John Hay
John Hay Biomedical
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Genetics of Disease (Medical Interventions)
Unit 3: Unit 3.1 Detecting CancerMI 3.1Biotechnology Research and Experiments

Classify Tumor Types

Use cancer evidence to classify tumor types from cell regulation through treatment planning.

Builds on (2 levels back)inferred · high confidence
  • Sign vs. symptom: Clinical data mixes measured findings with patient-reported history.
  • Normal range comparison: Students need a reference range or baseline to tell whether a value is concerning.

Prerequisites are inferred: pending teacher review.

Re-learn the skill with worked practice and clear examples.

Re-learn how to classify a cancer by its tissue of origin: carcinoma, sarcoma, leukemia, or lymphoma.

Step 1: Use the origin table
Carcinoma = epithelial tissue, sarcoma = connective tissue (bone/muscle), leukemia = blood, lymphoma = lymph tissue.
Cancer typeTissue of origin
CarcinomaEpithelial tissue (skin, organ linings)
SarcomaConnective tissue (bone, muscle)
LeukemiaBlood-forming cells
LymphomaLymph tissue
Table classifying cancers by the tissue they start in. Carcinoma starts in epithelial tissue, such as skin or the lining of organs. Sarcoma starts in connective tissue, such as bone or muscle. Leukemia starts in blood-forming cells. Lymphoma starts in lymph tissue.
Step 2: Name by tissue
Match the tissue where the cancer started to its type name.
Practice

Use the table. A malignant tumor started in the epithelial tissue that lines the colon. Which type of cancer is this?

Reviewed
Cancer typeTissue of origin
CarcinomaEpithelial tissue (skin, organ linings)
SarcomaConnective tissue (bone, muscle)
LeukemiaBlood-forming cells
LymphomaLymph tissue
Table classifying cancers by the tissue they start in. Carcinoma starts in epithelial tissue, such as skin or the lining of organs. Sarcoma starts in connective tissue, such as bone or muscle. Leukemia starts in blood-forming cells. Lymphoma starts in lymph tissue.
  1. A.Carcinoma, because it started in epithelial tissue
  2. B.Sarcoma, because it started in epithelial tissue
  3. C.Leukemia, because it started in epithelial tissue
  4. D.Lymphoma, because it started in epithelial tissue
Show the worked solution ▾

Answer: A. Carcinoma, because it started in epithelial tissue

  1. Step 1: Find the tissue: The stem says the tumor started in epithelial tissue.
  2. Step 2: Read the table: The table pairs epithelial tissue with carcinoma.
  3. Step 3: Choose the type: So this is a carcinoma.

Why it's right: Cancer that starts in epithelial tissue is a carcinoma, per the tissue-of-origin table.

Why the others miss:
  • B: Sarcoma starts in connective tissue (bone/muscle), not epithelial tissue.
  • C: Leukemia starts in blood-forming cells, not epithelial tissue.
  • D: Lymphoma starts in lymph tissue, not epithelial tissue.

Aligned to Biotechnology Research and Experiments · reading level ~grade 9

Where you'd see this
  • In Unit 3.1 Detecting Cancer, students name a cancer (carcinoma, sarcoma, leukemia, lymphoma) from the tissue it started in.
Careers that use this
Pathologist: Classifies a cancer by the tissue of origin to name the tumor type.
Video library
Watch: Classify Tumor Types
How do cancer cells behave differently from healthy ones? - George Zaidan
TED-Ed · 4 min
Guided notes

Fill these in as you work through the lesson.

Big idea: Tumors are classified first by whether they are benign or malignant, then by the tissue they started in, and graded by how abnormal their cells look.
Key terms: write the meaning
  • Benign vs malignant (stays put vs invades and spreads):  
  • Carcinoma (cancer of epithelial tissue):  
  • Sarcoma (cancer of connective tissue (bone/muscle)):  
  • Leukemia / Lymphoma (cancer of blood / lymph tissue):  
  • Grade (how abnormal (poorly differentiated) the cells look):  
The rule

A malignant tumor that spreads is cancer; name it by tissue of origin (epithelial =  , connective =  , blood =  , lymph =  ) and grade it by  .

Check yourself
  1. What single feature separates benign from malignant? 
  2. Which tissue does a carcinoma start in? 
  3. What does a high-grade (poorly differentiated) tumor look like? 
Work one example

A spreading tumor began in bone. Spread -> malignant. Bone is connective tissue -> sarcoma. Its cells look very abnormal -> high grade. So: high-grade sarcoma.