Tumour Pathology 2 Flashcards
What are physical properties of cancer
Pleomorphic - alter morphology, biological function, reproductive model in response to EF
Hyperchromatic - darker nucleus
Coarse chromatin - Clumpy large mass of Chromatins
Highly mitotic and abnormal forms - unregulated division, quicker
Disorganised structure
What are the behavioural changes of cancer cells
Unregulated growth
Loss of cohesion
Immaturity
Immortality
Describe formation of cancer 1
Avoid immune destruction - not present antigens
Describe formation of cancer 2
Replicative immortality - avoid mechanisms for senescence
(Telomeres)
Describe formation of cancer 3
Activate invasion and metastasis - Loss of cell to cell cohesion in order to invade dense CT
Describe formation of cancer 4
Induce angiogenesis - formation of new blood vessels
Describe formation of cancer 5
Resist cell death - anti apoptosis
Describe formation of cancer 6
Deregulate cellular energetics
Anaerobic glycolysis - less efficient, protects against low O2 environment
Describe formation of cancer 7
Sustain proliferated signalling - Constitutive activation (ligand independent activity) of growth factor mechanisms
Describe formation of cancer 8
Evade growth suppressors - evade negative feedback
Describe formation of cancer 9
Genome instability and mutations - favours mutations accumulating and multiple mutations
Describe formation of cancer 10
Mediate tumour-associated inflammatory response - may release tumour promoting molecules
What are the tumour biomarkers?
Tumour-related proteins
What is the clinical utility of tumour biomarkers?
Screening
Diagnosis
Prognostic - identifying patients with specific outcome
Predictive - identifying patients who will respond to particular therapy
What is the biomarker for Teratoma of testis and hepatocellular carcinoma?
Alpha-fetoprotein
What is the biomarker for colorectal cancer?
Carcino-embryonic antigen
What is the biomarker for Breast cancer?
Oestrogen receptor
(Hormone receptor)
What is the biomarker for Prostate cancer?
Prostate specific antigen
What are the predictive tumour biomarkers for lung cancer?
EGFR - epidermal growth factor receptor
Kras
What are the predictive tumour biomarkers for breast cancer and gastric cancer?
Her2
What are the predictive tumour biomarkers for melanoma?
BRAF
What is pleomorphism
Variation in size and shape of cancer
Is mitosis present in cancer cells?
Yes, abnormal
What is tumour growth a balance between?
Angiogenesis
Apoptosis
What is angiogenesis?
New blood vessel formation by tumours, required to sustain tumour growth
What is the downside on human health brought about by angiogenesis?
Provides a route for release of tumour cells into circulation
What is the relationship between blood vessels and prognosis?
More blood vessels -poorer prognosis
What is involved in the response to chemo-radiotherapy?
Apoptosis
What is the major clinical problem of cancer?
Formation of metastatic (secondary) tumour
What is the effect of metastasis on matrix degradation by proteolytic enzymes?
(How does metastasis affect matrix degradation by proteolytic enzymes?)
Increases degradation
What are the various modes of spread of cancer?
Local
Lymphatic
Blood
Transcoelomic spread
What is the intermediate tissue for tumour invasion of lymph/blood vessels?
Connective tissue
What are the stages of metastasis via lymphatics?
Tumour cells adhere to lymph vessels
Invasion from lymphatics
Invasion into lymph nodes
Formation of metastasis in lymph node
Clinical evidence of metastasis
What are the stages of metastasis via blood?
Same process but substituting the lymph vessels with blood vessels
What is Trans-coelomic spread?
Spread of tumour cells across body cavities
Pleural or peritoneal cavities
