Week 5 Flashcards
What is a Neoplasm?
A new growth of tissue
What is the definition of benign?
A tissue or neoplasm that will not grow or metastasize
- Typically wont result in death
What is the definition of malignant?
A neoplasm or tissue growth that will grow and potentially metastasize
- Might/Will result in death
What is the definition of metastasize?
The spread of cancer cells from the place where they first formed to another part of the body.
What is a tumor?
A physical mass of cell
What is cancer?
A malignant neoplasm that can cause death
What is carcinoma?
- The most common type of cancer
- Starts in the epithelial tissue
What is Sarcoma?
A type of cancer that occurs in the bones, connective tissues, and muscle
In what bodily region do even benign tumors/neoplasms present a mortality risk?
CNS
If the tissue has a benign neoplasm, what suffix is added to the name?
-oma
If the tissue has a malignant neoplasm, what suffix is added to the name?
-sarcoma
When looking at cancer and its determinants, what are some factors to consider?
- It is primarily caused by damaged DNA
- Cancer/Neoplasms are living cells and need nutrients and a blood supply
- Cancer/Neoplasms take many years to grow and become detectable
- To go from benign to malignant is a slow process
- Malignant cells have a distinct appearance and behavior
- Malignant cells don’t metastasize (move) unless they invade lymphatic or blood vessel systems
- The immune system plays a huge role in preventing cancer.
What are the 3 most prevalent cancer types in males?
- Prostate
- Lung & Bronchus
- Colon & Rectum
What are the 3 most prevalent cancer types in females?
- Breast
- Lung & Bronchus
- Colon & Rectum
What cancer three types have the highest mortality rate in Males?
- Lung & Bronchus
- Prostate
- Colon & Rectum
What cancer three types have the highest mortality rate in Females?
- Lung and Bronchus
- Breast
- Colon & rectum
What are the causes of cancer?
- Sunlight (UV radiation)
- Inhalation carcinogens
- Liver carcinogens
- Excretory carcinogens
- HPV (Virus)
- Radiation
- Viruses
- Dietary carcinogens
- contact carcinogens
Big three (Viruses, Carcinogens, Radiation)
Which age group is at the highest risk for malignant cancer?
55-64 years of age
What are the warning signs for cancer?
CAUTION
- Change in bowel/bladder habits
- A sore that doesn’t heal
- Unusual bleeding or discharge
- Thickening or lump in the breast or elsewhere
- Indigestion or difficulty swallowing
- Obvious change in a wart or mole
- Nagging cough or hoarseness
*Unintended weight loss, unremitting pain, night sweats, neurological changes/seizures*
What is a polyp & Papilloma?
A growth from epithelial surfaces
What does atypia refer to in cancer?
An abnormality in the cells of a tissue
What is hyperchromatism?
The development of excess chromatin or of excessive nuclear staining especially as a part of a pathological process
What is cell dyslasia?
the presence of abnormal cells within a tissue or organ
What are some examples of premalignant dysplasia?
- HPV infection of cervix
- Barrett metaplasia(change in cell type) of the esophagus from acid reflux
- Polyps of the colon
What is the biology of neoplasm growth?
- The differentiation of tumor cells
- Clones of cells
- The speed of tumor growth
- The nourishment of tumors
- Tumor cell variation
Explain the difference between well and poorly differentiated neoplastic cells.
-
Well differentiated-
- Typically benign
- Slow Growing
- Unlikely to metastasize
-
Poorly differentiated-
- Typically malignant
- Grow rapidly
- Invade tissue & metastasize
What is the primary target of chemotherapy treatments?
Rapidly dividing cells
What is angiogenesis?
The formation of new blood vessels from pre-existing vessels
Beyond adequate blood nutrients, some tumors require what in order to support and promote growth?
Hormones
Are cancer cells hetero or homogeneous?
Heterogeneous
In what ways do neoplasms spread?
- Through invasiveness
- Metastasis
- Vascularly
- Lymphatically
- Seeding
What does seeding mean with respect to the spread of cancer cells?
This suggests that neoplasms can move to another area (usually organ) with favorable environments and “plant” themselves in that area
what is leukemia?
A cancer of blood forming tissues
What is cachexia?
Weakness and wasting of the body due to severe chronic illness.
What is paraneoplastic syndrome?
This is the result of an abnormal immune system response to a cancerous tumor usually marked by:
- Excess hormones of the native tissue
- Excess hormones unrelated to the native tissue
How are grades of cancer determined?
By evaluating the cancerous cells under a microscope
How are stages of cancer determined?
Based on the size and activity of cancer.
What are the grades of cancer?
- Grade I- well differentiated
- Grade II- moderately differentiated
- Grade III- poorly differentiated
What are the stages of cancer?
- Stage 0 means there’s no cancer, only abnormal cells with the potential to become cancer.
- Stage I means the cancer is small and only in one area. …
- Stage II and III mean the cancer is larger and has grown into nearby tissues or lymph nodes.
- Stage IV means cancer has spread to other parts of your body.
What are the treatments for cancer?
- Surgical removal
- Radiation therapy
- Chemotherapy
- Hormonal & Anti-angioneogenesis therapy
- Immunotherapy
What are some ways that cancer causes death?
- Organ failure
- Infections
What is hematopoiesis?
The production of all types of blood cells including formation, development, and differentiation of blood cells
Where is blood created?
- Blood cells are made in the bone marrow.
- Most of the adult body’s bone marrow is in the pelvic bones, breast bone, and the bones of the spine.
What do lymphoid cells become?
Lymphocytes
What do myeloid cells become?
Myeloid cells can develop into red blood cells, white blood cells
What hormone stimulates the production of red blood cells?
Erythropoietin
In what organ is Erythropoietin made?
Kidneys
What percentage of your blood is comprised of WBCs?
1%
If the goal of a lab is to assess all of the cellular elements of your blood cells, what type of lab assessment would be conducted?
Whole blood lab
If the goal of a blood cell lab is to assess the chemical elements of the blood (such as glucose), what type of assessment would be conducted?
Serum Lab
When a complete blood count is obtained, what are you looking for?
- WBC count(for infection)
- RBC count (Anemia)
- WBC differential (bacteria or parasite)
- Hemoglobin (Anemia)
- Hematocrit (Anemia)
- RBC indices
- Reticulocytes
What is the normative value for Hemoglobin in males and females?
Men: 14 mg/dL
Women: 12 mg/dL
What are the hematocrit levels for men and women?
30-40%
What is the RBC count comparison between men and women?
Females < Men
What is the total WBC for men and women?
4.5-10.5 (103 cell/cu mm)
What is the normal platelet count for men and women?
150-350 (103 cells/cu mm)
What are RBC indices utilized for?
Diagnosing anemia
What is lymphoma?
cancer that begins in infection-fighting cells of the immune system, called lymphocytes.
What is anemia?
Either too few RBCs or too little hemoglobin in RBCs (or both)
How is anemia diagnosed?
- Determine small RBC and low MCHC which is indicative of iron deficiency
- Attempt to identify cause
- Hemorrhage
- RBC destruction
- Failed production
What is the acute response to blood loss?
- Dilutional anemia:
- Blood volume is initially replaced by increased albumin and water
What is the response to chronic blood loss?
- Abnormal menstruation or GI bleeding
- Iron deficiency anemia (small and pale RBCs)
What are some symptoms of having hemolytic anemia?
- Hypercellular bone marrow
- High reticulocyte count
- Increased blood lactate dehydrogenase
- Low haptoglobin
- Increased blood bilirubin
What is sickle cell disease?
- A group of disorders that cause red blood cells to become misshapen and break down.
- The body produces Hemoglobin S rather than A
- Symptoms occur as a result of exercise
- lactic acid production causes sickle cell crisis
What is polycythemia?
Too many RBCs
What is the difference between relative and absolute polycythemia?
- Relative = increased concentration (dehydration)
- Absolute = Increased total number
What is the difference between primary and secondary polycythemia?
- Primary = marrow malignancy
- Secondary= caused by conditions outside the bone marrow
What is Leukopenia?
General term meaning too few WBCs
What is Neutropenia?
- Many possible causes of increased destruction
- Not enough neutrophils
- Susceptible to bacterial infections
What is Agranulocytosis?
Severe neutropenia (usually caused by chemo drugs)
What is Lymphopenia?
Rare, associated with immune system deficiency.
What is leukocytosis?
Condition that causes you to have too many white blood cells
If you have malignant leukemia, which has a better outcome, acute or chronic?
Chronic has the better outcome.
What is myelosuppresion?
Condition in which bone marrow activity is decreased
What are the typical causes of death for malignant disorders of Leukocytes?
- Typically the result of:
- Anemia
- Hemorrhage
- Infection
What are some characteristics of acute leukemia?
- Poor prognosis
- Normal to high WBC counts
- Abrupt onset
- Decrease in number of normal marrow cells
- Bone pain
- Enlarged lymph nodes, spleen and liver
- Nervous system symptoms (headache/vomiting)
What are some characteristics of chronic leukemia?
- Better prognosis
- Insidious onset
- Fatigue
- Low-grade fever and/or secondary infection
- Enlarged spleen or liver
Where does multiple myeloma come from?
Multiple myeloma occurs when an abnormal plasma cell develops in the bone marrow and reproduces itself very quickly.
What is acute lymphocytic leukemia?
A type of cancer of the blood and bone marrow that affects white blood cells.
What is Hodgkin Lymphoma?
- Reed-Sternberg cells of lymphoid tissues become malignant due to EBV infection
- Arise in single node and advance node-by-node, typically only affects nodes, defective T-cell immunity
What is Non-Hodgkin Lymphoma?
- Most types affect B-lymphocytes
- Follicular type (less aggressive, often affecting young adults)
- Diffuse type (more aggressive; usually affecting older adults, children or persons with AIDs)
What is acute myeloid leukemia?
- RBC, granulocyte and platelet counts fall leading to anemia, infection & hemorrhage
Why is myelofibrosis?
Bone marrow stem cells develop changes (mutations) in their DNA
What happens to WBC as a result of bacterial infection?
WBC count rises to as much as 20,000 or even higher
What is mono?
infection with the Epstein-Barr virus.
What is the purpose of the lymph system?
Important in clearing bacteria, cancerous cells, etc. & therefore critical in normal immune function.
What is lymphadenopathy?
Enlargement of one or more lymph nodes
If a patient has swollen and tender lymph nodes, what might this person have?
Lymphadenitis
What is the purpose of the spleen?
Filters microbes and other unwanted substances from the blood removes old blood cells & platelets.
What can hypersplenism cause?
- anemia
- low WBC
- Thrombocytopenia
What value is considered normal for a prothrombin time extrinsic pathway
1, means blood clots at normal rate
Excessive bleeding is associated with what?
- Fragile blood vessels
- Low platelet count or defective platelet function
- Decreased coagulation factor activity
