Tumour Pathology 2 Flashcards
What are characteristics of cancer cells?
- Deactivation of tumour suppressor genes
- Activation of oncogenes
- Change of cellular functions
What are examples of tumour suppressor genes?
- Adenomatous Polyposis
- BRCA 1
- Retinoblastomas
What are examples of oncogenes?
- B-raf
- N-ras
- K-ras
- Cyclin D1
- ErB2
- c-Myc
What are the broad types of tumour biomarkers?
- Oncofetal proteins
- Oncogenes
- Growth factors and receptors
- Immune checkpoint inhibitors
What are examples of tumour biomarkers?
- Alpha-fetoprotein
- carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA)
- Oestrogen Receptor
- Prostate Specific Antigen
What does Alpha-fetoprotein cause?
Teratomas in testes
Hepatocellular cancer
What does carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA) cause ?
Colorectal cancer
What does Prostate antigen cause?
Prostate cancer
What does oestrogen receptor cause?
Breast cancer
What is the morphology of cancer cells?
Cellular and nuclear pleomorphism
They can carry out mitosis but abnormally
What are the changes in cellular functions of cancer cells?
Loss of cell-cell adhesion
Alteration of cell-matrix adhesion
Gain of tumour related protein biomarkers
What does cellular and nuclear pleomorphism refer to in cancer cells?
Great difference in size and shape
How do tumours grow?
- Balance between angiogenesis and apoptosis
What is tumour angiogenesis and how does it benefit tumours?
Angiogenesis refers to the growth of blood vessels inside tumours which provide tumours with nutrients enhancing tumour growth.
It also gives a root of entrance for the tumour inside the blood stream.
Why is angiogenesis bad for clinical purposes ?
Poorer prognosis
more blood vessels in tumour
What is tumour apoptosis ?
Programmed cell death
How is tumour apoptosis brought about?
By radiotherapy and chemotherapy
Describe how spread of cancer occurs
- Increased matrix degradation by proteolytic enzymes
- Altered cell-cell and cell-matrix adhesion
Is spread of cancer a multi- or mono- step process
Multi-step process
What are the various modes of spread of cancer?
- Local
- Lymphatic
- Blood
- Trans-coelomic
What is trans-coelomic mode of transfer and in which spaces does it occur ?
Penetration of surfaces of peritoneal, pleural, pericardial and subarachnoid spaces
How is cancer spread through blood vessels?
- Malignant invasion into the connective tissue
- Adherence to blood vessels
- Invasion into blood vessels
- Tissue invasion
- Metastasis
What type of spread is trans-coelomic spread and what types of tumours relate to it?
Local transfer
- Lungs
- Stomach
- Colon
- Ovary
What is meant by metastatic niche?
Metastatic sites do not depend on blood flow in tumours but in tissue and tumour related factors
What does prognosis depend on?
degree of spread of cancer
What are common sites of metastasis?
- Lungs
- Adrenal glands
- Brain
- peritoneum
- Liver
- Bone axial skeleton
Which is the site of ovarian teratoma?
Peritoneum
What is the tumour found in the peritoneum ?
Ovarian teratoma
Where is breast tumour found?
Bone
Where is prostate tumour found?
Bone
What types of tumours are found in bone ?
Breast and Prostate cancer
Where is liver tumour found?
Colorectal site
What type of tumour is found in the colorectal site?
Liver
