Session 11

Question 1

What are the 4 most common cancers?

Answer 1

Breast, lung, bowel and prostate

Question 2

What are the most common cancers in children

Answer 2

Leukaemia’s, CNS tumours and lymphomas

Question 3

Which cancers have the highest and lowest 5 year survival rates?

Answer 3

Highest - testicular, melanoma and breast cancer

Lowest - pancreatic, lung and oesophageal

Question 4

What are important factors to consider when determining an outcome for a patient with cancer?

Answer 4

Age, general health state, tumour site, tumour type, tumour grade, tumour stage and treatments available.

Question 5

What is tumour stage a measure of?

Answer 5

The malignant neoplasm’s overall burden.

Question 6

Describe the TNM system for tumour staging

Answer 6

T refers to the size of the primary tumour (T1-4)
N describes the extent of the regional node metastases (N0-3)
M describes the extent of distant metastatic spread (M0-1)

The TNM status is the converted to a stage from I to IV. Early local disease=stage I. Advanced local disease=stage II. Regional metastasis=stage III. Distant metastasis=stage IV.

Question 7

Describe the staging system for lymphoma

Answer 7

The Ann Arbor staging:
I - lymphoma in a single node region
II - two separate regions on the same side of the diaphragm
III - spread to both sides of the diaphragm
IV - involvement of one or more extra lymphatic organ (lungs/bone marrow)

Question 8

Describe the staging system for colorectal carcinoma

Answer 8

Dukes staging:
Dukes A - invasion into but not through the bowel wall
Dukes B - invasion through the wall
Dukes C - involvement of lymph nodes
Dukes D - distant metastasis