Cancer & Mimics

This is a summary page co-ordinating cancer and cancer mimics. 

I use the following classification systems: 

1. Body System

2. Life Cycle

3. Specialty

4. Histology

Cancers classified

Cancer's and their growth's are usually named via their site of damage or site of primary. 

The 12 body systems & specialties involved, excluding oncology, palliative & paediatrics. 

Nervous: (Neurology)

• Brain Cancer

  • Primary: Gliobastoma, Meningioma, Astrocytoma

  • Metastatic Cancer

• Spinal Cord Cancer

• Peripheral nervous cancers: Tuberous Sclerosis, Neurofibromatosis 

Endocrine (Endocrinology)

• Phaeochromocytoma, Thyroid cancer, Multiple endocrine neoplasia, Carcinoid syndrome, Paraneoplastic cancers

Senses

• Ophthalmology: retinoblastoma

• ENT: head & neck cancer

Cardiovascular (Cardiology, cardiothoracic)

• Cardio myxoma

Respiratory (Respiratory, cardiothoracic)

• Lung cancer- small cell and non small cell

• Mesothelioma

GI (Gastroenterology, general surgery)

• Oesphagus, Stomach, Colorectal, Anal cancers

• Pancreas, Liver, Gallbladder

Urinary (Renal, urology)

• Renal & Bladder cancers

Repro female (Gynaecology)

• Breast, ovarian, cervical, vulva cancers

Repro male (Urology)

• Testicular, Prostate, Penile cancers

Haematopoietic (Haematology)

• Leukaemia: AML, CML, ALL, CLL; 

• Lymphoma, myeloma, amyloidosis

• Polycythaemia vera, essential thrombocytosis, myelofibrosis

Musculoskeletal (Orthopedics, rheumatology)

• Sarcoma, Osteoblastoma

Skin (Dermatology)

• Malignant melanoma, Squamous cell carcinoma, Basal cell carcinomas

Life cycles

1. Neonates Retinoblastoma

2. Paediatrics Wilms tumour, ALL

3. Adult Medicine Breast, cervical, testicular, lymphoma, ovarian

4. Medicine of the Elderly Prostate, colorectal, breast, lung

5. Palliative Care Lung, colorectal, breast, ovarian, pancreatic..

By Aetiology

1. Genetic

   • All cancers, retinoblastoma, CRC, breast cancer

2. Environment

   • Chemical Trauma

     • Skin cancer, lung cancers, mesothelioma

   • Infections: bladder cancer

By Histology

• Adenocarcinoma

  • • • Esophageal,  gastric and colorectal cancer

      • Prostate cancer

      • Lung cancer in non smokers

• Squamous cell carcinoma

  • • • Lung cancer (hyper calcaemia)

      • Skin cancer: SCC

      • Cervical cancer

• Small cell: lung cancer

• Grossly differentiated (unknown)

Cancer Complications

Boney Metastasis

Management

1. Analgesia

2. Bisphosphonates

3. External beam radiotherapy

Core Oncology Emergencies

• Tumour Lysis Syndrome 

• SVCO (Superior Vena Cava Obstruction) 

• HyperCalcaemia 

• Neutropenic Sepsis 

• Spinal cord compression

• Raised ICP

• Ascites or pleural effusion

• Hyperviscosity syndrome

Cancer Biomarkers

Biomarker Cancer associated

Ca125 Ovarian cancer

Ca19-9 Biliary & pancreatic cancer

Ca15-9 Breast cancer

CEA Colorectal cancer

AFP Testicular (non-seminoma), hepatocellular cancer, teratomas

HCG Seminomas

References and Resources

Page written in 2024.