Skin cancer Flashcards
List the 8 hallmarks of cancer:
- sustaining proliferative signalling
- evading growth suppressors
- activating invasion and metastasis
- enabling replicative immortality
- inducing angiogenesis
- resisting cell death
- avoiding immune destruction
- deregulating cell energetics
What is an oncogene?
an over-active form of a gene that positively regulates cell division
What is a proto-oncogene?
The normal, not yet mutated form of an oncogene.
What is a tumour suppressor?
inactive or non-functional form of a gene that negatively regulates cell division
What are thy two types of Non-Melanoma Skin Cancer?
Basal Cell Carcinoma
Squamous Cell Carcinoma
Why does Xeroderma pigemetosum increase the risk of skin cancer?
Genes involved in DNA repair are mutated
Chronic/long term exposure to UV radiation predisposes to ….
Squamous cell carcinomea
UV_ radiation penetrates deepest into the skin. It causes direct/indirect DNA damage by ______ guanosine.
UVA radiation
indirect damage
oxidising guanosine
UV_ causes direct DNA damage.
UVB radiation
What are the UVB-caused DNA lesions?
Pyrimidine dimers
Pyrimidine-pyrimidone photo products
How does UVA cause DNA damage?
Via oxidation of DNA bases
What is the characteristic UVA-induced mutation? What is the repair mechanism involved?
C -> A point mutation
Base excision repair
What is the signature mutation induced by UVB?
What is the repair mechanism?
TT -> CC
Nucleotide excision repair
Mutations in c-KIT, B-RAF and MEK, genes involved in the Ras/Raf/MAPK signalling pathways are encountered in what skin cancer?
familial Malignant Melanoma
Basal skin carcinoma and Squamous skin carcinoma arise from what cell type?
Keratinocytes
What is the ABCDE of melanoma diagnosis?
Asymmetry Border Colour Diameter Evolution
A slow-growing painless lump with central ‘rodent’ ulceration and visible blood vessels are characteristic of what skin cancer
Basal Cell Carcinoma
A hyperkeratotic (crusted) lump/ulcer, which grows relatively fast is indicative of what skin cancer?
Squamous Cell Carcinoma
What are Actinic Keratoses? What cancers do they develop into?
Precancerous skin lesions.
Squamous cell carcinoma
Basal cell carcinoma
What is Naevoid basal cell carcinoma (Gorlin’s) syndrome?
Autosomal dominant familila cancer syndrome