Question | Answer |
What are the most common sites for cancer in men? | prostate 27%
Lung and bronchus 14%
colon and rectum 8% |
What are the most common sites for cancer in women? | breast 29%
Lung and bronchus 13%
colon and rectum 8% |
What is a benign tumor | mass of cells relatively harmless, do not spread to other parts of the body only become a problem when they apply pressure or obstruct body organs, surgical removal is often recommended |
What is a malignant tumor | mass of cells that are abnormal in appearance; unable to perform function of origin; not recognized by other cells; may have tumor markers; inadequate space and nutrients, can migrate from one tissue to or organ to another |
What is regional invasion | movement of cancer cells into adjoining tissue |
Define metastasis | process by which cancer spreads |
define metastatic growths | tumors found away from original site of malignant cells: most common sites are liver, brain, bone and lungs |
What are the steps to malignant transformation | Initiation; promotion; progression; metastasis |
describe initiation | DNA is exposed to carcinogen, irreversible changes in DNA (cell appears abmormal but still functions normally) |
describe promotion | sufficient exposure to an agent (promotor) to encourage / enhance cell growth (latent period before increased growth forms tumors) |
describe progression | accelerated growth rate, enhanced invasiveness, altered appearance and biochemical activity (tumor development, cells mutate) |
describe metastasis | transformed cell relocate by direct extension, invasion, establishment of remote sites |
How are tumors classified | by anatomic site, stage and cell appearance & differentiation |
Name benign tumors by anatomic site | Fibroma - fibrous connective tissue
Lipoma - fat tissue
leiomyomas - smooth muscle tissue |
name malignant tumors by anatomic site | carcinoma - skin, glands, lining of digestive, urinary & respiratory tracts.
Sarcoma - bone, muscle, other connective tissue.
Melanoma - pigment cells in skin.
Leukemia & lymphoma - blood forming tissues; lymphoid tissue; plasma cells, & bone marrow |
stage 1 | malignant cells are confined to tissue of origin, no invasion of other tissues |
stage 2 | limited spread of cancer occurs in local area, usually to nearby lymph nodes |
stage 3 | tumor is larger, has spread from site of origin to nearby tissues, regional lymph nodes are likely to be involved |
state 4 | cancer has metastasized to distant parts of body, term advanced is also used to describe this stage |
TNM Staging system | specifies the status of the primary tumor, regional lymph notes, and distant metastases
t = tumor
n = regional lymph nodes
m = distant mestastases |
T stages in the TNM staging system | TO - no sign of tumor after treatment
tis 0 malignancy in epithelial tissue but not basement membrane
T1-minimal size and extension
T 2 & 3 - progressively increasing in size and extension
T4-larg size and extension |
N stages in the TNM staging system | NO - no regional lymph notes involved
N1 - minimal reginal lymph node involvement
N2 - increased involvement of regional lymph nodes
N3 - extensive involvement of regional lymph nodes |
M stages in the TNM staging system | MO - no distant metastasis
M1 - distant metastasis present |
Warning signs of cancer
C.A.U.T.I.O.N | Changes in bowel or bladder habits
A sore that does not heal
Unusual bleeding or discharge
Thickening or lump in breast or elsewhere
Indigestion or difficult swallowing
Obvious change in a wart or mole
Nagging cough or hoarseness |
What are radioprotectors | Medications that can help to protect the salivery glands as well as mucus producing tissues |
Medical term for dry mouth | Xerostoma |
What is osteradionecrosis | Destruction of bone caused by radiation |
Side effects of radiation therapy | Bone marrow suppression; alopecia summer: anorexia; dry mouth; nausea and vomiting in semi: diarrhea and inflammation of the skin, aesophagus, longs, in bladder |
Inflammation of the esophagus is? | Esophagitis |
Inflammation of the lungs is? | Pneumonitis |
Inflammation of the bladder is? | Cystitis |
Sources of a radiation used for therapy include | Radioactive forms of iodine, phosphorus,radium, iridium, radon,and cesium |
Adjuvant therapy is? | used then patient has had surgery or radiotherapy and is free of signs of disease but has a high likelihood of recurrence, chemo is administered to eradicate remaining undetected cells |
what is a tumor marker? | abnormal proteins on cell surface |
what is an example of prophylactically measures | having part of colon removed to prevent cancer when familial polyposis has been determined |
Neoadjuvant therapy is ? | used chemo is used to reduce the extent of tumor before surgery or radiotherapy |
intraoperative radiation therapy
(IORT) | a technique in which the tumor/tumor bed is radiated directly during surgery (this is during external radiation) |
forms of internal radiation: | sealed-source radiation
unsealed-source radiation |
Effects of bone marrow suppression | Anemia; low WBCs, low platelets |
What is chemotherapy | use of chemical agents in the treatment of disease
antineoplastics / anticancer drugs |
What is biotherapy | agents that work by affecting biologic process: hematopoietic growth factors, BRM, monoclonal antibodies (MAb) |
what are hematopoietic growth factors | colony-stimulating factors (CSF), used to stimulate the bone marrow to produce RBCs & WBCs |
what are BRMs | boost the body's existing defenses, act directly on malignant cells, stimulate immune system to act against them |
what is Monoclonal antibodies (MAb) | use antibodies made in large number in a lab rather than by a person's own immune system, recognize very specific targets/antigens present on certain kinds of cancer cells |
what is allogenic transplant | receive cells from sibling/relative |
what is a matched unrelated donor (MUD) transplant | donated from unrelated donor |
what is complementary therapy | non traditional therapy & conventional therapy used together |
Alternative therapy | uses non traditional therapy in place of traditional treatment |
examples of antiemetics: | palonosetron;
dolasetron;
ondansetron;
granisetron
*greatly improved management of N/V with chemo....fewer side effects |
what is mucositis | inflammation of the mucosa may extend from mouth and effect entire intestinal tract . . . painful, can interfere with adequate food intake |
what is stomatitis | |
important facts regarding thrombocytopenia | |
actions to be taken for
Change in bowel or bladder habits | ultrasonography and endoscopy |
action to be taken for
a sore that does not heal | biopsy and oral and skin examination |
action to be taken for
unusual bleeding or discharge in stool | rectal exam and colonoscopy |
action to be taken for
unusual bleeding in between periods | gynaec exam for cervix and biopsy |
action to be taken for
thickening or lump in the breast, testicles, elsewhere | ultrasonography and FNAC if abnormal |
action taken for
indigestion or difficulty swallowing | endoscopy |
action taken for
obvious change in the size of mole, or mouth sore | biopsy |
actions taken for
nagging cough or hoarseness | ENT examination and X-ray chest |