W07_06 Principles of surgical oncology

Question 1

what are the most common cancers? (male/female)

Answer 1

prostate/breast;
lung;
colorectal;
non hodgkin's lymphoma/thyroid;
bladder/non hodgkin's lymphoma

Question 2

note: surgery can treat the top cancers

Answer 2

prostate, breast, lung, colorectal, thyroid, bladder

Question 3

why does prognosis vary so much? (e.g. 25-95% for prostate cancer)

Answer 3

depending on when it’s diagnosed and what the staging is at that point

Question 4

define neoadjuvant chemo/radiation therapy

Answer 4

given before a surgery to reduce margins, and make the tumour easier to remove

Question 5

define adjuvant chemo/radiation therapy

Answer 5

given after a surgery to destroy any cells left over, especially in the lymph nodes

Question 6

know negative margin

Answer 6

ok

Question 7

what’s the defining factor for a stage III cancer?

Answer 7

lymph nodes affected

Question 8

what’s the defining factor for a stage IV cancer?

Answer 8

mets to other body regions

Question 9

prophylactic breast resection is for which genetic abnormality?

Answer 9

BRCA1/2

Question 10

prophylactic colon resection is for which conditions?

Answer 10

familial adenomatous polyposis (apc gene);
hereditary non-polyposis colon cancer (DNA mismatch repair gene);
IBD

Question 11

prophylactic gastric resection is for which condition?

Answer 11

familial diffuse gastric cancer

Question 12

what procedure is performed for prophylactic surgical prevention of colon cancer in those with FAP?

Answer 12

total protocolectomy and ileoanal pouch anal anastomosis

Question 13

what’s the difference between a fine needle aspirate and a core biopsy?

Answer 13

fine needle doesn’t sample the structure, only the cells. but, it’s faster and less uncomfortable

Question 14

what preoperative investigations would you order for someone with colon cancer by colonoscopy?

Answer 14

CEA;
full colonoscopy;
CT chest, abdomen, pelvis for mets;
MRI pelvis