Tumour Markers

Question 1

What is cancer?

Answer 1

Uncontrolled growth/division of cells

Question 2

What is metastasis?

Answer 2

Possible invasion of surrounding tissues.

Question 3

What impacts can cancer have on the body i.e to organs, tissues, spaces, hormones?

Answer 3

Disrupt organ function, destroy tissues, obstruct ducts/spaces, ‘ectopic’ hormone production (tumour produces hormones that would normally be produced in another organ).

Question 4

What is the second most common cause of death after CVD?

Answer 4

Cancer.

Question 5

What % of people in the UK service for 10+ years after being diagnosed with cancer?

Answer 5

50.

Question 6

What is the greatest risk factor for getting cancer for many people?

Answer 6

Age.

Question 7

Which challenge remains a challenge to detect due to its location in the body and what is the 5-year survival rate?

Answer 7

Pancreatic cancer. 7% survival rate.

Question 8

What is a common staging system to classify (solid) tumours?

Answer 8

TMN (Tumour, Metastasis, Lymph Nodes)

Question 9

What does ‘staging’ the severity provide details for?

Answer 9

How much cancer, where, predictions for survival, treatment .

Question 10

In TMN, what does T4 indicate?

Answer 10

Increasing tumour size or depth.

Question 11

What does T0 indicate in TMN?

Answer 11

Undetectable.

Question 12

What does TX indicate in TMN?

Answer 12

Cannot be assessed.

Question 13

What does MX, M0 and M1 indicate in TMN?

Answer 13

Not assessed, no (M0) and yes (M1).

Question 14

What does NX and N0-N3 indicate in TMN?

Answer 14

NX = not assessed. N0-N3 none to increasing involvement of lymph nodes status.

Question 15

What stage from I to IV is the least advanced cancer with the best prognosis?

Answer 15

Stage I.

Question 16

What are the problems of using TMN as a basis for staging solid cancers?

Answer 16

Anatomically based, may require invasive assessment as cancers can be deeply embedded. Does not include new biomarkers e.g. oestrogen receptor and HER2 in breast cancer.

Question 17

What is herceptin?

Answer 17

Monoclonal Ab that recognises HER2 receptor and kills cells with it.

Question 18

What is a tumour marker?

Answer 18

Biological marker that can be related to the presence/prognosis of a tumour.

Question 19

Why are DNA/RNA based markers to identify tumours now being used?

Answer 19

Tumour cells often display genetic diversification.

Question 20

What are some features of an ideal tumour marker?

Answer 20

Undetectable in health, produced only by malignant disease, specific to site, be obtainable without invasive procedure.

Question 21

Why do you want an ideal tumour marker to have a ‘short-half life’?

Answer 21

To see if levels fall quickly meaning effective treatment.

Question 22

What are examples of DNA/RNA markers?

Answer 22

‘Philadelphia’ chromosome, TP53 mutation, HER2/NEU, N-mvc amplification.

Question 23

What are examples of proteins/ glycoprotiens/ carbohydrates markers?

Answer 23

PSA, CA 125, Monoclonal immunoglobulins, P53 (tumour suppressor). CEA, AFP.