1.
7 warning signs of cancer: changes in bowel or bladder habits; a sore that does not heal; unusual bleeding or discharge; thickening or lump in breast or other area; indigestion or difficulty shallowing; obvious change in a wart or mole; nagging cough or hoarseness
2.
african american: what race has the highest cancer related mortality rates
3.
anaplastic: cells without shape of definition; has a mushy appearance
4.
aneuploidy: gain or loss of whole chromosomes, may have structural abnormalities of the remaining chromosomes. In addition, cancer cells may have broken and rearranged chromosomes.
5.
Benign: Most types of altered cell growth are ________ (harmless) and do not require intervention.
6.
Benign tumor cells: has continuous/inappropriate growth; tightly adherent; fibrous capsule; usually regular shape; cell like to parent; has specific function; expansive growth; euploid
7.
biopsy: the ONLY definitive way to diagnose malignancy
8.
Bloodborne metastasis: tumor cell release into the blood; the most common cause of cancer spread.
9.
carcinogens: Substances that change the activity of a cell's genes so that the cell becomes a cancer cell; may be chemicals, physical agents, or viruses.
10.
Commitment: The time at which the early embryonic cell starts changing into differentiated cells (at about the 8th day)
11.
doubling time: the amount of time it takes for a tumor to double in size
12.
Euploidy: the state of having complete sets of chromosomes ("normal"); Normal human cells have 46 chromosomes (23 pairs), the normal diploid number
13.
expressed: When a particular gene has been "turned on."
14.
Generation time: The time it takes one embryonic cell to divide into two cells (ranges from 2 to 8 hours.)
15.
Grading (of a tumor): determination of the degree of malignancy; the higher the number the poorer the prognosis
16.
hyperplasia: Growth that causes tissue to increase in size by increasing the number of cells
17.
Hypertrophy: Growth that causes tissue to increase in size by enlarging each cell
18.
Initiation: the first step in carcinogenesis. cells has exposure to an initiating factor causing irreversible damage to the DNA
19.
lab tests: diagnostic tool that includes tumor markers and cytology
20.
local spread (metastasis): "seeding" cells infiltrate areas around it of least resistance
21.
lung, breast, colon: what are the top 3 cancers among women
22.
lung, prostate, colon: what are the top 3 cancers among men
23.
lymphatic spread (metastasis): cells invade lymph nodes and spread through the lymphatic system
24.
malignant: cells are abnormal, serve no useful function, and are harmful to normal body tissues.
25.
Malignant cell growth: aka "cancer," is serious and, without intervention, leads to death.
26.
Malignant cells: unlimited growth, potential to be rapid or slow; loosely adherent; has no capsule; irregular shape (border not defined); cell different from parent cell; anaplastic; infiltrative growth; no atpoptosis; aneuploid
27.
malignant transformation: The process of changing a normal cell into a cancer cell; This process occurs through the steps of initiation, promotion, progression, and metastasis.
28.
Metastasis: occurs when cancer cells move from the primary location by breaking off from the original group and establishing remote colonies.
29.
metastasize: ability to spread, a key feature of cancer cells and major cause of death (invasion and persistent growth)
30.
metastatic/secondary tumors: the additional (new) tumors that occur d/t metastasis; Even though the tumor is now in another organ, it is still a cancer from the original altered tissue. For example, when breast cancer spreads to the lung and the bone, it is still breast cancer in the lung and bone—not lung cancer and not bone cancer.
31.
Mitosis: cell division
32.
Neoplasia: Any new or continued cell growth not needed for normal development or replacement of dead and damaged tissues
33.
oncogenes: a normal cellular gene that controls or regulates early rapid growth of cells
34.
oncoviruses: Viruses that cause cancer
35.
Ploidy: the description of cancer cells by chromosome number and appearance
36.
Pluripotency: same definition as per Stem Cell (job not yet defined; can become any body cell - undifferentiated)
37.
Primary prevention: the use of strategies to prevent the actual occurrence of cancer. This method of cancer prevention is most effective when there is a known cause for a cancer type.
38.
primary risk factors of cancer: gender (males); age (elderly and very young); race (african americans)
39.
primary tumor: the original tumor
40.
Progression: the continued change of a cancer, making it more malignant over time.
41.
Promoters: substances that promote or enhance growth of the initiated cancer cell.
42.
Promotion: the second step in carcinogenesis. the enhancement of growth of an initiated cell.
43.
Secondary prevention: the use of screening strategies to detect cancer early, at a time when cure or control is more likely.
44.
Staging: determination of the spread of the cancer
45.
suppressed: A particular gene that has been "turned off."
46.
the 2 hit theory (theory of carcinogenesis): most predominent theory; consists of initiation followed by promotion
47.
tumor markers: specific enyzmes or hormones present with cancer; can be used to see if treatment is working
48.
tumor, node, metastasis (TNM): a specific staging system developed by the American Joint Committee on Cancer to describe the anatomic extent of cancers; This is the most common staging tool
49.
vascular permeation (metastasis): cells travel through the vascular system
