Oncology and Neoplasia Vocabulary Flashcards

Vocabulary flashcards generated from lecture notes covering the concepts of neoplasia, characteristics of cancer cells, chemical and viral carcinogens, oncogenes, tumor suppressor genes, and tumor markers.

Neoplasia

A term meaning "new growth," referring to the abnormal, excessive proliferation of cells due to a loss of control over cell growth.

Tumor

A mass of cells formed due to the purposeless proliferation of cells resulting from a loss of control over cell growth.

Cancer

A pathological state characterized by the presence of malignant tumors.

Carcinoma

A type of cancer originating from epithelial tissue or related organs.

Sarcoma

A type of cancer originating from mesenchymal cells or bone tissue.

Leukemia and Lymphoma

Malignant conditions originating specifically from lymphoid cells.

Angiogenesis

The property of cancer cells to induce new blood vessel formation.

Pleomorphism

A key characteristic of cancer cells marked by variability and variation in cellular morphology, size, and shape.

Anaplasia

The loss of normal morphological differentiation and structural organization in cells.

Direct vs. Indirect Chemical Carcinogens

Direct chemical carcinogens cause DNA mutation directly, whereas indirect chemical carcinogens require metabolic activation via $Cyt\text{ }P450$ to form reactive electrophiles that induce mutations.

Azo Dyes and Aromatic Amines

Chemical carcinogens (such as Aniline) specifically associated with the development of bladder cancer.

Aflatoxin

A chemical carcinogen linked to the etiology of hepatic cancer.

Human Papilloma Virus (Types $16$ and $18$)

Viral carcinogens strongly associated with the causation of cervical cancer.

Human T Cell Lymphotropic Virus (HTLV)

A viral carcinogen responsible for adult T cell leukaemia.

Epstein Barr Virus (EBV)

A viral carcinogen associated with nasopharyngeal carcinoma and Burkitt's lymphoma.

Protooncogenes

Normal cellular genes responsible for synthesizing transcription factors, growth factors, cell surface receptors, and growth-regulating proteins.

Oncogenes

Mutated forms of protooncogenes (activated via promoter/enhancer insertion, gene translocation, point mutation, or gene amplification) that produce abnormal products resulting in unregulated cell growth and division.

jun, fos, and myc

Nuclear oncogenes whose mutated products function as transcription factors and DNA binding proteins.

ras

A cytoplasmic oncogene whose mutated product acts as a GTP binding protein.

rat and abl

Cytoplasmic oncogenes whose mutated products act as protein kinases.

sis

A cell membrane oncogene whose mutated product functions as platelet derived growth factor.

$p53$ Gene

A phosphoprotein tumor suppressor gene known as the "Molecular policeman" and "Gatekeeper gene" that halts the cell cycle to allow time for DNA repair.

$p21$ Protein

A protein induced by $p53$ transcription that inhibits Cyclin Dependant Kinases (CDK) and PCNA (Eukaryotic Proliferating Cell Nuclear Antigen), thereby preventing cell division and replication.

Retinoblastoma Gene (RB)

A tumor suppressor gene whose unphosphorylated active protein binds E2F transcription factor to prevent transcription; when phosphorylated by CDK, RB becomes inactive, releasing E2F to allow cell division.

Tumor Markers

Specific substances released in response to cancerous growth that aid in screening, diagnosis, staging, progression monitoring, and follow-up.