Tumour Pathology Flashcards
what is a neoplasm
a new growth
what makes up a tumours composition
- neoplastic cells
- stroma (connective tissue, blood vessels, inflammatory cells)
why is a tumours behaviour described as autonomous
response to physiological stimuli is lost or abnormal, allowing unregulated growth
tell me about benign tumours
- minimal nuclear pleomorphism
- mitotic figures normal
- resemble tissue of origin
- they are well circumscribed
- slow growth
- no necrosis
- non-invasive
- no metastasis
malignant tumours
- poorly circumscribed
- rapid growth
- often necrotic
- invasive
- metastasis
- mitotic figures abnormal
- variable pleomorphism may be anaplastic
- variable resemblance
what are some clinical effects of benign tumours
obstruction
epilepsy
conduction abnormalities
haemorrhage
pulmonary or GI
Hormone production
adrenal
endocrine pancreas
effects of malignant tumours
directly invade local
travel via the lymphatics
travel via the bloodstream
travel via body cavities
where does prostate cancer normally travel
bone
where does lung cancer normally travel
brain
adrenals
where does breast cancer normally travel
lung
liver
bone
brain
where does ovarian cancer normally travel
peritoneal cavity
what are some macroscopic features of tumours
for benign tumours:
- sessile
- pedunculated polyp
- papillary
for malignant tumours:
- fumigating
- ulcerated
annular for blood vessels
more cellular benign macroscopic features
- intact surface
- exophytic growth
- homogenous cut surface
- circumscribed for encapsulated edge
more cellular malignant macroscopic features
- heterogeneous cut surface due to necrosis
- ulcerated surface
- endophytic growth
- vascular permeation
- Irregular infiltrative edge
tumour grading system
grade I = Well differentiated
TNM Staging
TUMOUR SIZE 1-4
NODE INVOLVEMENT 0-2
METASTASIS 0-2
Dukes’ Staging System for Colorectal Cancer
A - confined to bowel wall
B - through bowel wall but no lymph node involvement
C - lymph nodes involved
D - distant spread
Benign epithelial tumours are known as
papillomas (squamous, transitional) or adenomas
benign connective tissue tumours
lipoma
malignant epithelial tumours are
carcinomas or adenocarcinoma
malignant connective tissue tumours are sarcomas
sarcomas
non-invasive precursor
– Carcinoma in situ
– Intraepithelial neoplasia
Mesenchymal Tumours Benign
- lipoma
- haemangioma
Mesenchymal Tumours malignant
- liposarcoma
- haemangiosarcoma
Teratoma
all three embryonic germ cell layers • Of germ cell origin • Benign and malignant forms • Ovarian – almost always benign • Testicular – more often malignant
Tumours have a clonal origin
• Enzyme marker • Lyon inactivation hypothesis • Only one X chromosome in female cells is active. • One X chromosome is randomly switched off
