Tumor Immunology Lecture Notes

These flashcards cover key concepts and terms from the Tumor Immunology lecture, focusing on definitions, differences, and characteristics related to cancer and its treatment.

What is a neoplasm?

A solid mass of tissue that forms when abnormal cells group together.

What is oncology?

The branch of medicine that deals with tumors, including study of their development, diagnosis, treatment, and prevention.

Define oncogene.

A mutated gene that has the potential to cause cancer.

What is a cyst?

A sac that may be filled with air, fluid or other material.

How is a tumor defined?

An abnormal growth of tissue resulting from uncontrolled, progressive multiplication of cells and serving no physiological function; also known as a neoplasm.

What is the difference between benign and malignant tumors?

Benign tumors are of no danger to health, while malignant tumors exhibit uncontrolled growth of cells that can invade nearby tissues and spread to other body parts.

What diseases are categorized as cancer?

Diseases in which abnormal cells divide without control and can invade nearby tissues.

What is the primary tumor?

The tumor growing at the anatomical site where tumor progression began and yielded a cancerous mass.

What is a secondary tumor?

A tumor that did not primarily develop at the site of its location.

What is carcinoma?

A malignancy that develops from epithelial cells.

Define sarcoma.

A cancerous tumor that develops in bone and connective tissue.

What is leukemia?

A blood cancer that usually begins in the bone marrow and produces high numbers of abnormal cells.

What is lymphoma?

A group of blood and lymph tumors that develop from lymphocytes.

What demographic shows a higher incidence of cancer?

Men show a higher incidence in prostate, lung, and bronchus cancers.

List some common risk factors for cancer.

Tobacco use, infections, ultraviolet light, obesity, sedentary lifestyle, high fat low fiber diet, ethnicity, age, survivor of childhood/adolescent cancer, chemotherapy, and radiation.

What are some environmental causative factors for cancer?

Radiation, asbestos, lead, copper, zinc, cyclic aromatics, tobacco, vinyl chloride, benzene, aniline dyes, and coal.

How does cancer initiation occur?

It involves irreversible mutations affecting proto-oncogenes, leading to tumor development.

Define cytolytic T-Lymphocytes in cancer defense.

A type of immune cell that can recognize and destroy cancerous cells.

What are tumor markers?

Characteristics of neoplastic cells that can be detected in plasma or serum, useful for diagnosing and monitoring cancer.

What is a tumor-specific antigen (TSA)?

Antigens developed on chemically induced tumors, not expressed on normal cells.

What are tumor-associated antigens (TAA)?

Antigens developed on virus-induced tumors, expressed specifically on those tumors.

Give an example of a carcinofetal antigen.

Carcinoembryonic Antigen (CEA) is an oncofetal protein secreted in response to malignancy.