Understanding Cancer: Types, Complications, and Prevention

Posted on Aug 15, 2025 in Biomedical Sciences

Complications of Neoplastic Tissue

Complications: Obstruction/compression of organs, bleeding, perforation, dysfunction due to replacement by neoplastic tissue.

General: Cachexia + paraneoplastic syndrome (ADH up, GI -).

Benign Tumors

Glandular Benign Tumors:

  • Adenoma
  • Adenoma villous
  • Fibroadenoma
  • Cystadenoma
  • Villous adenoma

Mesenchymal Benign Tumors:

  • Papillary hemangioma
  • Cavernous hemangioma
  • Lymphangioma

TNM Staging

  • T: Size of primary lesion (0 in situ)
  • N: Extent to lymph nodes
  • M: Presence or absence of metastases

Complications of Breast Cancer

  • Death: Metastases, infection, cardiovascular disease, hepatic acinus, bleeding.
  • Local: Obstruction, compression, bleeding, perforation, organ destruction.
  • General: Cachexia, paraneoplastic syndromes.

Cancer Prevention

  • Cervical Cancer (Ca cervix uteri): Females, 25-60 yrs. Screen every 1-3 yrs. with SMEAR test.
  • Glandular Cancer (Ca glandular): Females, 50-69 yrs. Mammography every 2 yrs.
  • Prostate Cancer (Ca prostatae): Males, 50-75 yrs. PSA test every 2 yrs.
  • Intestinal Cancer (Ca intestinal crassus): Males + Females, 50-74 yrs. Blood test in stool every 2 yrs.

Malignant Mesenchymal Tumors

  • Haemangioendothelioma malignum
  • Haemangiopericytoma malignum
  • Angiosarcoma
  • Lymphangioendothelioma malignum

Specific Cancer Types

  • Cervix Cancer: Squamous cell carcinoma.
  • Uterus Cancer: Endometrial carcinoma.
  • Breast Cancer: (1 from GI, 2 to Krukenberg)

Breast Cancer: In Situ (Non-invasive)

  • DCIS (Ductal Carcinoma In Situ): Calcification of Ca2+, uniform pleomorphic necrosis. Paget’s disease: DCIS extension into nipple skin.
  • LCIS (Lobular Carcinoma In Situ): No cancer cells, monomorphic, intracellular granules with mucin, does not disturb actin or lobule.

Breast Cancer: Invasive

  1. Invasive Ductal Carcinoma: 80% of breast cells replaced with fat, tubule-rich, low-grade nuclei, anaplastic cells.
  2. Invasive Lobular Carcinoma: Cells essential to LCIS invade individually, aligning in a “chain”.
  3. Medullary Carcinoma: Large anaplastic cells, lymphohistiocytic infiltrate, irregular margins.
  4. Colloid (Mucinous) Carcinoma: Extracellular mucin dissects surrounding stroma.

Prostatic Benign Hyperplasia (BPH)

Mechanism: Enlargement of prostate causes urinary outflow obstruction. Age increases Aromatase and 5-alpha reductase activity, leading to decreased testosterone and increased estrogen and DHT. Estrogen promotes cell growth, and DHT contributes to BPH.

Morphology: Occurs in submucosa or proximal urethra, marked by developing fibrous pseudocapsule.

Histology: Hypoplastic prostatic acini, “double layer of tall columnar cells” over a basal layer. Hypoplastic nodules may show non-specific prostatitis (acute/chronic inflammatory cells).

Complications: Urinary tract obstruction, UTI, urinary retention. Death can result from hydronephrosis leading to renal failure and hyperkalemia.

Prostatic Carcinoma

Malignant neoplasm of the epithelium of the prostatic gland.

Pathogenesis: Androgen, heredity, environmental factors, somatic mutations.

Histology: Differentiated carcinoma lined with a layer of cuboidal to low columnar epithelium. Cytoplasm is pale/clear, nuclei are enlarged with 1/1+ prominent nucleoli.

Cervix Cancer Complications

  • Barrel cervix
  • Metastasis to pelvic lymph nodes
  • Local irritation
  • Obstruction leading to renal failure and death