Tumor Progression & Metastasis Flashcards
What is perineural invasion?
Spreading of a malignant tumor to peripheral nerve branches. This will cause severe pain not generally seen in malignant tumors
What three factors are utilized in staging a tumor?
Tumor size, lymph node involvement, distant metastasis
What organs are most frequently involved in hematogenous dissemination of a tumor?
Liver & Lungs because they receive all portal and vena caval blood, respectively
What protein holds cells together and inhibits cell growth?
Cadherins - they are inhibited by some tumor cells to promote growth
(Staging/Grading) has higher clinical use?
Staging
A patient is found to have tumor cell growth within axillary lymph nodes. Where did the tumor likely originate?
Upper-outer breast
What are the four general mechanisms for tumor metastasis?
Detachment of tumor cells, attachment of tumor cells to the matrix, degradation of the ECM, migration of tumor cells
Are arteries or veins more likely to be penetrated by tumor cells?
Veins since they are less thick
Where are carcinomas of the upper-outer breast most likely to disseminate?
Axillary lymph nodes
What is retrograde metastasis?
Spreading of a tumor against the flow of lymphatics. This is often due to an obstruction of the normal lymphatic pathway
What are the four modes of tumor metastasis?
Lymphatics, hematogenous, retrograde, transcoelomic
What is the most common mode of tumor metastasis?
Lymphatics
What cytokine plays a role in cancer cachexia that damages tissues and encourages wasting?
TNF-a
Where are carcinomas of the inner breast most likely to disseminate?
Internal mammary nodes to the infraclavicular and supraclavicular nodes
A lymph node that would have been expected to be cancerous is not due to a venous connection before the node. What is this called?
Skip metastasis
What enzymes are released by tumor cells to degrade collagen and the ECM to facilitate migration?
Collagenase, plasminogen
What is metastasis?
Secondary implants of tumor cells discontinuous with the primary tumor
What organs are generally resistant to tumor metastasis?
Spleen, heart, skeletal muscles
What two factors are primarily used for tumor grading?
Degree of differentiation, number of mitotic spindles
What are Virchows Lymph Nodes?
The process by which a tumor metastasizes preferentially to the supraclavicular lymph nodes in cancer of the abdomen (ex: stomach, colon, gallbladder cancers)
What types of tumors (sarcoma/carcinoma) are more likely to spread by hematogenous route?
Sarcomas
True/False. Higher-grade tumors are more susceptible to therapeutics.
True. Higher-grade tumors are more undifferentiated with more mutations and thus more susceptible to cancer therapies.
What is a Krukenberg tumor?
Tumor of the stomach that spreads to both ovaries
