Multidimensional Care II Exam 1 Study Guide Fall 2022
*The exam questions are not limited to only what is listed on this guide, please refer to your
... [Show More] chapter readings and module materials
Ch. 21: Principles of Cancer Development
• Benign vs. Malignant cells
o Benign—Harmless; does not usually require intervention
o Normal cells growing in the wrong place or at the wrong time
o Moles, uterine fibroid tumors, skin tags, endometriosis, nasal polyps
o (7) features of benign tumor cells-
1. Specific morphology, feature in which each normal cell type has a distinct and recognizable appearance, size, and shape
2. Small nuclear-to-cytoplasmic ratio, the size of the normal cell nucleus is small compared with the size of the rest of the cell
3. Specific differentiated functions, every normal cell has at least one function it performs to contribute to whole-body function
4. Tight adherence, normal cells make proteins that protrude from the membranes, allowing cells to bind closely and tightly together.
5. No migration, that normal cells do not wander throughout the body (except for blood cells).
6. Orderly growth, cellular regulation undergoing mitosis
7. Normal chromosomes- euploidy
o Malignant—Indicates cancer; serious and can lead to death without intervention
o 8 features of cancer cells-
1. Anaplasia, cancer cells' loss of the specific appearance of their parent cells. As a cancer cell becomes more malignant, it becomes smaller and rounded.
2. Large nuclear-to-cytoplasmic ratio, the cancer cell nucleus is larger than that of a normal cell and the cancer cell is smaller than a normal cell. The nucleus occupies much of the space within the cancer cell,
3. Specific functions lost lost partially or completely in cancer cells. Cancer cells serve no useful purpose.
4. Loose adherence, typical for cancer cells because they do not make fibronectin. As a result, cancer cells easily break off from the main tumor.
5. Migration (metastasis)- because cancer cells do not bind tightly together and have many enzymes on their cell surfaces
6. No contact inhibition, because of lost CELLULAR REGULATION, even when all sides of these cells are in continuous contact with the surfaces of other cells.
7. Rapid or continuous cell division because they do not respond to check-point control of cell division because of gene changes that reduce the effectiveness
of CELLULAR REGULATION and re-enter the cell cycle for mitosis almost continuously.,
8. Abnormal chromosomes (aneuploidy)- Chromosomes are lost, gained, or broken; thus cancer cells can have more than 23 pairs or fewer than 23 pairs.
• Seven warning signs of cancer - CAUTION Changes in bowel or bladder habits
A sore that does not heal
Unusual bleeding or discharge
Thickening or lump in the breast or elsewhere
Indigestion or difficulty swallowing Obvious change in a wart or mole Nagging cough or hoarseness
• Cancer development stages of malignancy
o Initiation is the first step in carcinogenesis. Normal cells can become cancer cells if they lose CELLULAR REGULATION by having their genes promoting cell division (oncogenes) turn on excessively (are overexpressed) and produce more cyclins. Initiation is a change in gene expression caused by anything that can damage cellular DNA, leading to loss of cellular regulation.
o Promotion- is the enhanced growth of an initiated cell by substances known as promoters. Once a normal cell has been initiated by a carcinogen and is a cancer cell, it can become a tumor if its growth is enhanced.
o Progression is the continued change of a cancer, making it more malignant over time. First the tumor must develop its own blood supply. The tumor makes vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) that triggers nearby capillaries to grow new branches into the tumor, ensuring the tumor's continued nourishment and growth.
o Metastasis is when cancer cells move from the primary location by breaking off from the original group and establishing remote colonies
• Cancer classification
o Grading classifies cellular aspects of the cancer (how malignant they are)
o Ploidy classifies the number and structure of tumor chromosomes as normal or abnormal.
o Staging the exact location of the cancer and whether metastasis has occurred.
o TNM [Show Less]