HSC 340 9-2-10

• What is cancer?• Tumor Classification• Detection• Staging• Treatment • Patterns of spread• Prognosis• Radiation Oncology Team

What is cancer?

• Cancer Initiation:– Abnormal cellular proliferation/Mutations

• Caused by:EnvironmentRadiationTobaccoGeneticsChemicalsInfectious Agents

http://davegranlund.com/cartoons/2009/07/30/tanning-beds-and-cancer-risk/

Tumor Growth

• Cell Cycle– G0, G1, S, G2, M– YouTube - Cell Cycle

• Normal– Balance between replication and dying of cells

• Tumor growth– Imbalance between replication and dying of

cells

Classification(Ch. 1 Pg 5)

• Benign– Well differentiated– Do not metastasize– Do not invade

• Malignant– Well differentiated to undifferentiated– Can metastasize– Can invade

Types of cancers

• Carcinomas

• Sarcomas

• Leukemia

• Lymphoma and myeloma

• CNS cancers

Detection

• Screening Examinations– Physical exams

• DRE

– Laboratory tests• Pap smear, fecal occult blood tests, PSA

– Imaging procedures• Mammograms, colonoscopies

– Genetic tests

• Awareness

Staging

• TNM– T size or extent of tumor– N lymph node status– M presence or extent of metastasis

• Surgical staging

• Grade of tumor

Treatment

• Surgery

• Chemotherapy (table 1-5)

• Radiation Therapy– External Beam– Brachytherapy

• Immunotherapy

Patterns of Spread(Ch. 1 pg.18)

• Blood, Lymphatic, Seeding

• Depends on site of primary– Prostate (Bone, Liver, Lungs)– Breast (Lungs, Bone, Brain)– Lung (Liver, adrenal glands, bone, brain

• Video: How cancer spreads - MayoClinic.com

Prognosis

• Estimation of life expectancy

• Based upon:– Natural History– Grade, Stage, and Tumor Size

Radiation Oncology Team

• Radiation Oncologist

• Radiation Physicist

• Dosimetrist

• Radiation Therapist

• Nurses

• Clerical Staff