Cell Biology and Cancer

Cancer Facts Group of over 100 diseases that develop across time Characterized by uncontrolled cell division Can develop in virtually any body tissue SECOND leading cause of death in the US Men have a 1 in 2 lifetime risk, women 1 in 3 Incidence increases with age

Types Tumor- “mass of cells.” A tumor becomes life threatening when it disrupts the tissues and organs needed for survival. Not all tumors are malignant

Types of Tumors Benign: a non cancerous tumor Malignant: cancerous tumor and is usually invasive Metastatic: malignant cells that have been shed into the blood or lymph system and spread to other parts of the body Type of cancer depends on cause and location Each type has its own growth rate, prognosis and treatability

Risk Factors and Predisposition Inherited predisposition: can inherit a cancer- susceptible mutation Risk Factors: Exposure to carcinogens Cigarette smoking Exposure to the sun Females-family history of breast cancer Fair skin Chemicals, radiation, and viruses

Causes and Development of Cancer Many different agents can cause cancer “carcinogen” a cancer causing agent Cancer represent a breakdown of the processes that regulate the growth of normal cells and tissues

Survival rates Chances of surviving cancer increases with early detection and treatment Incidence rate: number of new cases per year Mortality rate: number of deaths per year Survival rate: the proportions of patients alive at some point after diagnosis

Cancer involves the uncontrolled division of body cells (“indigenous cells”) Cell division is regulated by two major types of genes Carcinogens can damage to the genes or cause mutations When damage occurs, signals from the genes that inhibit cell division can mutate leading the cell to divide more rapidly and more often than normal

Does Cancer Occur after one exposure to a carcinogen? Cancer develops from genetic damage to the cells across time

Stages of Tumor Development Mutation: cell develops a mutation that makes the cell divide more than it normally would Hyperplasia: the altered cell and its descendants grow and divide too often. At some point during this stage, another mutation occurs that increases its tendency to divide

Dysplasia: cells descendents divide excessively and look abnormal Dysplasia: cells descendents divide excessively and look abnormal. Another mutation also occurs to one cell In situ cancer: cells are very abnormal in both growth and appearance. It is still contained in the tissue of origin. It remains contained indefinitely.

Invasive cancer: tumor invades nearby tissue and enters the blood and/or lymph system. Escaped cells establish new tumors (metastases) in other body locations.

Ablation: The surgical removal of body tissue/ organ.

A colostomy is a surgical procedure in which an opening (stoma) is formed by drawing the healthy end of the large intestine or colon through an incision in the anterior abdominal wall and suturing it into place.

Alopecia: Sudden hair loss due to an auto immune disease or chemo therapy for cancer. Your immune system mistakenly attacks your hair follicles and causes bald spots.

Urostomy:A urostomy is a surgical procedure that creates a stoma (artificial opening) for the urinary system. A urostomy is made when use of the bladder and urethra is not possible due to problems after extensive surgery or in case of obstruction.

Tracheotomy: an incision made by medical personnel in the windpipe to relieve an obstruction to breathing.

Leukemia:A cancer of blood-forming tissues, hindering the body's ability to fight infection.

Adenoma: a benign tumor formed from glandular structures in epithelial tissue.

Sarcoma: a malignant tumor of connective or other nonepithelial tissue.

Morbidity: the condition of being diseased. Melanoma: The most dangerous form of skin cancer.

Squamous Cell Carcinoma: A form of skin cancer that develops in the cells of the outer layer of the skin.

Leukopenia:a reduction in the number of white cells in the blood, typical of various diseases.

Thrombocytopenia: deficiency of platelets in the blood Thrombocytopenia: deficiency of platelets in the blood. This causes bleeding into the tissues, bruising, and slow blood clotting after injury.

Blastoma: a type of cancer that arises in immature undifferentiated cells and typically affects children rather than adults. Each type of blastoma has its own name, dependent on its location in the body. For example, retinoblastoma is a blastoma of the eye, while nephroblastoma is of the kidney.

Carcinoma:  is a type of cancer that starts in cells that make up the skin or the epithelial tissue lining organs, such as the liver or kidneys. Like other types of cancer, carcinomas are abnormal cells that divide without control. 

Lymphoma: Lymphoma is the name for a group of blood cancers that develop in the lymphoid tissue of the lymphatic system. The two main types are Hodgkin lymphoma and non-Hodgkin lymphoma. 

Myeloma: Multiple myeloma is a cancer formed by malignant plasma cells Myeloma: Multiple myeloma is a cancer formed by malignant plasma cells. Normal plasma cells are found in the bone marrow and are an important part of the immune system. 

Cancer Vocabulary Angiogenesis- Blood vessel formation, which usually accompanies the growth of malignant tissue. Apoptosis-Normal cellular process involving a programmed series of events leading to the death of a cell. Biopsy-Removal of a sample cells or tissues, which is examined with tests to check for cancer cells.

Cancer Vocabulary Brachytherapy- Internal radiation therapy using an implant of radioactive material placed directly into or near the tumor. Cytokine- A substance produced by cells of the immune system that can affect the immune response. Combination Therapy- Treatment in which two or more chemicals are used to obtain more- effective.

Cancer Vocabulary Gene Therapy- An experimental treatment in which foreign genetic material is inserted into a person’s cells Genome- The complete genetic material of an organism GWAS- genome-wide association study- a process of scanning DNA markers, or genomes, to find variations associated with a particular disease p53-gene that normally stops tumor growth

Grading cancer- how quickly the cancer will spread, helps in decisions of treatment. NIH – National Institute of Health – largest department is the NCI National Cancer Institute, federal gov cancer research Necrosis –cell death Prognosis – chance of recovery or recurrence

Cancer Vocabulary Remission – decrease or disappearance of the signs or symptoms of cancer. Retrovirus – RNA virus, many are believed to be oncogenic (Rous sarcoma virus in chickens - first virus shown to cause cancer) SEER Program- Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results Program of NCI. Collects data of incidence of cancer. Somatic cells – any body cell except reproductive