What Is the Difference among Dysplasia, Metaplasia, and Anaplasia - Essay Example

"What Is the Difference among Dysplasia, Metaplasia, and Anaplasia" is a great example of a paper on cancer. Primarily, the formation of a tumor is caused by abnormal growth in cells or the state of cell growth that proceeds beyond control. This would occur when the genes responsible for cell growth undergo alteration or mutation due to DNA coding error that renders such genes unable to function properly. However, it takes a significant number of mutations prior to the development of cancer cells. One such mechanism involves mutation of mismatch-repair genes or the DNA repair genes that provide correction on inevitable occasions of erroneous spelling in DNAs. Gene alteration of this type can be hereditary being derived from either parent and in order to bring about tumor formation, these genes require two mutations from both members of the gene pair. 

What is the difference between a malignant tumor and a benign tumor?

            A malignant tumor is cancerous, being capable of expanding its territory to nearby tissues in the body which it can subject to destruction at any time. On the other hand, a benign tumor is non-cancerous and would not spread nor affect the surrounding region even if it changes in size. 

 
What kind of information is gained from a biopsy?

            Through a biopsy or diagnostic procedure of removing a piece of body tissue for laboratory examination by a pathologist, the obtained sample is further inspected of histologic (permanent or frozen) sections and smears. The outcomes of this medical task constitute a biopsy report which necessarily includes information on gross description, microscopic examination, as well as a diagnosis in order to detect tumors present at any rate and determine whether these tumors are malignant or benign.

What is the difference between dysplasia, metaplasia, and anaplasia?

Dysplasia, in pathology, pertains to an abnormal development occurring as immature cells expand in number with a proportional reduction in areas that contain the mature cells. Metaplasia, however, refers to the reversible replacement of one differentiated type of cell with another mature differentiated type of cell. In case cellular differentiation goes through reversals, the condition called anaplasia takes place where malignant neoplasms (tumors) emerge as its chief characteristic which may or may not consist of the enhanced capacity to multiply.

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