Week 1 Flashcards
Cancer
Cancer is a disease that is characterised by the uncontrolled growth and spread of abnormal cells. Cancer cells are derived from normal cells that have undergone neoplastic transformation ie. An irreversible process leading to the transformation of a healthy cell into a cancer cell
GAP 1: POST MITOTIC / PRE SYNTHESIS PHASE
● Lasts from 18 – 30 hours
● Time from the end of mitosis to DNA synthesis
● Primarily a stage of ‘readiness,’ in which cells start to make enzymes for DNA synthesis and prepare for entry into the S phase.
SYNTHESIS (S)
● Lasts 7 – 20 hours
● Proteins containing DNA are copied
● Synthesis of DNA leads to doubling of the total amount (DNA is replicated)
● Normal cell reproduction is dependant upon orderly synthesis of genetic material
● Cells are most vulnerable to damage during the S phase
GAP 2 (G2) POST SYNTHETIC / PRE MITOTIC PHASE :
● 2nd gap period. Lasts from 2 – 10 hours
● Errors in replication are corrected
● Specialised proteins and RNA are synthesised
● Cells are basically awaiting entry into the mitotic phase
Go (RESTING) PHASE
● There is an additional phase in the cell cycle. Some cells do not enter the G1 pool, but enter the Go state, where they become temporarily or permanently quiescent.
● In the Go, cells are not active in the cell cycle
● Lasts from a few hours to a few years
● Since at any given time, only 15-30% of cells are cycling, the Go cells are the largest population
Mitosis (M)
● Lasts 30 minutes to 2 hours
● Cell division occurs
● Duplication of the DNA MUST be complete before cells enter the mitotic phase
4 subphases :
○ Prophase *
○ Metaphase *
○ Anaphase *
○ Telophase *
Proliferative Growth Patterns
● A common feature of all cancers is the loss of cellular proliferation ie. cancer cells are not subject to the usual restriction on cell growth and proliferation imposed by the host
● Normal cells acquire certain specialized characteristics of their tissue of origin – ie.. DIFFERENTIATION
● Well differentiated – tumour cells reproduce these features well – ie.. Breast cells
● Poorly differentiated – tumour cells reproduce these features poorly– ie.. Difficult to tell the cell of origin
● Undifferentiated – cannot tell – no maturation
Tumour growth
● From a single cell, cancer may take months/years to become detectable
● DOUBLING TIME is the time a tumour takes to double its size
● Solid tumour is usually palpable at approx 30 doublings
● Death from cancer usually occurs at around 40 doublings
ONCOGENES
Oncogenes are mutated forms of proto-oncogenes, normal growth-promoting genes in cells. When activated by mutations, they cause excessive production of growth factors, leading to tumorigenesis.
MEDIATORS OF CELL GROWTH- PDGF
PDGF - Platelet-derived growth factor is one of the numerous proteins that regulate cell growth and division
TUMOUR SUPPRESSOR GENES
Tumor suppressor genes, such as the p53 gene, play a crucial role in controlling cell growth. Mutations in these genes can lead to uncontrolled growth, as cells lose their switch off, allowing uncontrolled growth. The p53 gene, which normally halts the cell cycle, can be mutated, causing abnormal cell growth.
Apoptosis : Programmed cell death
● Maintenance of healthy tissues and organs is dependant upon the proper balance of cell division with apoptosis.
● Apoptosis is regulated by different gene products : One of the most well characterized proteins that directs cells to ‘suicide’ at the proper time is the product coded by the tumour suppressor gene, P53
Carcinogen
A substance capable of causing cancer in living tissue
Cancer Staging
Accurate staging provides guidance in the selection of cancer treatment that will be most effective for the patient. This enables:
● Prognostic information
● Informs clinicians of the benefit of treatment and the risk of recurrence
● Inclusion, exclusion and stratification criteria for patients to enter clinical trials
● International collaborative cancer research by following global disease outcomes
Staging Systems
Include the following information
● Location of Tumour
● Type of Cells (such as germ cells or adenocarcinoma)
● Tumour Grade (how abnormal cells look compared to normal cells)
● Measurement of tumour size
● Lymph node spread of tumour cells
● Metastatic spread to other sites