Cancer Overview and Terminology

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Questions and Answers

What describes the process whereby tumor cells penetrate the host's stroma?

Local invasion (correct)

Extravasation

Cellular transformation

Vascularization

Which of the following routes is most commonly used by tumor cells to enter the bloodstream?

By directly invading large vessels

Through arterial walls

Through thin-walled venules (correct)

Via venous pressure

What happens after tumor cells are detached and embolized in the bloodstream?

They undergo apoptosis

They become trapped in capillary beds (correct)

They migrate to peripheral tissues without obstruction

They rejoin the primary tumor

Which mechanism is likely involved in the process of extravasation of tumor cells?

Invasion mechanisms Signup and view all the answers

What complexity increases the challenge of detecting metastatic tumors early?

Metastatic tumors being advanced before primary tumors are detectable Signup and view all the answers

What is the primary function of contact inhibition in normal cells?

To maintain a monolayer of cells Signup and view all the answers

Which characteristic distinguishes cancer cells from normal cells in relation to contact inhibition?

Cancer cells continue to grow even when in contact with other cells Signup and view all the answers

What role do cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs) play in tumor microenvironments?

They promote the remodeling of the extracellular matrix Signup and view all the answers

What is one consequence of defects in DNA repair mechanisms in the context of cancer?

Accumulation of genetic damage Signup and view all the answers

What is the primary characteristic of cancer cells in relation to cell growth?

They escape normal regulatory processes. Signup and view all the answers

How do mutations in growth factor signaling pathways contribute to cancer cell behavior?

They allow autonomous growth of cancer cells Signup and view all the answers

What does the presence of telomerase in cancer cells prevent?

Telomere shortening Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following types of cancer originates from epithelial cells?

Carcinomas Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following is NOT a feature associated with cancer cells?

Ability to undergo apoptosis Signup and view all the answers

What do oncologists primarily focus on?

Diagnosis, treatment, and prevention of cancer. Signup and view all the answers

Which term is used to refer to non-cancerous tumors?

Benign Signup and view all the answers

What is involved in the development of sustained angiogenesis in tumors?

Formation of a blood supply by the tumor itself Signup and view all the answers

What is the distinguishing feature of malignant neoplasms?

They can invade nearby tissues and spread to other parts of the body. Signup and view all the answers

How are benign tumors typically named?

By adding the suffix '-oma' to the tissue type. Signup and view all the answers

What does the term 'anaplasia' refer to in the context of cancer?

Rapid cell division with abnormal appearance. Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following is categorized as a blood-based cancer?

Lymphomas Signup and view all the answers

What enzyme is responsible for elongating telomeres in cancer cells?

Telomerase Signup and view all the answers

In which types of cells is telomerase typically found?

Fetal tissues, adult germ cells, and tumor cells Signup and view all the answers

What significant role does telomerase play in cancer cell biology?

It allows indefinite proliferation and immortality. Signup and view all the answers

What process involves the penetration of cancer cells into neighboring tissues?

Invasion Signup and view all the answers

How do cancer cells typically spread throughout the body?

Through lymph channels and blood vessels Signup and view all the answers

What does tumor grade indicate in cancer staging?

How abnormal the cancer cells look Signup and view all the answers

What is the first site where cancer is likely to spread from the primary tumor?

Sentinel node Signup and view all the answers

What does an N1 classification in the TNM system indicate?

Regional lymph node metastasis is present Signup and view all the answers

Which type of cancer typically sees an initial spread to the axillary nodes?

Breast cancer Signup and view all the answers

What does a T3 classification in the TNM system represent?

The tumor is large or has extended into nearby tissues Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following describes a 'localized' cancer stage?

Cancer is limited to its original site without any spread Signup and view all the answers

What is the term for the process of cancer spreading within body cavities?

Seeding Signup and view all the answers

Which TNM classification indicates no distant metastasis?

M0 Signup and view all the answers

What is indicated by the term 'in situ' in cancer staging?

Abnormal cells are present but have not invaded nearby tissues Signup and view all the answers

What does 'NX' signify in the TNM classification system?

Lymph nodes cannot be assessed Signup and view all the answers

What statement about cancer treatment can be inferred from recent developments?

More than half of cancer patients achieve long-term survival Signup and view all the answers

What is the process by which cancer cells invade surrounding tissues after breaking away from the primary tumor?

Invasion Signup and view all the answers

Which step in metastasis involves cancer cells gaining access to blood vessels?

Intravasation Signup and view all the answers

What determines the grade of a tumor based on differentiation levels and mitosis frequency?

Grading of Tumors Signup and view all the answers

What occurs during the progression phase of carcinogenesis?

Tumor cells acquire malignant characteristics Signup and view all the answers

What is the TNM staging system used for?

To stage various types of cancer Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following statements about oncogenes is correct?

They are mutated forms of normal genes that promote cell growth. Signup and view all the answers

What does extravasation refer to in the context of metastasis?

Tumor cells emerging from the bloodstream Signup and view all the answers

What phase follows the initiation phase in carcinogenesis?

Promotion Signup and view all the answers

Study Notes

Neoplasia/Oncology Overview

Neoplasia is the term for new growth
Cancer is a disorder caused by altered cell differentiation and growth
Cancer cells bypass the normal regulatory processes for cell growth and division
This leads to uncontrolled cell growth and proliferation
Metastasis is the process where cancer cells spread to other locations

Types of Cancer

Sarcomas: Cancers of connective tissues, such as bone, blood vessels, cartilage, and nerves.
Carcinomas: Cancers that originate in epithelial cells lining the body or body cavities (e.g., skin, breast). They are the most common type of cancer.
Blood-based cancers: Cancers like leukemia, lymphoma, and multiple myeloma.

Terminology

Oncology: The field of medicine dealing with cancer diagnosis, treatment, prevention, and early detection.
Oncologists: Physicians who treat cancer patients.
Tumor: A mass that grows due to overgrowth of cells.
Anaplasia: A condition in which cells rapidly divide but do not resemble normal cells in structure or function (a hallmark characteristic of cancer).
Cancer is the second leading cause of death in the US.

Benign Tumors vs. Malignant Tumors

Benign tumors are not life-threatening unless their location harms a vital organ.
They are named with an "-oma" suffix.
Benign tumors grow and expand but don't invade or spread to other organs, while malignant do invade and spread.
Carcinoma refers to a malignant tumor. A benign tumor of glandular tissue is called adenoma, while a malignant one is called a carcinoma.

Factors leading to Cancer

In normal tissues, new cell growth and old cell death balance each other.
When this balance is disrupted, uncontrolled cell growth or loss of a cell's ability to undergo apoptosis can lead to cancer.

Cancer Cell Division

Normal cell division: A damaged cell undergoes apoptosis (programmed cell death) and is replaced by a healthy cell.
Cancer cell division: Damaged cells reproduce, resulting in uncontrolled cell growth.

Levels of Differentiation

Well-differentiated: Cancer cells that look and behave similarly to normal cells.
Moderately differentiated: Cancer cells that are abnormal but still share some characteristics with normal cells.
Poorly differentiated: Cancer cells which don't look much like normal cells.
Undifferentiated: Cancer cells that do not resemble normal cells at all.

Cell Markers

Cell markers: Proteins or carbohydrates on a cell's surface that indicate the cell type, stage of development, maturity, or activation.
Used to identify specific cell types, such as cancer cells, stem cells, and cells infected by HIV.
Examples include cell surface markers CD3, CD4, CD11b, CD16, and CD19, used for identifying and categorizing immune cells.
Other markers can be found in the nucleolus, nucleus, ribosomes, endoplasmic reticulum, Golgi apparatus, mitochondria and in the cytoplasm, lysosomes, and plasma membrane.

Cell Surface Markers (Immune System)

CD molecules (clusters of differentiation) are crucial for immune cell-cell communication and sensing the microenvironment.
Markers are used to identify and isolate different types of white blood cells (leukocytes) and lymphocytes.

Normal Cells Versus Cancer Cells

Normal cells exhibit uniform shape and uniformity in size. In contrast, cancer cells show a variation in size and shape.
Nucleus of normal cells are typically small and uniform, while those in cancer cells are enlarged and often contain multiple nucleoli.
Normal cells are normally arranged in discrete tissue structures. cancer cells show disorganized arrangement
Normal cells generally have a high degree of differentiation with specific functions, whereas tumor cells often show a loss of differentiation.

Structure of Cancer Cells

Cancer cells have irregularly shaped nuclei and altered chromosome structures.
Size and structure of cell parts like the Endoplasmic Reticulum (ER), mitochondria and the Golgi apparatus are abnormal.

Normal Cells Versus Cancer Cells Summary Diagram (19)

Normal vs. cancer cell characteristics summarized in a visual diagram. Key differences include cellular characteristics, growth, and arrangement.

Cancer Cell Division Summary Diagram (20 and 21)

Visual representation of normal and abnormal cell division processes. Cancerous cells divide uncontrollably. Image representing an immune response to attack the cancerous cells

Tumor Formation

A tumor is a mass of abnormal cells.

Cancer Cell Development (23)

Normal cell vs. cancer cell development represented through illustrations highlighting the stages of growth and tissue invasion.

Contact Inhibition

Normal cells stop dividing when they come into contact with other cells, maintaining a single layer. Cancer cells lose contact inhibition. This leads to uncontrolled cell growth.

Metastasis

Direct migration and penetration of cancer cells into neighboring tissues.
The ability to invade lymphatic and blood vessels and spread through the bloodstream to other tissues. Spreading cancer cells spread through body cavities.

Invasion and Metastasis - Summary Diagrams (35 and 36)

Metastasis process visualised; cancer cell invasion of surrounding tissues and blood vessels, travel through the circulatory system, and establishment in new locations. (35) Cancer cell behavior is displayed via diagrammatic progression; benign vs. malignant cells with time.

Pathogenesis of Metastasis (37 and 38)

The process through which cancer cells spread throughout the body. Includes steps like cellular transformation, vascularization, invasion, embolization, adhesion, and extravasation. Diagrams illustrate this process.

The Five Key Steps of Metastasis (39)

The five steps in the process: Invasion, Intravasation, Circulation, Extravasation, and Colonization.

Cancer Cell Spread (40)

Cancer breaks away from the primary tumor, invades the surrounding matrix, enters a blood vessel, survives its journey in the bloodstream, moves to a favorable location, and invades the surrounding tissues.

Pathophysiology of Cancer (41)

Protoncogenes change to oncogenes due to DNA mutations. This leads to uncontrolled cell growth and proliferation. Tumor spreading through the lymphatic or blood vessels.

Steps Involving the Transformation of Normal Cells into Cancer Cells (42)

The process of cancer development is separated into initiation, promotion, and progression stages. These are explained with illustrations.

Carcinogenesis Phases (44)

Initiation, Promotion, Progression, and Metastasis phases in development of cancer illustrated including agents that can increase or decrease these phases.

Initiation, Promotion, Progression (45)

Process of cell transformation from normal to cancerous cell in diagrams.

Most Common Types of Cancer in US (46)

The most common cancers in the US (including Breast, Lung, Melanoma, Colorectal, Uterus) and their projected incidence in 2022.

Inside the Cell (47)

Diagram showing the cell, nucleus, chromosome and DNA, and Gene components.

Tumor Grading (48)

Grading of tumors is a microscopic examination of cancer cells to determine their level of differentiation and the number of mitotic cells. Grades range from I-IV.

Tumor Staging (49)

Staging of tumors includes factors such as location, cell type, size, lymph node spread, and distant spread, in order to identify the type of cancer.

TNM System Explained (50 and 51)

The TNM staging system (Tumor, Node, Metastasis) is used to describe and categorize different types of cancer. There descriptions (TX, T0, T1, T2, T3, T4) and the description of N (lymph nodes spread), degree to distant metastasis.

Diagrams showing the T stages of bladder cancer (52)

Diagram showing stages T1-T4 of bladder cancer.

Another Staging System (53)

Different levels of cancer development (in situ, localized, regional, distant, unknown) visualised and described.

Carcinoma in Situ (54)

A stage of cancer where the abnormal cells have not yet spread outside their initial location.

A final word (55)

Final statement about cancer research and future advancements.

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Description

This quiz provides an overview of neoplasia and oncology, exploring the various types of cancer and key terminology associated with the field. Test your knowledge on how cancer develops, the role of oncologists, and the differences between sarcomas and carcinomas. Dive into the critical concepts that shape our understanding of cancer.