Cancer Biology and Epidemiology

These flashcards cover key terms and concepts related to cancer biology and epidemiology based on the lecture notes.

Five-year Relative Survival Rate

The percentage of patients alive after five years post-diagnosis, indicating prognosis.

Malignant Neoplasm

A medical term for cancer; characterized by uncontrolled cell growth and invasion of tissues.

Hypertrophy

Increase in cell size, leading to growth in tissue or organ.

Hyperplasia

Increase in cell number, still maintaining normal organization.

Dysplasia

A form of abnormal cell growth where cells exhibit disorganization.

Neoplasia

Disorganized growth of cells, typically leading to tumor formation.

Benign Tumors

Non-invasive tumors typically not harmful and not metastatic.

Malignant Tumors

Tumors that invade nearby tissues and are often pathogenic.

Carcinoma

A type of cancer arising from epithelial cells, responsible for 80% of cancer deaths.

Adenocarcinoma

A subtype of carcinoma arising from secretory epithelial cells.

Sarcoma

Cancer that arises from mesenchymal tissues such as bone and muscle.

Leukemia

A cancer of blood-forming tissues characterized by the uncontrolled growth of blood cells.

Lymphoma

Cancers that originate from lymphocytes and form solid tumors in lymph nodes.

Tumor Metastasis

The spread of cancer cells from the original site to other locations in the body.

Polyoma Tumor

Tumors that originate from multiple distinct clones of cells.

X-inactivation

The process by which one of the X chromosomes is inactivated in female mammals.

Somatic mutations

Mutations occurring in non-germinal tissues, often accumulated through life.

Germline mutations

Inherited mutations that can be passed from parent to offspring.

Environmental Carcinogens

Substances in the environment that can cause cancer, such as chemicals and radiation.

Monoclonal Tumors

Tumors that originate from a single mutant cell that proliferates and forms the tumor.

Tumor Suppressor Genes

Genes that regulate cell division; mutations can lead to uncontrolled growth.

Proto-oncogenes

Normal genes that can become oncogenes when mutated, promoting cell division.

Cumulative Cancer Incidence

A measure of the number of cases of cancer diagnosed within a given population over time.