Wk3:Ch7: Key Words Flashcards
adenocarcinoma
a malignant tumor of epithelial cells
adenomas
benign tumors of glandular epithelial origin
anaplasia
the loss of cell differentiation, and hence cell function
angiogenesis
the formation of new blood vessels
astrocytomas
Tumors arising from astrocytes, a type of glial cell in the brain and spinal cord.
autonomy
unregulated proliferation of the neoplasm
benign
tumors that remain localized and closely resemble the tissue of origin
blasts
immature cells
cancer
a term used to describe highly invasive, and destructive neoplasms, which are irreversible deviant cluster cells
carcinogen
agents that interfere with molecular pathways and can initiate or promote tumor formation in the body
carcinogenesis
the origin and development f cancerous neoplasms
carcinomas in situ
carcinomas confined to the epithelium that have not yet penetrated the basement membrane
chondromas
benign tumors made of cartilage that grows in bones or soft tissue
chondrosarcoma
a malignant tumor of a condrocyte
differentiation
the orderly process of cell maturation to achieve a specific function
direct extension
a process of tumor cells moving into adjacent tissues and organs
ectopic
hormone secretion from a site outside of an endocrine gland
epistaxis
the medical term for a nosebleed.
epithelioma
a benign tumor of the squamous epithelium
fecal occult blood test (FOBT)
- A test that detects occult blood in stool using a chemical reaction
- also called ‘guaiac smear test’
frank blood
visible blood
grading
a process of differentiating the level of anaplasia depicted by the tumor
immunotherapy
A treatment that enhances the immune system to fight cancer.
intrathecal chemotherapy
Chemotherapy delivered directly into the cerebrospinal fluid to target cancers of the brain or spinal cord.
leukemias
malignant neoplasms of the blood and blood-forming organs
local spread
proliferation of the neoplasm within the tissue of origin
lymphomas
a type of cancer that affects the lymphatic system
malignant
invasive and destructive tumors that proliferate rapidly, spread to other sites, and do not resemble the tissue of origin
metastases
when neoplasms are spread to distant sites often by way of lymphatics or blood vessels
neoplasms
An abnormal mass of tissue that forms when cells grow and divide more than they shouldor do not die when they should
neoplasia
uncontrolled, abnormal growth of cells or tissues in the body
non-Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL)
a disease in which malignant (cancer) cells form in the lymph system
occult blood
hidden blood
oncogenes
- mutated genes that have the potential to cause cancer
- genes that code for proteins involved in cell growth or regulation
organ tropism
a term used to describe the affinity of a primary tumor to a specific distant site
palliative care
treating symptoms such as pain without curing the cancer
papilloma
A benign tumor arising from epithelial tissue
paraneoplastic syndromes
cluster of symptoms (hormonal, neurologic, hematologic, and chemical disturbances) that are triggered by a cancer but are not caused by the primary tumor
Philadelphia chromosome
an abnormal chromosome that’s a combination of chromosomes 9 and 22
proliferation
the generation of new daughter cells divided from progenitor (parent) cells
promotion
an expansion of the mutated cell’s growth and reproduction
protooncogenes
genes that regulate normal cell growth and division.
Reed-Sternberg cells
Large, abnormal cells characteristic of Hodgkin lymphoma
seeding
a form of direct extension in which disseminated cells colonize secondary sites
tumor staging
the process of classifying the extent or spread of neoplasms and refers to the tumor size, location, lymph node involvement and spread
stem cells
cells that can differentiate into specialized cells, such as blood cells, bone cells, and nerve cells
teratomas
a rare type of germ cell tumor that may contain immature or fully formed tissue, including teeth, hair, bone and muscle.
tumor markers
any substance in your body that provides information about a cancer
tumor suppressor genes
- genes that prohibit over proliferation of cells and regulate apoptosis
- TP53 gene, retinoblastoma (Rb) gene, and BCL-2 gene)
