapies for menopause
Increasing age
High alcohol consumption
1st degree relatives with BCA or prostate, pancreatic cancer
Breast cancer can be split into ______ and ______ in terms of histology
Invasive/infiltrating (MC)
Carcinoma in situ
What is the MC type of infiltrating breast cancer?
Ductal
Paget’s disease of the breast
Special kind of breast cancer that presents with nipple “eczema”
Phyllodes disease
Breast cancer with large tumor, little pain, and skin involvement
T or F: BRCA genes are tumor suppressors
T – BRCA MUTATION is what becomes a problem because patients cannot inhibit tumor growth
Which BRCA mutation results in higher likelihood of developing breast cancer?
BRCA1 (70% likelihood)
BRCA2 slightly lower lifetime risk for breast and ovarian cancer
Which BRCA mutation results in increased likelihood of developing non gynecologic cancers (pancreatic, prostate, uveal melanoma)?
BRCA2
Common mutations associated with breast cancer development
PTEN
p53
CHK2
PTEN, p53 and CHK2 are all (proto-oncogenes/tumor suppressor genes)
Tumor suppressor genes
MC location of breast cancer?
Upper outer quadrant (in/by axilla)
Pathophys of breast cancer
Estrogen hypothesis: mutation (inhibition of tumor suppressor or activation of proto oncogene) + excess estrogen exposure increases expression of genotoxic DNA elements –> estrogen releases TGF alpha –> breast tissue grows and transforms abnormally
TGF alpha _______ cell growth
Promotes
TGF beta ________ cell growth
Inhibits
T or F: patients with breast cancer have a disrupted balance of TGF alpha and TGF beta
True
T or F: Excess estrogen results in immediate stimulation of mutant cell proliferation
FALSE – takes several rounds of DNA replication and cell division for the mutant cells to be enough to cause cancerous growths
TGF alpha/TGF beta activates cell division
TGF alpha
How does the inflammation associated with cancer impact prostaglandin production?
Inflammation INCREASES PGE2 production
How does PGE2 interact with aromatase?
PGE2 INCREASES aromatase activity = more conversion of steroids to estrogen (worsens cancerous growth bc more estrogen can activate receptors and lead to TGF alpha release, angiogenesis, and cell proliferation)
How does obesity increase the risk of breast cancer
Adipose tissue creates more estrogen (estrone specifically)
Median age at diagnosis for cervical cancer
40-50 (middle aged women MC demographic)