Cancer Overview and Tumor Classification

Flashcards covering key concepts related to cancer, its classification, risk factors, diagnosis, treatment, and symptoms.

Cancer

A disease characterized by uncontrolled cell growth due to DNA damage.

Tumor

An abnormal mass of tissue that arises from excessive cell division.

Carcinomas

Cancers that originate in epithelial tissue, making up 80-90% of all cancers.

Sarcomas

Cancers that originate in connective tissues, such as bones and muscle.

Leukemia

A type of cancer that originates in the bone marrow and affects blood cells.

Lymphomas

Cancers that originate in the lymphatic system.

Grading (in cancer)

The process of determining how abnormal cancer cells look, graded from 1 (well-differentiated) to 4 (poorly differentiated).

Staging (in cancer)

The assessment of how far cancer has spread, using the TNM system: Tumor size (T), number of lymph nodes involved (N), and distant metastasis (M).

Angiogenesis

The process by which tumors induce the formation of new blood vessels to supply themselves with nutrients.

Metastasis

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

Risk factors for cancer

Factors that increase the likelihood of developing cancer, including genetics, age, smoking, and environmental exposures.

Biopsy

A definitive procedure to diagnose cancer, involving the removal of tissue for examination.

Immunotherapy

A cancer treatment that helps the immune system fight cancer.

Chemotherapy

A systemic treatment for cancer that uses drugs to destroy rapidly dividing cells.

Radiation therapy

A localized treatment that uses high doses of radiation to kill or damage cancer cells.

Palliative care

Care aimed at providing relief from the symptoms and stress of cancer. It does not seek to cure the disease.

Alopecia

Loss of hair, often a side effect of cancer treatment like chemotherapy.

Clinical manifestations of cancer

Symptoms that may include fatigue, weight loss, anemia, and pain, especially in later stages.

Hormonal therapy

Treatment that blocks or alters hormones that stimulate the growth of certain cancers.