Notes by Dr Sanjay A Pai

NeoplasmAn abnormal proliferation of cells, resulting

in a mass called a neoplasm

NeoplasiaAn autonomous growth of tissue that has

escaped all restrains on cell proliferation and exhibits varying degrees of fidelity to their precursors.

Neoplasm

Is there a cancer epidemic?No! (except for lung cancer)

NomenclatureLocalized tumor or benign – OMA’sThose which spread are malignantCarcinoma / Sarcoma / Lymphoma /

Melanoma

Exception… Borderline caseBasal cell carcinoma (rodents ulcer)

Locally invasive, never metastasizePleomorphic adenoma of salivary gland

(parotid’s), fibrobatosis, Giant Cell Tumor of soft tissue / bone.

Eponymous TumorsA person after when something is named.Eg.Ewing’s sarcoma of boneHodgkin’s disease – Reed-sternberg Cells,

and non-hodgkin’s lymphoma.Brener tumor of the ovary.

Benign TumorBenign tumor do not penetrate adjacent

tissue border and do not metastasize.It resembles tissue of origin, they are

differentiated.Benign tumor do not kill the patient. (usually)Benign tumor resemble parent tissue.Histologically, cytologically and functionally

similar.

Benign TumorNo invasive / metastatic properties.Named after the cell of origin

E.g. – Lipocyte = Lipoma Blood Vessel = Haemangioma / angioma Squamous Epithelium = epithelioma (?!), papilloma Glands = Adenoma

Malignant TumorMalignant Tumor invade contiguous tissue,

metastasize to different sites and again grow.It can kill the patient… usually.E.g.

Stomach = Gastric adenocarcinomaOesophagus = Squamous carcinomaChondrosarcoma, osteosarcoma, liposarcoma

ExceptionsHepatoma = Hepatocellular CarcinomaMelanoma = Malignant melanomaNon hodgkin’s lymphomaSeminoma of testis, dysgerminoma of ovary,

and granuloma.

Other TumorTeratoma = Germ cell tumor, dermoid cyst of

the ovaryHamartoma = Abnormal amounts of normal

tissue, pulmonary chondromaChoristoma = Normal tissue in a ectopic site;

spleneculi, pancreas in stomach, salivary gland in rectum.

Histologic diagnosis of cancerHistopathology is the gold standard for the

diagnosis of cancer.Cytology and pap smears.

Malignant Tumor Feature.AnaplasticMitosesLoss of polarityGrowth patternInvasionMetastases

ExceptionCancer which will not killE.g.

Prostetic cancer, Papillary carcinoma of thyroid

Benign tumor that can killE.g.

Meningioma

Why type a cancer?Treatment option are different.Prognosis are different.Follow up investigation are differentE.g.

Gastric Carcinoma v/s lymphomaPapillary v/s Follicuar Carcinoma of thyroid

Electron MicroscopyEM cannot distinguish between benign and

metastatic tumor