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Tumor Immunology >
Morphology of Cancer cells
Inter mitotic nucleous
Hypertrophic nucleous ( bigger size)
Irregularity in its content & presence of deep fissures ( condition is
called kernsplaten)
thick nuclear membrane
Increase in nuclear & nucleolar volume
More DNA content & increased RNA synthesis
Mitotic nucleous
More in number
double number of chromosomes present
Extremely variable chromosomes ( contracted, dicentric, annular)
Presence of chromosomal bridges & unequal division of chromosomes
Absence of spindle fibres.
Mitosis is longer
Cytoplasm
Shrunken with no phagocytic & pinocytic activity
decreased cytoplasmic- nuclear ratio
Well defined & overlapping cell membrane with more pseudopodial
processes.
Deficient in endoplasmic reticulum, golgi complex
Smaller mitochondria
Hypertrphic centriole
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METABOLISM OF CANCER CELLS
It has a full complement of oxidative enzymes but with reduced
capacity of oxidation
Anaerobic energy yielding mechanism are predominant
It constitutes a nitrogen trap in the tissue
It performs uniform biochemical reactions rather than specific
metabolism taking place in normal differentiated cell
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CHARACTERSTICS OF TUMOUR CELLS
Loss of contact inhibition
Invasiveness ( invasion of other tissues)
Loss of anchorage dependence
Increased sugar transport ( consumes more glucose in order to grow &
multiply)
disorganization of the cytoskeleton - microtubules & microfilaments
are thinner disorganized & few in number.
secretes plasminogen activator which cleaves plasminogen ( serum
protein) to protease plasmin.
Release of transforming growth factors.
loss of capacity for growth arrest- do not respond to the decreased
concentration of isoleucine, phosphate, EGF etc which leads to
quiscent condition of normal cells.
Easier agglutination by lectins,
Less cell surface fibronectin
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GENERAL
FEATURES OF TUMOUR IMMUNITY Several
characteristics of tumor antigens & immune responses to tumors are
fundamental to understanding tumor immunity & developing
strategies for cancer immunotherapy.
- Tumor express antigens that are recognised as foreign by the
immune system of the tumor bearing host.
- Immune responses frequently fail to prevent the growth of
tumors as it is unable to eradicate transformed cells.
- The immune system can be activated by external stimuli to
effectively kill tumor cells and eradicate tumors.
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IMMUNE
SURVEILLANCE OF CANCER
A host defense mechanism in the form of immunological response exists
in the host so as to counter the growth and spread of cancer
partially.
Certain cancers evoke significant lymphocytic infiltrates composed of
immunocompetent cells. e.g., medullary carcinoma breast.
A rare spontaneous disappearance of a cancer under the influence of
host defense mechanism. e.g., malignant melanoma
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