Unit-13 Neoplasms

Patho

Cancer Prevention Basics

The main ways to lower risk: don't smoke, eat lots of fruits/vegetables, be active, limit sun, and get screened.

Warning Signs (CAUTION)

C: Change in bowel/bladder. A: A sore that won't heal. U: Unusual bleeding. T: Thickening/lump. I: Indigestion/swallowing trouble. O: Obvious wart/mole change. N: Nagging cough/hoarseness.

Cancer Risk Factors

Things that increase chance of cancer: family genes, radiation (sun/x-rays), chemicals (asbestos), viruses (HPV), and long-term inflammation.

Benign Tumor

A growth that is usually slow, stays in one place, has normal-looking cells, and is rarely life-threatening.

Malignant Tumor (Cancer)

A growth that is fast, invades other tissues, can spread, has weird-looking cells, and is life-threatening.

Local Effects of Cancer

Problems where the tumor is: pain from pushing on nerves, blockage of tubes/vessels, and sores from poor blood flow.

Systemic Effects of Cancer

Whole-body problems: severe weight loss (cachexia), anemia, extreme tiredness, more infections, and weird hormone effects.

Naming Benign Tumors

Tissue name + "-oma". Example: a fatty tumor is a Lipoma.

Naming Malignant Tumors

Two main types: "-carcinoma" for skin/organs (e.g., Adenocarcinoma) and "sarcoma" for connective tissue (e.g., bone/muscle).

Cancer Staging (TNM)

A system to describe cancer: T=size of Tumor, N=spread to Lymph Nodes, M=has it Metastasized (spread far).

Carcinogenesis

The multi-step process where a normal cell's DNA gets damaged, causing it to turn into a cancer cell.

Metastasis

The most dangerous part of cancer: when cancer cells break away and travel to start new tumors in distant parts of the body.

Best Early Detection Methods

Self-exams (breast/testicle), imaging (mammogram, CT), blood tests for "tumor markers," and biopsy (most dependable).

Biopsy

The most reliable test for cancer: taking a small sample of tissue to look at under a microscope.

Chemotherapy

Using strong drugs to kill cancer cells by targeting their DNA. A major side effect is low blood cell counts.

Radiation Therapy

Using high-energy beams (like X-rays) to kill cancer cells or shrink tumors by damaging their DNA.

Other Cancer Therapies

Treatments like hormone therapy, immune boosters, drugs to starve the tumor of blood, and support for nutrition/mood.

Curative Treatment

The goal when cancer is caught early: to completely remove or destroy all cancer cells.

Palliative Treatment

Care for advanced cancer: not aiming for cure, but to reduce pain/symptoms and improve quality of life.

Adjuvant Therapy

"Extra" treatment (like chemo or radiation) given after surgery to kill any hidden cancer cells and prevent return.

Remission

A treatment goal where there are no signs or symptoms of the cancer detectable in the body.

Prognosis

The predicted outcome. Often discussed as the "5-year survival rate"—the percentage of people alive 5 years after diagnosis.