What Is A Neoplasm?

Question 1

What is a neoplasm?

Answer 1

An abnormal growth of cells that persist after the initial stimulus is removed

Question 2

What is the definition of a maglignant neoplasm?

Answer 2

An abnormal growth of cells that persists after the stimulus is removed and invades surrounding tissue with potential to spread to distant sites

Question 3

What is a tumour?

Answer 3

Any clinically detectable lump or swelling (may or may not be cancer)

Question 4

What is cancer?

Answer 4

Any malignant neoplasm

Question 5

What is a metastasis?

Answer 5

A malignant neoplasm that has spread from its original site to a new non-contiguous site

(Original site-primary site, place of spread- secondary site)

Question 6

What is dysplasia?

Answer 6

A pre-neoplastic alteration in which cells show disordered tissues organisation.

Can also represent altered differentiation. Mild, moderate and sever dysplasia indicates worsening differentiation.

Dysplasia is reversible- is a pre-neoplastic change

Question 7

Why is dysplasia not neoplastic?

Answer 7

Because the change is reversible

Question 8

If a neoplasm metastasises can it be malignant?

Answer 8

Yes, malignant neoplasms have the potential to metastasise whereas benign neoplasms remain confined to their site of origin

Question 9

How do benign neoplasms appear macroscopically?

Answer 9

Grow in a confined local area and so pushing outer margin. There is often a regular outer margin and shape and are easier to remove

Question 10

What does a malignant tumour look like macroscopically?

Answer 10

They have an irregular outer margin and shape and may show areas of necrosis (if the tumour is growing faster than angiogenesis can occur) and ulceration (if on a surface).

Question 11

How does a benign neoplasm look microscopically?

Answer 11

Has cells that closely resemble the parent tissue (they are well differentiated)

Question 12

How does a malignant tumour appear microscopically?

Answer 12

Range from well to poorly differentiated. You would need to look for other features

Question 13

What type of cells are called anaplastic?

Answer 13

Cells with no resemblance to any tissue (usually used in regards to a malignant neoplasm)

Question 14

How is ‘grade’ used as a term for neoplasms?

Answer 14

It is used to indicate differentiation, high grade being poorly differentiated

Question 15

What are initiators and promoters in terms of neoplasm? And what relevance do they have?

Answer 15

Initiators- mutagenic agents causing mutations (ie chemicals, infections and radiation, some of these can also act as promoters). In some neoplasms mutation can be inherited rather than from an external mutagenic agent.

Promoters- cause cell proliferation

You need both and for a prolonged period of time in order to develop an expanded monoclonal population of mutant cells which will go through ‘progression’ to develop into a neoplasm. Either or will not do it.
They must come in a specific order too!

Question 16

How does a neoplasm emerge from a monoclonal population?

Answer 16

Through a process called progression- characterised by the accumulation of yet more mutations

Question 17

What makes a neoplasm monoclonal?

Answer 17

All the cells have all originated from a single founding cell.

Question 18

What are two examples of important genes that can be affected by genetic alterations?

Answer 18

Proto-oncogenes and tumour suppressor genes

Question 19

What do proto-oncogenes become when they’re abnormally active? What do these favour?

Answer 19

Oncogenes

Favour neoplasm formation

Question 20

How might a tumour suppressor gene mutation lead to a neoplasm formation?

Answer 20

This gene normally suppresses growth and then when a mutation occurs it can become inactivated and thus uncontrolled growth of cells can occur

Question 21

What happens to cells as differentiation of the individual cells becomes worse?

Answer 21

Increasing nuclear size and nuclear to cytoplasmic ratio,
Increased nuclear staining (hyperchromasia), more Mitotic figures and increasing variation in size and shape of cells and nuclei

Question 22

What is pleomorphism?

Answer 22

Increasing variation in size and shape of cells an nuclei

Question 23

How do we know neoplasms are monoclonal?

Answer 23

There was a study conducted looking at the gene coding for the enzyme: G6PD, in tumour tissue of women.

**unfinished cue card

Question 24

How do you name a benign neoplasm of the mesenchymal tissue?

Answer 24

Prefix + -oma

Question 25

How do you name a malignant neoplasm of the mesenchymal tissue?

Answer 25

Prefix + -sarcoma

Question 26

Name two cancers that are of the mesenchymal tissue but do not follow the normal nomenclature of neoplasms

Answer 26

Leukaemia: malignant neoplasm of blood-forming cells arising in the bone marrow
Lymphoma: malignant neoplasms of lymphocytes, mainly affecting lymph nodes

*both always malignant

Question 27

What is mesenchymal tissue, what does it include?

Answer 27

Connective tissue, blood or lymphatic

Question 28

How do you name a benign glandular neoplasm of the epithelial tissue?

Answer 28

____ adenoma

Question 29

How do you name a benign finger like neoplasm of the epithelial tissue?

Answer 29

____ papilloma

Question 30

How do you name a malignant neoplasm of epithelial tissue?

Answer 30

____ carcinoma

Question 31

What two types of carcinomas can you get and what do they mean?

Answer 31

In-situ: no invasion through the epithelial basement membrane
Invasive: penetrated through basement membrane

Question 32

Where would you normally find an adenoma?

Answer 32

In the lumen of an organ

Ie Pituitary adenomas

Question 33

Where would you normally find a papilloma?

Answer 33

In stratified squamous epithelium

Eg intraductal papilloma (neoplasm of the breast duct)

Question 34

What is a myeloma?

Answer 34

Malignant neoplasms of plasma cells

Question 35

Why are some neoplasms called ‘-blastomas’?

Answer 35

They are those that are formed from immature precursor cells and occur mainly in children

Eg nephroblastoma