Tumour Pathology Terms Flashcards
Atrophy
Meaning without nourishment. Physiological and pathological decrease in size or number of cells
Ectoderm (3)
Skin, Neurons, Melanocytes
Mesoderm (5)
Muscle, Blood, Bone, Epithelium, Cartilage
Endoderm (3)
Lining of airways and gut, glands
Carcinoma
Malignant epithelium cancer
Sarcoma
Malignant connective tissue cancer
Hyperplasia
Increase in size of organisms due to increase in no. of cells
Hypertrophy
Increase in size of organisms due to increase in size of cells e.g. muscle
Metaplasia
Change in form. Shape change e.g. when smoking cells go from columnar to squamous
Tumour and types
Swelling. Can be benign, malignant or inflammatory
Neoplasia
” New formation “. Abnormal cell growth that’s uncoordinated and persists even after stimulus is released
Benign neoplasia
Doesn’t invade or metastasise epithelium. Still abnormal
Cancer
Non-specific referring to malignant neoplasm
“oma” suffix meaning
Meaning tumour
Apoptosis
Programmed cell death
Necrosis
Un-programmed uncontrolled premature cell death
Oncogenes
Mutated gene that drives replication of cell
Proto-oncogene
Before a cell has become mutated
Tumour supressor
Anti-oncogene. Regulates cell during division
Physical properties of cancer
Pleomorphic, Hyperchromatic, Highly mitotic, Coarse chromatin
Define pleomorphic
Of different shapes and sizes
Metastasis
Spread of cancer from one part of the body to another
Where do tumours metastasise to and why?
Places with high blood supply. Liver, lung, brain, bone. adrenal gland
They need nutrients to assist their growth and survival
Carcinogenisis
Process of normal cells transforming into cancer cells
Angiogenesis
Producing an alternative blood pathway for tumours
Adenocarcinoma
Carcinoma formed from glands
Dysplasia
It’s a pre-cancer. Always benign, and can be a tumour. Can be reversed
Where can a sarcoma be?
Any bone or connective tissue, including blood vessels, muscles, fats, tendons, etc
