Cancer Biology Overview

Tumor Markers

• Tumor markers are produced by normal cells
• Help determine cancer origin
• Help identify cancer progression
• Include prostatic-specific antigen

Deficits in Immune Function in Cancer

• Chemotherapy can cause deficiencies
• Cancer cells can hinder immune system function
• Cancer metastasis to bone marrow can weaken the system
• Malnutrition can compromise the immune response

Chemotherapy Side Effects

• Anemia is a common side effect
• Nausea can occur
• Bleeding can be a complication
• Infections are a potential side effect

Preneoplastic Cellular Change

• Dysplasia is considered preneoplastic

Malignant Neoplasms of Epithelial Origin

• Carcinoma refers to malignant epithelial tumors

Cancer Grading

• Cancer grading is based on cell differentiation

Allostasis

• Allostasis is the ability to adapt to challenges
• It's the overall process of adapting to maintain survival and well-being

Chemotherapy After Lung Tumor Removal

• Chemotherapy kills rapidly dividing cells in the body

Stress Response and Sympathetic Nervous System

• Many stress responses are mediated by the sympathetic nervous system

Coagulative Necrosis

• Coagulative necrosis is caused by ischemia (lack of blood supply)
• Blood supply interruption leads to this type of necrosis

Subclinical Stage

• The subclinical stage is when disease is present but the patient functions normally

Intracellular Accumulations

• Intracellular accumulations indicate injury due to faulty metabolism

Necrotic Brain Tissue Death

• Liquefactive necrosis is the result of necrotic brain tissue death

Meningococcal Meningitis Latent Stage

• The latent stage is when a patient is infected, but not yet showing signs

Apoptosis Cellular Death

• Apoptosis is a process that results in cellular death

Reversible Cellular Responses

• All cellular responses are potentially reversible except necrosis

Selye's Stress Response Phases

• Selye's phases of the stress response include alarm reaction, resistance, and exhaustion

Stress Hormone Secretions

• Insulin is not a stress hormone; norepinephrine, cortisol, and epinephrine are

Atrophy General Causes

• Atrophy is caused by disuse, denervation, ischemia, nutrient starvation, interruption of endocrine glands, and persistent cell injury

Hyperplasia

• Hyperplasia is a term used to indicate increased cell number due to mitosis

Subjective Feeling of Abnormality

• Symptoms refer to a subjective feeling of abnormality in the body

Prodromal Stage

• The prodromal stage is when signs and/or symptoms first appear indicating the onset of a disease

Remission and Severity

• Remission shows a decrease in disease severity, signs, and symptoms.

Diagnostic Test Differentiation

• Specificity is the extent to which a test can differentiate between presence or absence of a condition.

Probability of Negative Test Result

• Specificity refers to the probability of a negative test result in individuals without the condition

Epidemiology Study of Disease Patterns

• Epidemiology is the study of disease patterns, incidence, prevalence, transmission, and distribution in populations

Secondary Prevention Focus

• Secondary prevention is focused on early detection, screening, and management of a disease.

Hydropic Cellular Swelling

• Hydropic swelling involves large, pale cytoplasm, dilated endoplasmic reticulum, and swollen mitochondria

Metaplasia Cellular Adaptation

• Metaplasia is a cellular response where cells adapt to persistent injury by switching to a less sensitive cell type.

Fatty Tissue Necrosis

• Fat necrosis is characterized by the death of adipose tissue, often resulting from trauma or pancreatitis.

Gas Gangrene Pathogenesis

• Gas gangrene results from anaerobic bacteria infecting necrotic tissue, characterized by gas bubble formation in muscle tissue.

Apoptosis and Inflammation

• Apoptosis does not always cause inflammation; it does not refer to a pathological process

Local and Systemic Cell Death Indicators

• Pain, inflammation, elevated serum enzymes, and increased white blood cells (WBCs) are indicators of cell death

Malignant Tumors

• Untreated, malignant tumors can cause death to the host

Tissue Specific Differentiation

• Malignant tumors are characterized by tissue-specific differentiation that's different from their origin tissue

Risk Factors

• Risk factors are agents or conditions that increase the likelihood of a disease

Cortisol and Stress Response

• Cortisol is a primary glucocorticoid affecting protein metabolism and promoting appetite.

Pituitary Hormone

• The anterior pituitary secretes hormone involved in regulating protein, lipid, and carbohydrate metabolism

Oxytocin

• Oxytocin is produced during childbirth and lactation, and is associated with bonding and social attachment, thought to have a stress mitigating effect

Aldosterone and Mineralocorticoid

• Aldosterone is a primary mineralocorticoid that promotes the reabsorption of sodium and water

Elevated Blood Pressure

• Elevated blood pressure is a physical indicator of stress.

Stress Response Persistence

• Stress response's persistence is defined by the inability to habituate to a stressor; the stress response continues even after the stressor has ended.

Behavioral and Emotional Stress Indicators

• Emotional and behavioral indicators of stress include anxiety, depression, changes in eating and sleeping patterns, and substance use.

Epigenetic Modifications

• Epigenetic modifications are changes in gene activity without altering the DNA sequence

Vitamin Deficiencies Neurological and Digestive Disorders

• Deficiencies in certain vitamins (e.g., vitamin E, niacin) can cause various neurological and digestive disorders

Trace Element Deficiency

• Selenium deficiency can lead to cardiomyopathy

Radiation Cellular Effects

• Radiation exposure can cause genetic damage and acute cell destruction

Gastrointestinal Physiological Changes with Aging

• Esophageal emptying, bowel motility, enzyme and HCl production, intrinsic factor production, thickening of stomach mucosa vary with age.

Thrombocytopenia

• Thrombocytopenia is a condition of insufficient platelets, which can lead to life-threatening hemorrhaging.

Somatic Death

• Somatic death refers to the death of the whole organism

Viruses vs. Bacteria

• Viruses differ from most bacteria needing a host to replicate; they are not an independent cellular organism

Infectious Injury Causative Agents

• Injury can result from exotoxins, endotoxins, cell self-destruction, anti-inflammatory reactions, and enzymes from white blood cells

Inflammation and Disease Process

• Infectious injury often inflammation making tissues damaged.

Generalized Weakness

• Cachexia manifests as significant weight loss and generalized weakness.