Tumour pathology 1

Question 1

define ‘tumour’?

Answer 1

A tumour is an abnormal growing mass of tissue.

Question 2

Characteristics of tumour growth

Answer 2

• It’s growth is uncoordinated with that of surrounding normal tissue
• It continues after the removal of any stimulus which may have caused the tumour
• It is an irreversible change

Question 3

What are the two groups of tumours?

Answer 3

Benign and malignant= cancer

Question 4

Malignant tumours

Answer 4

have ability to invade into adjacent tissue and to metastasise (spread) and grow at other sites within the body

Question 5

Benign

Answer 5

not harmful (no disease)

Question 6

Common types of cancer in males

Answer 6

Prostate, lung, colon, kidney and melanoma

Question 7

Common types of cancer in females

Answer 7

Breast, lung, colon, uterus, melanoma

Question 8

Overall common types of cancer

Answer 8

Breast, lung, prostate, colon, melanoma

Question 9

Why is classification of tumours important?

Answer 9

Important for understanding tumour behaviour and determining outcome (prognosis) and selecting therapy

Question 10

What is the classification of a tumour based on?

Answer 10

the tissue of origin and whether it is benign or malignant

Question 11

Tissue of origin examples

Answer 11

epithelium
connective tissue
blood cells
lymphoid tissue
melanocytes
neural tissue
germ cells (ovary/testis)

Question 12

Nomenclature of epithelial tumours

Answer 12

ends with -oma usually
Glandular, benign= adenoma, malignant = adeno- Carcinoma

squamous, benign= squamous papilloma, malignant= squamous Carcinoma

Question 13

Nomenclature of connective tissue tumours

Answer 13

Bone- osteoma, osteo-sarcoma

fat- lipoma, lipo-sarcoma

fibrous tissue- fibroma (benign), fibro- sarcoma (malignant)

Question 14

Nomenclature of blood cells

Answer 14

White blood cells- no benign name malignant= leukaemia

Question 15

Nomenclature of lymphoid tissue

Answer 15

malignant= Lymphoma

Question 16

Nomenclature of melanocytes

Answer 16

Benign= naevus
malignant= melanoma

Question 17

Nomenclature of Neural tissue

Answer 17

CNS= Astrocytoma 
PNS= Schwannoma

Question 18

Nomenclature of germ cell tumours

Answer 18

Teratomas general term
tumour composed of various tissues
develop in ovary/testis
ovarian teratomas= usually benign and testicular teratomas= usually malignant

Question 19

Features of benign tumours

Answer 19

non-invasive growth pattern
usually encapsulated
no evidence of invasion
no metastases (spreading/ secondary growth away from origin of cancer growth)
cells similar to normal
function similar to normal tissue
rarely cause death

Question 20

Features of malignant tumours

Answer 20

Invasive growth pattern
No capsule or capsule breached by tumour cells 
Cells abnormal
Loss of normal function
frequently cause death
often evidence of spread of cancer