Bone Cancer

(osteosarcoma)
CaroLea Casas
&
Brittany Hogue
Period 3
 Osteosarcoma Defined

Initially discovered in bones of animals such as

bears in Europe (1776)
First Human Case Discovered in 1788 in
Philadelphia
Osteosarcoma itself is a division of bone
cancer that targets specific areas around the
body, most often at joints.
 Victims
The majority of those affected are in their
teenage years. The cancer also affects certain
patients above the age of 40.
Factors such as ethnicity are irrelevant
Biggest majority of those affected are teenage
boys of above average height.
 Causes
Exact Cause Unknown
Risk Factors Include Predisposition to:
Li-Fraumeni Syndrome
Rothmund-Thomson
Retinoblastoma
Loss of Mitotic Control Through p53
Broken Bones
Growth Spurts
Radiation Exposure
 Infection Sites
Symptoms include pain and swelling:
distal femur
proximal tibia
proximal humerus
Symptoms may worsen at night or during exercise
Early symptoms often overlooked
Athletic Adolescents often sustain injuries which
would elicit the same result
“Growing Pains”
 Diagnosis
X-ray or CT/MRI Scan of suspected area is ordered
Scans also taken of Chest and Lung cavity
Pleural Cavity scan often reveals metastases
Tumor/Metastases identification results in a biopsy
of the area
Biopsies often performed by the surgeon slated to remove
the tumor
Malignant Tumors mandate start of a therapy
routine
 Therapy/Treatment
Chemotherapy
Loosen Cancerous Hold
Shrink Tumor Size
Aim to Kill 90% of cancerous cells
Surgery
Removal
Limb Salvage
Amputation
Chemotherapy
Checkup Visits
 Prognosis

Mortality Rate:
400 New Cases per year in the US
Kills 1470 people per year Worldwide.
Prognosis:
70% Survival Rate for those whose disease has not metastasized at
the time of diagnosis
30-50% Survival Rate for those people whose cancer has
metastasized
Surviving Patients can expect to live a long, healthy life in
remission
 Case Study - Nina
• http://
www.cancer.iu.edu/osteosarcoma/patients/st
ories/nina.php
 Prostate Cancer

By Joshua Kim and Jordan Fox

 History

• Prostate was first described by Niccolo Massa

(1536)
• Prostate was first illustrated by Andreas
Vesalias (1538)
• Prostate cancer was discovered in 1853
 Who does it affect?
• Men
• Over 50 years of age
• Average age of a man
diagnosed with cancer is
70
 How is it diagnosed?
• Biopsy is the only way
to diagnose prostate
cancer
• Many ways to gather
information about
prostate cancer
(cytoscopy,
transrectal
ultrasonography, etc.)
 Suspected Causes

• Age
• Race
• Genetics
• Diet
• Lifestyle
• Medications
 Affected Body Parts
• Prostate
 Treatment

• Surgery
• Radiation therapy
• Active surveillance
• High-intensity focused ultrasound
• Chemotherapy
• Cyosurgery
• Hormonal therapy
Treatment Continued
 Survival Rates

• With treatment:
White men- 99.9%
Black men- 97.6%
• Without treatment:
Most men don’t die from prostate
cancer itself, but rather from symptoms
developed without treatment
 Overall Mortality Rate
• 31,728 per year
according to
wrongdiagnosis.com
 Skin Cancer (Melanoma)
Presented by Lemuel James and Vincent Graham
About Skin Cancer
• Its circa origins date as far back as 2,400
years ago
• Most skin cancers are classified as non-
melanoma, usually starting in either basal
cells or squamous cells.
• Melanoma is a cancer that begins in the
melanocytes -- the cells that produce the skin
coloring or pigment known as melanin.
 Who
• People with fair skin those with a genetic
predisposition, and people who spend large
amounts of time outdoors are at a greater risk
for developing skin cancer.
• One in five Americans will develop skin cancer
in the course of a lifetime.
 Diagnoses
• any change on the skin, especially in
• scaliness, oozing, bleeding, or change
in the appearance of a bump or nodule
• a change in sensation, itchiness,
tenderness, or pain
Common Treatments
• Surgery is often used as a
treatment for skin cancer.
• Radiation Therapy is treatment
with high-energy rays (such as x-
rays) to kill or shrink cancer cells.
Common Treatments (cont.)
• Photodynamic Therapy will be
injected with a light-activated drug,
which targets cancerous cells.
• Topical Chemotherapy is when
medication is placed directly onto
the skin rather than being given by
mouth or injected into a vein.
Survival Stats
• the 5-year survival rate is 99%;
survival rates for regional and
distant stage diseases are 65%
and 16%.
Mortality Rate
• Although melanoma accounts for
only a small percentage of skin
cancer, it is far more dangerous
than other skin cancers and
causes most skin cancer deaths.
• Deaths Per Year 8,650
Melanoma of the Skin Death Rates* by State, 2005
 Case Study
• Ronald Reagan had a small basal
cell carcinoma, a type of skin
cancer, on his nose.
• It was removed on July 31, 1987
Leuke
Taylor Montano

mia
Abby Stover
p. 3
 Leukemia….the
beginning
 Leukemia: ( British
English: leukaemia)
 (Greek: leukos-“white”;
amia -“blood”)
 Caner of the blood or
bone marrow
 It is characterized by
abnormal production of
blood cells, usually white
blood cells (leukocytes)
 Leukemia…the
beginning (cont. )
 Leukemia was not officially diagnosed
until 1845, when John Hughes Bennett
diagnosed it in Edinburgh.

 Other European physicians in the 19th

century noticed that their patients had
abnormally high levels of white blood
cells, and they called the disease
“weisses blut,” meaning “white blood”
 Leukemia…
the beginning
(cont. )
 In 1970, it was first
confirmed that some
patients could be
cured of leukemia

 In 1980s and 1990s

the cure rates for
leukemia were around
70%
 Types of Leukemia
In 1913, there were four types of leukemia

–Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia (CLL):

 Affects lymphoid cells and usually grows
slowly. Causes more then 15,000 new cases
of leukemia each year.
 8,190 new cases in the U.S. in 2004
–Chronic Myeloid Leukemia (CML):
 Affects myeloid cells and usually grows
slowly at first. Causes nearly 5,000 new cases
of leukemia each year
 4,600 new cases in the U.S. in 2004
Types of Leukemia
 Acute Lymphocytic Leukemia (ALL):
 Affects lymphoid cells and grows
quickly.Causes more then 5,000
new leukemia each year.
 3,830 new cases in the US in 2004
 Acute myeloid Leukemia (AML):
 Affects myeloid calls and grows
quickly. Causes more then 13,000
new cases of leukemia each year.
 11,920 new cases in the US in 2004
Who it affects?
 Chromic
Lymphocytic
Leukemia (CLL):
 People over 55
years old and Acute Lymphocytic Acute Myeloid
almost never Leukemia (ALL): Leukemia
affects children –Most common in (AML):
 Chronic Myeloid children but can –In both
Leukemia (CML): affect adults adults and
 Mainly affects children
adults
 Lifestyles and
Environment…
 The increase of childhood
leukemia in modern times may
be lifestyle-related.
 The immune systems of
children, having less exposure
to infection as a infant, may
not respond as well.
 Our immune systems have
evolved to respond to
infections shortly after birth,
usually through the mother's
antibodies during breast-
feeding.
Affected Region…
 Acute lymphocytic leukemia:
 affects the body’s blood making system, including bone
marrow and the lymphatic system.
 It develops from lymphoblasts in the bone marrow
 Bone marrow:
 the soft, inner component of bones.
 All forms of blood cells are produced in the bone marrow
 Leukemia develops in the bone marrow, but quickly
spreads into the blood, and eventually into the lymph
nodes and other parts of the body.
 TYPE OF GENE NAME
LEUKEMIA
Acute Lymphocytic MLLT2, MYC,
Leuekmia ZNFN1A1,LAF4
AF10, CBFB, NUP98,
Acute Myeloid Leukemia NUP214, HOXA9,
CREBBP,ARHGEF12,CD
X2, LCP1, CEBPA, DEK,
FUS, RUNX1
Chronic Lymphocytic DLEU1, DLEU2
Leukemia
Chronic Myeloid Leukemia AXL
 Symptoms
 In many cases, the 1st symptoms of leukemia are
very vague.
 The type of symptoms one may receive depend on
the type of leukemia that they have.
 Broad symptoms are:
~fatigue ~weight loss
~Malaise (vague feeling of ~bone or joint pain
bodily discomfort)
~infection or fever
~abnormal bleeding
~abdominal pain “fullness”
~excessive bruising
~enlarged spleen, lymph nodes, and liver
~weakness
~loss of exercise tolerance
 Treatments
 The choice of treatment depends mainly on the
following:
 The type of leukemia (acute or chronic)
 Your age
 Whether leukemia cells were found in your
cerebrospinal fluid
 It also may depend on certain features of the
leukemia cells.
 Treatments of
Leukemia
 There are five major approaches to the treatment of leukemia:
1. Chemotherapy:
 to kill leukemia cells using strong anti-cancer drugs;
2. Interferon Therapy:
 to slow the reproduction of leukemia cells and promote the immune
system's anti-leukemia activity;
3. Radiation Therapy:
 to kill cancer cells by exposure to high-energy radiation;
4. Stem Cell Transplantation (SCT):
 to enable treatment with high doses of chemotherapy and radiation
therapy; and
5. Surgery:
 to remove an enlarged spleen or to install a venous access device
(large plastic tube) to give medications and withdraw blood samples.
 Treatments for
Acute Leukemia
 Acute Leukemia:
 Needs to be treated right away
 The goal of treatment:
 Make the body go into remission
 destroy signs of leukemia in the body and make symptoms go
away
 Maintenance Therapy
 after people go into remission, more therapy may be given to
prevent a relapse.
 Many people with acute leukemia can be cured.
 Treatments for
Chronic Leukemia
 Chronic Leukemia:
 without symptoms, you may not need cancer treatment right
away.
 The goal of treatment:
 Watchful waiting:
 not getting cancer treatment right away
 your doctor will watch your health closely so that treatment can start
when you begin to have symptoms.
 Treatment can often control the disease and its symptoms.
 Maintenance Therapy:
 can be received to help keep the cancer in remission,
 Treatments for
Chronic Leukemia
 but chronic leukemia can seldom be cured with
chemotherapy.
 Stem Cell Transplants:
 offer some people with chronic leukemia the chance for
a cure
 5 year survival rate of white people with
Survival Rate leukemia in the US 1992-99

5 year survival rate of African American

people with leukemia in the US 1992-
80% 99

survive 5 years for leukemia in the US

70% 1992-99

60% of people with Leukemia survive after 5

years in the US 1983-90

50%
5-year survival rate for black people
with leukaemia is in the US 1983-90
Percent 40%

5-year survival rate for people with

30% leukaemia in the US 1983-90

20%
5-year survival rate for white people
with leukaemia in the US 1983-90
10%

5-year survival rate for white children

0% under 15-years old with acute
Created by: Taylor Montano and Abby Stover 1 lymphocytic leukaemia in the US 1983-
90
Statistics: Type of people with Leukemia
5-year survival rate for white children
http://www.wrongdiagnosis.com/l/leukemia/stats.htm
under 15-years old with acute myeloid
leukaemia in the US 1983-90
 Case Study
 A 66-year-old man with a past medical history of chronic
bronchitis, alcohol abuse, and a macrocytic anemia which
had been incompletely worked up because of the patient's
refusal to undergo a bone marrow biopsy, was in his usual
state of health when he developed weakness,
lightheadedness, fatigue, fever without chills, night sweats,
and a worsening of his chronic bronchitis symptoms.
 He saw his primary care physician and blood work
performed at that time revealed significant anemia
(hemoglobin: 5.0 g/dL, hematocrit: 15.1 %). The patient was
subsequently admitted for transfusion therapy and work-up
of his anemia including a bone marrow biopsy.
Case Study… Final
Diagnosis
 PERIPHERAL BLOOD:
 MACROCYTIC ANEMIA WITH NUMEROUS
BLASTS
 BONE MARROW, BIOPSY AND ASPIRATE
WITH PARTICLE PREPARATION:  
 ACUTE MYELOGENOUS LEUKEMIA, FAB M0
SUBTYPE, WITH MARKED  MEGAKARYOCYTIC
DYSPLASIA WITH AN ABNORMAL KARYOTYPE:
46,XY,inv(3)(q21q26)[17],-7[3][cp17]/46,XY[2]
 Mortality Rate

Mortality Rate
deaths for leukemia in the US 2004

male deaths for leukemia in the US

2004
25,000 female deaths for leukemia in the US
2004
deaths for Acute Lymphocytic Leukemi
in the US 2004
20,000 male deaths for Acute Lymphocytic
 21,013 per year, 1,751 per month, 404 per week, 57 Leukemia in the US 2004
female deaths for Acute Lymphocytic
15,000
Number ofper day, 2 per hour, 0 per minute, 0 per second Leukemia in the US 2004
(21,014
deaths for Chronic Lymphocytic
Deaths deaths in the U.S. since 1999). Leukemia in the US 2004
10,000 male deaths for Chronic Lymphocytic
 1 death occurs every 9 minutes in the USA for Leukemia in the US 2004
female deaths for Chronic Lymphocytic
leukemia
5,000 Leukemia in the US 2004
deaths for Acute Myeloid Leukemia in
the US 2004
male deaths for Acute Myeloid
0 Leukemia in the US 2004
1 female deaths for Acute Myeloid
Leukemia in the US 2004
Type of Leukemia and who deaths for Chronic Myeloid Leukemia i
Created by: Taylor Montano and Abby Stover it affected the US 2004
Statistics:
male deaths for Chronic Myeloid
http://www.wrongdiagnosis.com/l/leukemia/stats.htm
Leukemia in the US 2004
female deaths for Chronic Myeloid
 Works Citied
 http://path.upmc.edu/cases/case159/dx.html
 http://www.wrongdiagnosis.com/l/leukemia/stats.ht
m
 http://www.webmd.com/cancer/tc/leukemia-topic-o
verview?page2
=
 http://leukemia.org/hm_lls
 http://emedicinehealth.com/leukemia/article_em.ht
m
 http://kidshealth.org/parent/medical/cancer/cancer_l
eukemia.html
Pancreatic Cancer

Rebecca Becerra
Gabriela Becerra
Period 3
What is Pancreatic Cancer?

 Abnormal cell growth in the pancreas

History
 Pancreas first described in 300BC
 Ancient physicians in Egypt, Greece, China
recognised a combination of
symptoms(Jaundice), physical signs and an
outcome
 Giovanni Battista Morgagni (1682-1771)
– Pathologist
– One of the first to discover the tumors in the
pancreas
Who does it affect?
 90% of patients
are 55 yrs and
older
 More common
among males and
African Americans
Causes
 Risks:
– Old age, race, gender,
smoking, obesity, diabetes,
cirrhosis of liver etc.
 Gene Mutations
– NF1 and MEN1
 Increased risk of tumors in
pancreas  Location of the NF1 gene
– P16
 Exocrine pancreatic cancer
Diagnosis
 Imaging Tests
– CAT scan
– MRI
– Upper gastrointestinal
 Biopsy
– Sample of tissue
– Surest way to diagnose
pancreatic cancer

 CT scan shows a pancreatic

adenocarcinoma (mass) causing
obstruction of both the common bile
duct (cbd) and pancreatic duct (pd).
ent

 Surgery
– Curative Surgery
– Palliative Surgery
 Radiation
– External Radiation Beam
 Chemotherapy
– Gemcitabine
– 5-Flurouracil
 4Statistics
th
leading cause2009
of cancer
death in the US
 42,470 people will be
diagnosed
– 21,050 Men
– 21,420 Women
 35,240 will die
 Survival Rate 5.5%
Case Study
 Les Niewiara
 43yrs
 First symptoms
– Discomfort of lower abdomen,
yellowing of the skin loss of
appetite etc
 Malignant tumor
 Surgery
– Unable to remove whole tumor
 Chemotherapy
– Nausea, loss of taste sensation,
tired and lethargic
 Follow Ups
– CT Scans and Cancer Marker Tests
Lauren Yapo & David Chou
 Basic History
 Who does it affect?
 How is it diagnosed?
 What parts of the body are affected?
 Common Treatments
 Survival Statistics
 Overall Mortality Rate
 RAS genes in Cervical Cancer
 Case Study
 When- 400 BC
 Who- Hippocrates
 Where- Greece

 He discovered cervical
cancer, but he also
believed that it was
something that would
never be curable.
 1900’s – Many advanced inventions and
techniques for the treatment of cervical
cancer. (Colposcope, Pap technique, Pap
screening, Spatula to scrape the cervix
with, Bethesda System)
 Women
 Usually over 40
 Human papillomaviruses (HPVs)
 Usually have had many sexual partners
 Smoking cigarettes
 Birth control pills
 Having many children
 Weakened immune system
 Colposcopy
– The doctor uses a
colposcope to look at
the cervix. The
colposcope combines a
bright light with a
magnifying lens to make
tissues easier to see. It
is not inserted into the
vagina. A colposcopy is
usually done in the
doctor’s office or clinic.
 Biopsy
– The doctor removes tissue to look for
precancerous cells or cancer cells. Most women
have their biopsy in the doctor’s office with local
anesthesia. A pathologist checks the tissue with
a microscope.
Punch Biopsy: The doctor uses a sharp, hollow device to pinch off small
samples of cervical tissue.

LEEP: The doctor uses an electric wire loop to slice off a thin, round
piece of tissue.

Endocervical curettage: The doctor uses a curette to scrape a small

sample of tissue from the cervical canal. Some doctors may use a
thin, soft brush instead of a curette.

Conization: The doctor removes a cone-shaped sample of tissue. A

conization, or cone biopsy, lets the pathologist see if abnormal cells
are in the tissue beneath the surface of the cervix. The doctor may do
this test in the hospital under general ansthesia.
 Cervix
 More if malignant
 Surgery
 Radiation therapy
 Chemotherapy
 Or any
combination of the
three methods.
 Treats the cancer in the cervix and the area close
to the tumor
 May remove the cervix and uterus (total
hysterectomy). However, for very early cervical
cancer, a hysterectomy may not be needed.
 Some need a radical hysterectomy (surgery to
remove the uterus, cervix, and part of the vagina)
 With either total or radical hysterectomy, the
surgeon may remove both fallopian tubes and
ovaries.
 High-energy rays to kill cancer cells
 Affects cells only in the treated area
 Radiation therapy is suggested instead of surgery for the
small number of women who cannot have surgery for
medical reasons. Most women with cancer that extends
beyond the cervix have radiation therapy and
chemotherapy. For cancer that has spread to distant
organs, radiation therapy alone may be used.
 External Radiation: The radiation comes from a large
machine outside the body.
 Internal Radiation: Thin tubes containing a radioactive
substance are left in the vagina for a few hours or up to 3
days.
 Anticancer drugs to kill cancer cells
 Called systemic therapy because the drugs
enter the bloodstream and can affect cells all
over the body
 Usually given through a vein
 Usually receive treatment in an outpatient
part of the hospital at the doctor’s office, or at
home. Rarely, a woman needs to stay in the
hospital during treatment.
 Stage IA: This is microinvasive, or very early cervical cancer. The
five-year survival rate ranges from 96 to 99 percent. Treatment
options for stage IA include surgery.
Stage IB: In this stage, the cancer is visible without the use of a
microscope. Five-year survival rates for this stage of cervical cancer
are 80 to 90 percent. Common treatments include surgery,
chemotherapy and radiation.
Stage II: In stage II, cancer has spread outside the uterus to
adjacent tissue, but has not reached the lower third of the vagina or
all the way to the lateral wall of the pelvis. Five-year survival is 65 to
69 percent. Common treatment for stage II cervical cancer include
surgery, radiation and chemotherapy.
 Stage III: Stage III cervical cancer indicates that the
cancer has advanced beyond the parameters for stage II
or has caused changes in the kidney. Five-year survival
is 40 to 43 percent. Common treatments include
chemotherapy and radiation.

Stage IV: Stage IV is the last stage of cervical cancer. In

this stage the cancer has left the pelvis and affected
more distant organs. The five-year survival rate for this
stage of cancer is 15 to 20 percent. Types of treatment
include chemotherapy and radiation.
 Abnormalities in RAS genes have not yet
been fully investigated.
 No correlation was found between RAS
gene alterations and patient survival time.
 The expression and mutation of the H-RAS
oncogene occurs in cervical cancer but their
determination adds no useful prognostic
information.
 66 Year Old Woman with Cervical Cancer
 Background
– Presented to the emergency department with
complaints of vaginal bleeding and passing of large
clots with abdominal pain of 8 out of 10 using a
numeric pain severity scale.
– Found to have a large cervical mass, which was
biopsied and confirmed as carcinoma.
– The final diagnosis was a stage IIB cervical cancer.
 Workup
– White blood cell count, 3130 cells / mm ^ 3
– Hemoglobin, 7 g / dL
– Hematocrit, 20%
– Platelet count, 110 / mm ^ 3
– Albumin, 2.3 g / dL
– Blood urea nitrogen, 24 mg / dL
– Creatinine, 1.8 g / dL
– Sodium, 137 mEq / L
– Potassium, 4.5 mEq / L
– Glucose, 86 mg / dL
– Magnesium, 2.0 mEQ / L
– Calcium, 9.5 mg / dL
– Total bilirubin, 0.7 micromol / L
 History
– Medical
 Pregnant 7 times.
 Pap smear was 8 years ago and was abnormal, but she didn’t follow up
with her physician.
 Positive for hypertension.
– Social
 Smokes approximately 1 pack of cigarettes a week.
 Drinks 4 beers per day.
– Family
 Two grandparents and an aunt who had cancer.
 Her mother, sister, and aunt have hypertension and diabetes
 The treatment plan for this patient is
cisplatin 30 mg / m ^ 2 intravenously (IV)
weekly with concurrent pelvic radiation
therapy daily.
 The patient was treated in the outpatient
setting without difficulty until her second
week of treatment, when she developed
severe diarrhea and abdominal cramping.
Pancreatic Cancer
“Silent Killer”

Alan Nguyen
Daniel Garcia
 Pancreatic Cancer History
• One of the first men to discover a tumor in
the pancreas was Giovanni Battista
Morgagni
• Discovered around the 17th century
• Discovered around Greece, China, Egypt.
 Who does it affect?
• Affects more men than women
• Common in smokers and obese people
• Usually people between age 60 and 80
• African Americans
 Symptoms
• Abdominal Pain • Nausea and Vomiting
• Back Pain • Paleness
• Depression • Weakness
• Diarrhea • Weight Loss
• Fatigue
• Indigestion
• Jaundice
• Loss of Appetite
 Diagnosis/Causes
• Abdominal CT scan and MRI • Gingivitis or Periodontal
• Endoscopic retrograde disease
cholangiopancreatography • Family History
(ERCP)
• One of the main factors of
pancreatic cancer is smoking
• 20-30% of patients are
smokers
• Diets high in red meat, also
low in vegetables and fruits
• Mutations in the tumor
suppressor gene
 What parts of the body are
effected?
• Pancreatic cancer starts in the pancreas
• Can spread to the abdomen or the back
area
 Common Treatments
• Surgery only 20% can be removed
• Chemotherapy
• Gemcitabine- a form of chemotherapy
which helps after tumor has metastasized
• Works on 25% of patients
• Radiation
 Survival Statistics
• Depending on the time of diagnosis of a 5
year span- with treatment
• 16.4% when cancer is in primary site
• 7% when cancer has spread past the
primary site
• 1.8 percent when cancer has
metastasized
 Mortality Rate
• Each year 35,240 people die from
pancreatic cancer
• Less than 5% of patients are alive 5 years
after diagnosis.
• More than 42,000 people are diagnosed
with this cancer every year
 Case Study
• In 2006 Berkson BM and colleagues
published a peer-reviewed paper on the
long-term survival of a man with biopsy-
proven metastatic pancreatic cancer using
the ALAN (alpha-lipoic acid/low dose
naltrexone) protocol
• The patient is alive and well, and working,
eight years following diagnosis.
 How to prevent
• Vitamin D reduces chances of getting
cancer by up to 50%
• Vitamin B6, B12, could help in prevention
also
• Not smoking
• Balanced diet and exercise
Testicular Cancer

By: Ethan Gerdts

And
Lauren Lejuwaan
 Background of Testicular
Cancer
• The first case of testicular cancer is
unknown, yet it is a cancer that has been
relevant for quite a while.
• In the 1950’s, testicular cancer really
started to soar, raising rates dramatically
and infecting more men than ever before.
 Who Does It Effect?
• Men of all ages
– More common in men ages 20-54
• White men are 5 times more likely to contract
the disease than any other race.
• Testicular cancer is more common among men
with:
– Un-descended testicles
– Congenital Abnormalities
– Personal History of Testicular Cancer
– Family history of Testicular Cancer
 Causes of Testicular Cancer
• There is no exact cause that can be
pinpointed as the direct cause of testicular
cancer.
– However, scientists are researching the
always-dangerous mutated p53 gene as
being the main cause of this cancer.
• Despite the fact that there is no exact
cause, there are risk factors which include:
 Risk Factors of T.C.
• The 4 mentioned before (un-descended
testicles, congenital abnormalities,
personal history of testicular cancer, and
family history).
• Other risk factors include:
– HIV infection
– CIS
– Race and ethnicity
– Body size
 Testicular Cancer Diagnosis
• Men usually have a lump on a testicle or
they may notice the testicle is swollen or
larger.
• Sometimes the lump causes pain.
• Men with testicular cancer may mention a
feeling of heaviness or aching in the
lower abdomen or scrotum.
 Diagnosis Cont’d
• The other ways of diagnosis include
– Ultrasounds of the testicular area
– Blood tests for tumor markers
– A plethora and wide range of imaging tests.
• Despite the fact that testicular cancer is
almost symptom-less, these procedures
are used to diagnose the disease in an
early stage.
 What Parts Are Effected?
• As it is named Testicular Cancer, the main
part of the body affected is the testis,
which are enclosed in the scrotum.
– Other parts affected:
• Lymph Nodes
• Urinary Tract
• Scrotum
• Penis
• Any other part of the body that the cancer might
spread to
Affected Parts Cont’d
 Treating Testicular Cancer
• The main treatment is the surgical removal of
the infected testicle, in which case an artificial
testicle can replace it.
– This is the most commonly chosen path to cure
testicular cancer, due to the fact that
radiation/chemotherapy can permanently damage the
non-cancerous testicle.
– This procedure is known as an Orchiectomy
• Chemotherapy
• Radiotherapy
 Statistics
• Only about 5% of all testicular cancer
victims die
– Approximately 360 victims yearly
• If the cancer has spread around or above
the lymph nodes, the survival rate
decreases to 71%, versus the 95%
survival rate of non-masticulated
testicular cancer.
 Case Study
• In 1995, a 31-year-
old man was
admitted to a hospital
with an enlarging
testicular mass that
had been present for
one year, left leg
pain, weakness, and
numbness of a six-
month duration.
 Case Study Cont’d
• Some abnormalities were noticed on physical
examination including:
– Tenderness over the left iliac crest
– An eight-centimeter, non-tender mass in the right
testicle
• Through all these grave problems the man
experienced due to testicular cancer, he still
managed to survive after a right radical
orchiectomy (removal of the testis) was used
as treatment
Luckily, Testicular Cancer is a
SICKNESS not a DEATH
SENTENCE!
 COLON CANCER

By: Tim Hwang and Kris Lam

Period 3
 What is colon cancer?
• Colon cancer is the
growth of tumors of the
colon and rectum
arising from the inner
wall of the large
intestine.
• The origin of the cancer
is unknown, however
researchers dated the
earliest cases
throughout the ancient
and medieval times.
 Facts
• Globally, cancer of the colon and rectum is
the third leading cause of cancer in males
and the fourth leading cause of cancer in
females.
• It is common in the Western world and is
rare in Asia and Africa.
 Symptoms
• Some symptoms of
colon cancer include:
fatigue, weakness,
shortness of breath,
change in bowel habits,
narrow stools, diarrhea
or constipation, red or
dark blood in stool,
weight loss, abdominal
pain, cramps, or
bloating.
 Cont.
• Cancers causing partial bowel obstruction
can cause symptoms of constipation,
narrowed stool, diarrhea, abdominal pains,
cramps, and bloating.
Causes
• Factors that increase a
person's risk of
colorectal cancer include
high fat intake, a family
history of colorectal
cancer and polyps.
• Among first-degree
relatives of colon cancer
patients, the lifetime risk
of developing colon
cancer is 18%.
 Cont.
• 5 % of colon cancers are due to hereditary
colon cancer syndromes.
• Hereditary colon cancer syndromes are
disorders where affected family members
have inherited cancer-causing genetic
defects from one or both of the parents.
 Where?
• Colon cancer affect the large intestine,
specifically the ascending colon, transverse
colon, descending colon, sigmoid colon and
the anus.
 Treatments
• Colonoscopy is a procedure that enables a
gastroenterologist to evaluate the
appearance of the inside of the colon
(large bowel). 
 Cont.
• Polypectomy- endoscopists remove most
precancerous polyps during colonoscopy.
• “The success rate of complete
polypectomy was 95% and complete
removal required an average of 1.6
polypectomies.” (Monkewich)
 Statistics
• In the United States the five-year survival
rate for tumors in the ascending colon is
about 63%.
• For the transverse colon, the survival rate
is about 59%, and in the descending
colon, it's about 66%. 
• The five-year survival for stage 1 colon
cancer is 93%, but it drops to 59%
for stage 3 colon cancer.
 Mortality
• Each year, more than 50,000 people die
from colorectal cancer in the United
States.
• Colorectal cancer is the second leading
cause of death due to cancer for men and
women combined. (Lung cancer is the
first.)
 An Unexpected Challenge
• Patti, a 61 year old grandmother, has
stage 3 colon cancer. She had pain in her
abdominal area, and she decided that it
was time for a colonoscopy.
• As of now, she still has stage 3 colon
cancer and has had four chemo
treatments.
 Lymphmoma

By: Kristyn Grime and Brandon Reed

 Hodgkin Lymphoma

•Discovered by Thomas Hodgkin (a British

physician) in 1832
•Infection of b-cell/Reed-Sternberg cell
•Caused by genetic mutations, suppressed immune
system, and environmental chemicals
•Treated by chemotherapy, radiation therapy, bone
B-cell
marrow transplant, biological therapy, and surgical
removal

Reed-Sternberg Cell
 Non-Hodgkin Lymphoma

•After Hodgkin’s lymphoma was found, all other

lymphomas were classified as non-Hodgkin
•Infection of t-cells
•Caused by genetic mutations, suppressed immune
system, and environmental chemicals
T-cell •Treated by chemotherapy, radiation therapy, bone
marrow transplant, biological therapy, and surgical
removal
 Age Groups

•Affects mostly age groups from 25-35 and

from 60 up
•The main reason for the 60 and up age
group is due to a weaker immune system
caused by old age
•When mutated cells occur in lymphocytes
the immune system is too weak to
eradicate the cell and so it starts to spread.
•for the 25 to 35 age group it is unknown
the exact cause of the cancer
Gender
• Three times more likely to develop in
men than in women.
• Suggested that the female hormone
protects against disease because as
women age their risk for developing the
disease increases and almost evens out
with men’s chances as their hormones
decrease in their body naturally.
• Also it is suggested that the male
hormone could make men more
susceptible to lymphoma and as they
age, and naturally have less and less of
the hormone, their risk for developing
lymphoma decreases.
 Areas

• Lymphoma is most present in the Western World,

such as the U.K., America, and Germany, than in
places like Africa or Asia.
• It is believed that this is due mostly to high
exposure to fatty foods, alcohol, and pollution.
 Symptoms
• Lymphoma has many symptoms such as
unexplained weight loss, swollen lymph
nodes, reoccuring fevers, night sweats,
fatigue/lack of energy, and rashes.
 Tests
• A blood test cannot confirm lymphoma but it can tell if something is
wrong.
• Another example of a test would be imaging of some sort. We
could take an x-ray, CT scan, MRI, or a PET scan to see what is
going on in the body.
• A third example is a biopsy. A biopsy is when a tissue is removed
from the area so it can be tested for cancerous cells.
• Last but not least, a bone marrow sample may be used. Non-
Hodgkin lymphoma can spread to the bone marrow so it is always
good to look at a sample to make sure it hasn’t spread.
Areas of the Body
• Lymphoma can be found in any parts of the body
N - lymph nodes containing lymphocytes. Lymphocytes are found
H - liver (hepatic)mostly in lymph nodes but can also be found in other
organs in the body
L - lung (not
• Lymphocytes are part of the lymphatic system which
shown) runs throughout the whole body but is highly
B - bone marrow concentrated in key areas such as: lymph nodes, the
S - spleen liver, lungs, bone marrow, spleen, pleura, bone, skin,
P - pleura (lung and mucos linings such as nose stomach and eyes
• Because the lymphatic system is so widely found
lining - not shown)
throughout the body it makes the cancer easy to
O - bone spread.
D - skin
M - mucos at
linings- nose,
stomach, eyes,
etc
 Treatments
• chemotherapy, radiation therapy, surgical
removal, bone marrow removal, and
immunotherapy
 Survival Rates
• Type Mortality 5/10/15 year survival estimates
Lymphoma 27,000 varies widely by type and stage
Non Hodgkin’s 19,000 53%/43%/37%
Hodgkin’s 1,400 83%/74%/66%
• The five-year relative survival rate for non-Hodgkin's lymphoma
patients has 
risen from 31% in 1960 to 52% in 2001. - LLS 
 Case study
• A 23-year-old healthy woman presented with a month-long history of
persistent headache of increasing severity
• Family history was remarkable for a paternal aunt who died at age
23 years of Hodgkin's lymphoma
• Pathologic evaluation demonstrated a fibrous tumor composed of
small lymphocytes and scattered plasma cells consistent with
nodular sclerosis type Hodgkin's lymphoma . Reed-Sternberg cells
were present
• The patient entered complete remission after three cycles of
chemotherapy and remains in ongoing complete remission.

http://jco.ascopubs.org/cgi/content/full/22/20/4228
 Brain Cancer

By
Modesto Andrew Alfonso III
Justin Allan Magallanes
Medulloblastoma
 Medulloblastoma (cont.)
• Highly malignant
brain tumor that
originates from the
cerebellum.
• 1925 doctors Bailey
and Cushing
discovered it.
 Cause
• As of today, unknown
cause.
• Research still
continuing.
Diagnosis
• Neurological exam,
reflexes, eye and
mouth movement etc.
• CAT and MRI
• Biopsy
 Symptoms
• Loss of balance, difficulty walking, handwriting
that becomes worse, or slow speech
• Morning headache or a headache that goes
away after vomiting
• Nausea and vomiting
• Unusual sleepiness or change in energy level
• Change in personality or behavior
• Unexplained weight loss or weight gain.
 Who does it affect?
• The majority of
victims are under the
age of 15.
• 14.5% of malignant
brain tumors in
children.
 Survival Rate
• 32.1 percent for Caucasian men
• 33.5 percent for Caucasian women
• 37.7 percent for African-American men
• 37.5 percent for African-American women.
 Mortality Rate
• 0.3 percent died under age 20
• 4.2 percent between 20 and 34
• 8.3 percent between 35 and 44
• 15.2 percent between 45 and 54
• 19.2 percent between 55 and 64
• 23.9 percent between 65 and 74
• 19.5 percent between 75 and 84
• 5.5 percent 85+ years of age.  
Treatment Plans
• Surgery is the first
option that
neurologists would
choose. Take all
visible tumor without
too much risk to
surrounding tissue.
• Radiation and
Chemotherapy still an
option, but surgery
considered first.
 Case Study
• A 13 year old had an operation for
posterior fossa medulloblastoma.
• Symptoms included headaches and vomit.
• Even after treatment, reoccurence of the
cancer and tumor.
Chondrosarcoma

Isabelle Liwanag
Natalie Khoury
 When, Who, and Where It Was
Described
• Mesenchymal Chondrosarcoma was
originally described by Lichtenstein and
Bernstein in 1959
 Who Does it Effect Most?
• It is most common between the ages of 50
and 70
• Between males and females is equal.
 Symptoms
• Large mass on the • Pain that is usually worse
affected bone at night and may be
• Swelling or redness at the relieved by taking anti-
tumor site inflammatory medications
• Feeling pressure around such as ibuprofen
the mass • Pain that is not usually
• Limping or decreased use relieved through rest
of the affected limb • Pain that may be present
for years but increases
gradually over time
 Diagnosis
• Biopsy- a procedure in which tissues samples are removed from the
body for examination under a microscope; to determine if abnormal
cells are present
• X-ray- a diagnostic test which uses invisible electromagnetic energy
beams to produce images of internal tissues, ones, and organs on
film
• Blood tests- a complete blood cell count and analysis of hormones
and other blood chemistry that could indicate the presence of
cancer
• CAT/ CT scan- a diagnostic imaging procedure that uses a
combination of x-rays and computer technology to produce cross-
sectional images of the body.
• MRI- a diagnostic procedure that uses a combination of large
magnets, radiofrequencies, and a computer to produce detailed
images of organs and structures within the body
 Suspected cause
• The exact cause is not known
• scientists suspect that genetic abnormalities or
damaged chromosomes might have something
to do with it.
• Some believe there is a link between
chondrosarcoma and repeated trauma to the site
of the bone cancer, but it’s not clear whether the
injury makes the cancer more likely or the
cancer makes the site weaker and more
susceptible to injury.
 What Part Of The Body Does It
Effect?
• It can occur anywhere in the body where
cartilage is present.
• Most often attacks cartilage cells of the:
thigh bone, arm, pelvis, knee, or spine.
• It sometimes occurs in the larynx, trachea,
chest wall ribs, shoulder blade, or skull.
• Cancerous Healthy
 Treatments
• Surgery- to remove the tumor
• Physical therapy- to regain strength and use of
the affected area after surgery
• Chemotherapy- may be required if the cancer
has spread to other parts of the body
• Radiation therapy- could be used after surgery
to kill any of the remaining cancer cells
Survival Statistics/Mortality Rate
• Survival rate: grade 1 lesions (do not
metastasize) - 5 year survival rate, 90%
• Grade 2 chondrosarcomas have only a 10-
15% risk of metastasis
• Grade 3 lesions (metastasizes) – 29%
• Tumor recurrence typically occurs 5 to 10
years after surgery.
 Case Study
• 34 year old man
• Felt a sensation for one year in the left hip and thigh
• He noticed a large, hard lump behind his left hip
• A biopsy revealed chondrosarcoma
• An osteotomy was performed at the base of the iliac spine and the
muscles were freed from the inner side of the pelvis
• The articular cartilage of the sacrum was removed in order to create
good conditions for bone healing.
• The resected mass included the major part of the ilium tumor, the
distal part of the paraspinal muscles, and the greater portions of the
gluteus medius, minimus, and maximus muscles.
• The anterosupenior iliac spine was reattached to the pelvis with
cencelage wire
• Tumor in the left iliac
in the pelvis
Parathyroid Cancer

By Katie and Danielle

 Definition:
• “A rare cancer that forms in tissues of one
or more of the parathyroid glands (four
pea-sized glands in the neck that make
parathyroid hormone, which helps the
body store and use calcium)”
 Basic History

• A. de Quervain (1868-1940)
– First wrote about in 1909
• Switzerland
www.cryptomundo.com/.../matterhorn_yeti.jpg
 2 Types
• Carcinoma comes from epithelial cells
(BAD)
• Adenoma comes from glandular cells
(BENIGN)
 Demographics
• Japan
(mostly)
 Diagnosis
• Hard to diagnose cuz it’s a sneaky little
fiend.
• Glands thought to have adenoma D:
(WHICH is fancy for cancerous glands)
• Looks like benign hyperparathyroidism
• CT Scan, MRI Scan, or Biopsy
 Treatment
• Surgery!!
• Radiation
 Who it effects
• Most cases have been among Japanese,
though anyone can get it.
• 1 in 2000 people get it (which means its
kinda rare).
What it effects (of the body, that
is)
• Parathyroid gland, duhh.
• Kidneys
• Bones
 Suspects
• Hyperparathyroidism

www.clipartof.com/details/clipart/38400.html
 Symptoms (YUCK!)
• Fatigue • Constipation
• Mainly related to • Excessive Urination
hyperparathyroidism • Nausea
• Weight loss (to the • Vomiting
point of anorexia)
• Bone Pain
• Weakness
• Excessive Thirst
 Lifespan w/o treatment
• You will die. Plain and simple.
 Mortality Rate
• Over 50% see the
Reaper.
30-65% have recurrent disease
 Case Study
• “NORRIS EH. Carcinoma of the
parathyroid glands with a preliminary
report of 3 cases. Surg Gynecol Obstet.
1948 Jan;86(1):1–21”
 woRks SiTEd
• http://www.nci.nih.gov/cancertopics/types/
parathyroid/
• http://www.jurnaluldechirurgie.ro/jurnal/docs/
jurnal208/cancer%20paratiroidian.pdf
• http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/
PMC1290959/
Retinoblastoma

Kayla Nishida
Kristen Chikami
Period 3
 What is Retinoblastoma
• A rare type of cancer in the eye
• Tumor in the retina
• 200-500 new cases occur annually
 History
• Peter Pawius- 1st
description of tumor
resembling
retinoblastoma
• 1809 James
Wardrop-tumor
arose from retina
• 1864 Virchow: glial
cells form tumor
 History cont.

• 1891 Flexner:
rosettes within
tumor
• Verhoeff coined
term
retinoblastoma
-cells resemble
retinoblasts
 Who it affects
• Children
• 90% of patients
diagnosed at 5 &
under
• Average
diagnosis age:
18 months
• Gender & Race
have no effect
 Symptoms
• Leukocoria: white pupil, cat’s
eye reflex
• Strabismus: eyes point in
different directions
• Redness, poor vision,
irritation
• Cross eyed
 Causes

• Mutations or deletions in
chromosome 13
-specifically RB1 gene
-tumor suppressor gene
 How it’s diagnosed
• Ophthalmologists do a
dilated-pupil
examination
• Ultrasound-detects
large tumors in eyes
• CT or MRI-detects if
cancer has spread
outside of eye
Body parts affected

• Eyes-typically only
one eye
-75% for one, 25%
for both
• Retina-tissue at
back of eye that
detects light & color
• Can spread beyond
eye if not treated
Treatment

• Radiation
• Chemotherapy
• Cryotherapy
• Photocoagulation
• Enucleation
 Survival Statistics
• 86-92% of survival
rates
 Mortality Rate
• Developing
Countries: 60% or
higher
• US: 1-2%
 Case Study

• Robert Emeritus
• Diagnosed at less than one in 1938
• Right eye enucleated, artificial eye
• Normal childhood
• Grateful and Blessed
• http://www.retinoblastoma.net/survivors_rob.html
 Lung Cancer

By: Nicolas Galasso &

Cody Jolley
 Basic History
• Rarely seen before the • TTF1, NKX2-8, and PAX9
mid 1900’s tumor causing genes
• In the mid 1900’s, an
epidemic spread
throughout the world
• Correlation between
tobacco and lung
cancer established in
1950
 Affection
• Women often survive longer than males
-suspected cause is estrogen
• Women were thought to be more
susceptible to developing lung cancer
than men
 Diagnostics
• Often diagnosed too late for
curative treatment
• Chest x-ray is used first
• A biopsy may be performed
• Sample of sputum will be
examined
• CT scan is often performed

X-ray: Circle indicates a lung

tumor
 Classification
• Non-small cell lung • Small cell lung carcinoma
carcinoma (NSCLC) (SCLC)
-Squamous cell lung • Less common then non-
carcinoma small cell lung carcinoma
-Adenocarcinoma
-Large cell lung
carcinoma
 Effected Areas
Healthy Lung Cancerous Lung
•SCLC tends to arise
in primary and
secondary bronchi

•NSCLC is located in
the central bronchus,
or peripheral lung
tissue
 Treatments
• Surgery
• Small cell: chemotherapy
-Chemo can cause side-effects
• Non-small cell: Radiotherapy
 Survival Statistics
• Survival rates in men and • Survival rates dramatically
women have increased decrease the longer one
steadily has lung cancer
 Mortality Rate
There are around 1.3
million deaths per
year worldwide from
lung cancer

Female rates are now

near males

Mortality rates per

100,000 in 5 year periods
 Case Study
• Mr. R was 46 years old
when he discovered his
cancer.
• Admitted into the hospital
for the first time in April
2004
• He complained of chest
pain, and shortness of
breath
• Smoked for 31 years , and 3
packs a day.
• Had a large past medical
history
• He got a CT scan which
showed 3.5 cm tumor
NSCLC in his right bronchi.
• Many procedures were
done
• Discharged from the
hospital on 10/30/04
 Breast Cancer

By: Stephanie Gower

and
Jena Rubio
 History
• Discovered in Egypt in 1600 BC
• Edwin Smith Papyrus describes 8 cases of
tumors or ulcers of the breast
 Parts of the Breast Affected
• 80% of the breast cancers are ductal
cancer (cancer of ducts or adjacent/
surrounding the duct)
• 10 – 15% are lobular cancer (cancer in the
lobules)
• Rest are other types of cancer like
inflamatory, medullary cancer etc.
 Who Breast Cancer Affects
• The chances of breast cancer is 1 in 300 women
among the age group up to 30 yrs.
• The chances of breast cancer increases to 1 in
90 women among the age group up to 40 yrs.
• The chances increases even more up to 1 in 45
as the age reaches 50 Yrs.
• The chances are 1 in 30 as the age increases to
60 yrs.
• In 2005, 186,467 women and 1,764 men were
diagnosed with breast cancer
• 41,116 women and 375 men died from breast
cancer
 Causes of Breast Cancer
• About 5% to 10% of all breast cancers are
hereditary
• Caused by a mutated BRCA 1 and 2 genes
• Both BRCA 1 and BRCA 2 are tumor
suppressor genes
• BRCA 1 is involved in DNA damage repair
• BRCA 2 is involved in the repair of
chromosomal damage
Statistics
 More Causes of Breast Cancer
• P53 gene
• “Guardian Angel” cause it prevents
genome mutation
• Tumor Suppressor gene
• More than 50 percent of human tumors
contain a mutation or deletion of the P 53
gene
• When mutated, the cells start to divide
uncontrollably
 Treatment
• Surgery, either mastectomy or lumpectomy --
also called breast-conserving therapy. There are
also different types of mastectomies and
lumpectomies.
• Radiation therapy delivers precise amounts of
high-energy radiation to kill cancer cells
• Chemotherapy uses drugs to kill cancer cells.
Side effects can include nausea, hair loss, early
menopause, hot flashes, fatigue, and temporarily
lowered blood counts.
• Hormone therapy uses drugs to prevent hormones,
especially estrogen, from promoting the growth of breast
cancer cells that may remain after breast cancer surgery.
• Biological Therapy such as Herceptin, works by
using the body's immune system to destroy cancer cells.
Herceptin targets breast cancer cells that have high levels
of a protein called HER2.
• Surgeryalso called breast-conserving therapy. There
are also different types of mastectomies and
lumpectomies.
 Survival Statistics
• According to the American Cancer Society,
about 1.3 million women will be diagnosed
with breast cancer annually worldwide
about 465,000 will die from the disease.
• Breast cancer death rates have been
dropping steadily since 1990, because of
earlier detection and better treatments.
About 40,910 breast cancer deaths are
expected in 2007.
 Case Study
By Andrea Fishbach, MS, MPH
• Diana was pregnant at age 40
• She decided that it was time to finally put
together that family tree she'd been putting
off for years
• She found out that many of her relatives
had died of cancer
• She got tested for mutations in BRCA1
and BRCA2. The results came back
positive
 References
• http://www.medicainfo.com/cancer/breast-cancer-causes
-types.html
• http://www.cdc.gov/Cancer/Breast/statistics/
• http://www.medicainfo.com/cancer/breast-cancer-causes
-types.html
• http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/BRCA1
• http://www.ehealthmd.com/library/breastcancer/
BRC_causes.html
• http://www.webmd.com/breast-cancer/guide/breast-
cancer-treatment
• http://www.imaginis.com/breasthealth/statistics.asp
• http://www.genetichealth.com/
BROV_A_Case_Study.shtml
 Thyroid Cancer

By: Samantha Gianetti, Irene Lee,

and Zeleka Shawel
 Thy-What? Thy-Roid.
• Thyroid cancer is the most common endocrine cancer;
however, it accounts for only 1% of all cancers in the US .
• Several types:
– Papillary, follicular, medullary, anaplastic,
and variants
• It’s a cancerous tumor or growth
located within thyroid gland.
• In U.S., 20,000 new patients
annually
• Outlook with this cancer is excellent
• Cancer is usually curable with
surgery and rarely causes pain or
disability.
 Basic History
• German pathologist, Max Askanazy,
first discovered epithelial cells found
in thyroid gland.
• Emil Theodore Kocher
(physician/medical researcher)
specialized in thyroid gland.
• 1872: Kocher performed first
successful thyroidectomy
• 1901: Kocher performed 2,000
operations Emil Theodore Kocher

• 1909: Kocher Won Nobel Prize for his

work
 Who’s Affected?
• Affects both men and
women, but more
common in women.
– Children if exposed
thyroid to radiation
Thyroid Cancer Patients Aged 15-44
• Occurs in:
– All age groups
– Ethnicities
– Most common in
Hispanics

Thyroid Cancer Patients Aged 55-64

 Diagnoses
• Determinant of cancer:
– Fine needle biopsy used to
determine either
benign/malignant.
• Likely thyroid cancer if
patient has symptoms of
following:
– Lump/nodule in front of neck
– Hoarseness/ difficulty
speaking
– Swollen lymph nodes
– Difficulty swallowing/
breathing
– Pain in throat/ neck/ jaw/ ear
Abnormal cell growth in the thyroid
 Suspected Causes
• Exposure to radiation
• Family history of
cancer
• Mutations of the p53
tumor suppressor
gene and point
mutations of the RET
gene (a proto-
oncogene) in thyroid
nodules
Mutated Thyroid Gland
 What’s Affected
• Mostly lymph glands
in the neck
• Cancer can spread to
blood vessels causing
them to mutate
• Possibly lungs and
bones
 Common Treatments
• Surgery
• Radioactive iodine treatment
• External beam radiation therapy
• Chemotherapy
• Patients often elect for surgery to remove most of
cancer.
• After treatment, patient has to take thyroid hormones to
help replace glands body used to make and to keep
cancer from returning.

Thyroidectomies to remove nodules

 Survival Stats
• 95% survival rate
• 1 out of 100 patients die of papillary carcinoma
with a tumor roughly 25 years later
 Mortality Rate
• Flat rate of .5 per 100,000
• Estimated 1,630 men and women will die of
thyroid cancer in 2009

5 year survival rate in ages 75-99 5 year survival rate in ages 45-54
 Case Study
Lisa Laird Di Rosso

• Found a lump in her neck

– Doctors first said it was an infection
– Then said it was just a prominent lymph node
– 13 years later they discovered that it was cancer
• After surgery she was given potassium
supplements, heparin to prevent blood
clots, and an artificial thyroid supplement
• Will be on thyroid medication forever and
has routine visits to endocrinologist
– Leads an otherwise normal life
 Sources
• Wikipedia.com
• Mahalo.com/thyroid-cancer
• http://www.cancernews.com/data/Article/241.asp
• http://www.thyroid.org/patients/brochures/
ThyroidCancer_brochure.pdf
• http://www.thyca.org/thyroidcancerfacts.htm
• Dotnetcharting.com
• http://www.chattanoogan.com/articles/
article_117300.asp