Notes by Dr Sanjay A Pai

Neoplasm An abnormal proliferation of cells, resulting in a mass called a neoplasm

Neoplasia An autonomous growth of tissue that has escaped all restrains on cell proliferation and exhibits varying degrees of fidelity to their precursors.

Neoplasm A neoplasm is an abnormal mass of tissue, the growth of which exceeds and is uncoordinated with that of the normal tissue, and persists in the same excessive manner after cessation of the stimulus which evoked the change ~ by Rupert A Willis

Is there a cancer epidemic? No! (except for lung cancer)

Nomenclature Localized tumor or benign – OMA’s Those which spread are malignant Carcinoma / Sarcoma / Lymphoma / Melanoma

Exception… Borderline case Basal cell carcinoma (rodents ulcer) Locally invasive, never metastasize Pleomorphic adenoma of salivary gland (parotid’s), fibrobatosis, Giant Cell Tumor of soft tissue / bone.

Eponymous Tumors A person after when something is named. Eg. Ewing’s sarcoma of bone Hodgkin’s disease – Reed-sternberg Cells, and non- hodgkin’s lymphoma. Brener tumor of the ovary.

Benign Tumor Benign tumor do not penetrate adjacent tissue border and do not metastasize. It resembles tissue of origin, they are differentiated. Benign tumor do not kill the patient. (usually) Benign tumor resemble parent tissue. Histologically, cytologically and functionally similar.

Benign Tumor No invasive / metastatic properties. Named after the cell of origin E.g. – Lipocyte = Lipoma Blood Vessel = Haemangioma / angioma Squamous Epithelium = epithelioma (?!), papilloma Glands = Adenoma

Malignant Tumor Malignant Tumor invade contiguous tissue, metastasize to different sites and again grow. It can kill the patient… usually. E.g. Stomach = Gastric adenocarcinoma Oesophagus = Squamous carcinoma Chondrosarcoma, osteosarcoma, liposarcoma

Exceptions Hepatoma = Hepatocellular Carcinoma Melanoma = Malignant melanoma Non hodgkin’s lymphoma Seminoma of testis, dysgerminoma of ovary, and granuloma.

Other Tumor Teratoma = Germ cell tumor, dermoid cyst of the ovary Hamartoma = Abnormal amounts of normal tissue, pulmonary chondroma Choristoma = Normal tissue in a ectopic site; spleneculi, pancreas in stomach, salivary gland in rectum.

Histologic diagnosis of cancer Histopathology is the gold standard for the diagnosis of cancer. Cytology and pap smears.

Malignant Tumor Feature. Anaplastic Mitoses Loss of polarity Growth pattern Invasion Metastases

Exception Cancer which will not kill E.g. Prostetic cancer, Papillary carcinoma of thyroid Benign tumor that can kill E.g. Meningioma

Why type a cancer? Treatment option are different. Prognosis are different. Follow up investigation are different E.g. Gastric Carcinoma v/s lymphoma Papillary v/s Follicuar Carcinoma of thyroid

Electron Microscopy EM cannot distinguish between benign and metastatic tumor