Tumours 2 Flashcards
What are the 4 main properties of cancer cells?
- altered genetics (loss of tumour suppressors, gain of oncogenes)
- altered cellular functions (tumour related proteins)
- abnormal morphology
- cells capable of independent growth
what are 3 main tumour biomarkers?
- onco-foetal genes
- oncogenes
- growth factors and receptors
What is the clinical utility of tumour biomarkers? (4)
- screening (asymptomatic patients)
- diagnosis (symptomatic patients)
- prognosis (identifying outcome)
- predictive (identifying patients who will respond to therapy)
What does the tumour biomarker, alpha fetoprotien, detect?
- teratoma of the testis
- hepatocellular carcinoma
What does the tumour biomarker, carcino-ambryonic antigen (CEA) detect?
- colorectal cancer
- recurrent diseases
what does the tumour biomarker, oestrogen receptor detect?
Breast cancer
What does the tumour biomarker, prostate specific antigen detect?
Prostate cancer
What is the oncogene for colorectal cancer?
KRAS
What is the oncogene for lung cancer?
EGFR
What ist the oncogene for breast and gastric cancers?
Her2
What is the oncogene for melanoma?
BRAF
What is angiogenesis?
Blood vessel formation (favours cell growth)
What is apoptosis?
Cell death
What are the main 2 cellular appearance changes in cancer cells?
- cellular and nuclear pleomorphism (variation in shape and size)
- abnormal mitosis
What is the purpose of angiogenesis in tumour formation?
- sustains tumour growth to provide tumour with oxygen and nutrients
- provides route for metastasis when tumour enters circulation
What is tumour invasion?
Spread of tumour to surrounding/ adjacent tissues (local)
What is tumour metastasis?
Spread of tumour to other body sites and locations
What happens to connective tissue surrounding the tumour during invasion or metastasis?
- increased matrix degradation by proteolytic enzymes
- altered cell-to-cell and cell-to-matrix adhesion
What are the 4 main modes of spread of cancer?
- local spread (invasion of surrounding tissues)
- lymphatic spread
- blood spread
- trans-coelomic spread (tumours in thorax, pelvic and abdominal cavities covered by peritoneum)
What is the order of tumour invasion process?
- malignant tumour
- invasion into connective tissue
- invasion into lymph/blood vessels
What are the most common sites of metastasis? (5)
- liver
- lung
- brain
- bone (axial skeleton)
- adrenal gland
Where is metastasis uncommon? (4)
- heart
- spleen
- kidney
- skeletal muscle
Where do breast tumours commonly metastasise to?
Bone
Where do prostate tumours commonly metastasise to?
Bone
Where do colorectal tumours commonly metastasise to?
Liver
