Tumour Pathology

Question 1

what is a neoplasm

Answer 1

a new growth

Question 2

what makes up a tumours composition

Answer 2

• neoplastic cells

- stroma (connective tissue, blood vessels, inflammatory cells)

Question 3

why is a tumours behaviour described as autonomous

Answer 3

response to physiological stimuli is lost or abnormal, allowing unregulated growth

Question 4

tell me about benign tumours

Answer 4

• minimal nuclear pleomorphism
• mitotic figures normal
• resemble tissue of origin
• they are well circumscribed
• slow growth
• no necrosis
• non-invasive
• no metastasis

Question 5

malignant tumours

Answer 5

• poorly circumscribed
• rapid growth
• often necrotic
• invasive
• metastasis
• mitotic figures abnormal
• variable pleomorphism may be anaplastic
• variable resemblance

Question 6

what are some clinical effects of benign tumours

Answer 6

obstruction
epilepsy
conduction abnormalities

haemorrhage
pulmonary or GI

Hormone production
adrenal
endocrine pancreas

Question 7

effects of malignant tumours

Answer 7

directly invade local
travel via the lymphatics
travel via the bloodstream
travel via body cavities

Question 8

where does prostate cancer normally travel

Answer 8

bone

Question 9

where does lung cancer normally travel

Answer 9

brain

adrenals

Question 10

where does breast cancer normally travel

Answer 10

lung
liver
bone
brain

Question 11

where does ovarian cancer normally travel

Answer 11

peritoneal cavity

Question 12

what are some macroscopic features of tumours

Answer 12

for benign tumours:

• sessile
• pedunculated polyp
• papillary

for malignant tumours:

• fumigating
• ulcerated

annular for blood vessels

Question 13

more cellular benign macroscopic features

Answer 13

• intact surface
• exophytic growth
• homogenous cut surface
• circumscribed for encapsulated edge

Question 14

more cellular malignant macroscopic features

Answer 14

• heterogeneous cut surface due to necrosis
• ulcerated surface
• endophytic growth
• vascular permeation
• Irregular infiltrative edge

Question 15

tumour grading system

Answer 15

grade I = Well differentiated

Question 16

TNM Staging

Answer 16

TUMOUR SIZE 1-4
NODE INVOLVEMENT 0-2
METASTASIS 0-2

Question 17

Dukes’ Staging System for Colorectal Cancer

Answer 17

A - confined to bowel wall
B - through bowel wall but no lymph node involvement
C - lymph nodes involved
D - distant spread

Question 18

Benign epithelial tumours are known as

Answer 18

papillomas (squamous, transitional) or adenomas

Question 19

benign connective tissue tumours

Answer 19

lipoma

Question 20

malignant epithelial tumours are

Answer 20

carcinomas or adenocarcinoma

Question 21

malignant connective tissue tumours are sarcomas

Answer 21

sarcomas

Question 22

non-invasive precursor

Answer 22

– Carcinoma in situ

– Intraepithelial neoplasia

Question 23

Mesenchymal Tumours Benign

Answer 23

• lipoma

- haemangioma

Question 24

Mesenchymal Tumours malignant

Answer 24

• liposarcoma

- haemangiosarcoma

Question 25

Teratoma

Answer 25

all three embryonic germ cell layers
• Of germ cell origin
• Benign and malignant forms
• Ovarian – almost always benign
• Testicular – more often malignant

Question 26

Tumours have a clonal origin

Answer 26

• Enzyme marker
• Lyon inactivation hypothesis
• Only one X chromosome in
female cells is active.
• One X chromosome is randomly switched off