Tumor Classification Lecture Notes

Key Topics

• Tissue Type
• Grading of Cancer
• Staging of Cancer

Tissue Type of Cancer

Cancer types are categorized by the type of tissue where they originate. The five main types include:

1. Carcinomas

   • Make up 80-90% of cancers.
   • Originate in epithelial tissue (lines body surfaces, cavities, glands, and organs).
   • Subtypes:
     • Adenocarcinomas: Originate in organs or glands that secrete substances (e.g., mucus).
     • Squamous Cell Carcinoma: Originate in the squamous epithelium.

2. Sarcomas

   • Originate in supportive or connective tissues.
   • Examples: Osteosarcoma (bone cancer), Chondrosarcoma (cartilage cancer).

3. Leukemia

   • Originates in the bone marrow.

4. Myeloma

   • Originates in plasma cells in the bone marrow.

5. Lymphoma

   • Originates in lymphatic glands, nodes, or organs (e.g., thymus, spleen).

Grading of Cancer

• Comparison of cancer to the tissue of origin is crucial.
• Grading scale: 1 to 4.
  • Grade 1: Well differentiated, resembles tissue of origin, usually grows slowly.
  • Grade 4: Poorly differentiated, does not resemble tissue of origin, grows and spreads rapidly.

Staging of Cancer

Staging is done using the TNM system:

1. T (Tumor)

   • Indicates size and extent of the tumor.
   • T1 (small tumor) to T4 (large tumor).

2. N (Node)

   • Refers to the number of regional lymph nodes involved.
   • N0 (no lymph nodes affected) to N3 (multiple lymph nodes affected).

3. M (Metastasis)

   • Indicates if cancer has spread to other parts of the body.
   • M0 (no metastasis) or M1 (metastasis present).

Conclusion

Understanding tumor classification is crucial for diagnosing and planning treatment strategies. The next video will cover nursing care and patient education concerning cancer treatment complications.