28 & 29 - Cancer Treatment Strategies

Question 1

smallest detectable tumor (size and num cells)

Answer 1

1 cm, 10^9 cells

Question 2

chemotherapeutic agents work by _____ kinetics, so they kill a constant ____

Answer 2

first order, fraction of cells

Question 3

ECOG

Answer 3

performance status of the patient - basically how well/functional they are. important prognostic factor

Question 4

ABVD

Answer 4

adriamycin, bleomycin, vinblastine, dacarbazine

combo chemo for advanced Hodgkin’s dz

Question 5

adjuvant chemo

Answer 5

use of chemo after surgery to eradicate micrometastatic tumor and prevent relapse

Question 6

neoadjuvant chemo

Answer 6

use of chemo before surgery to make inoperable tumor into operable one > potentially curative surgery

Question 7

chemical mediators and treatment of nausea/vomiting due to chemo

Answer 7

acute: serotonin > tx w/ ondansetron
delayed: neurokinin-1 > tx w/ aprepicet

Question 8

bone marrow suppression in chemo - order of cells affected

Answer 8

WBCs > platelets > RBCs

Question 9

tx for bone marrow suppression in chemo

Answer 9

G-CSF

Question 10

chemo drug assoc w/ cardiotoxicity

Answer 10

adriamycin

Question 11

chemo drug assoc w/ pulm fibrosis

Answer 11

bleomycin

Question 12

chemo drug assoc w/ nephrotoxicity

Answer 12

cisplatin

Question 13

chemo drug assoc w/ peripheral neuropathy

Answer 13

vinca alkaloids, taxanes, platinum compounds

Question 14

chemo drug assoc w/ hemorrhagic cystitis

Answer 14

cyclophosphamide

Question 15

chemo drug assoc w/ cirrhosis

Answer 15

methotrexate

Question 16

why is interferon useful for cancer treatment?

Answer 16

anti-proliferative, immunogenic

Question 17

why is IL2 useful for cancer treatment?

Answer 17

enhances NK cell activity

Question 18

rituximab

Answer 18

anti CD20 > targets B cells

used in B cell lymphoma

Question 19

trastuzumab (herceptin)

Answer 19

anti HER-2/Neu (growth factor expressed in ~30% breast CA)

can cause dilated cardiomyopathy (usually reversible)

Question 20

ATRA

Answer 20

all trans retinoic acid
used for AML M3 (APL)
promotes differentiation of promyelocytes to mature myeloid cells, preventing DIC from chemo

Question 21

imatinib (gleevec)

Answer 21

inhibits BCR-ABL tyrosine kinase
inhib proliferation and induces apoptosis in BCR-ABL pos cells in Philadelphia pos CML
also used in GI stromal tumors

Question 22

imatinib toxicities

Answer 22

fluid retention/edema
GI irritaiton
hematological tox - neutropenia, thromobcytopenia
hepatotox