62. Oncology II: Common Cancer Types and Treatment Flashcards
Complementary therapy such as __ or ____ is commonly used among cancer patients to manage treatment side effects
Acupuncture
Medical marijuana
What does partial response to treatment mean?
At least 30% of tumor was eliminated
What is the primary treatment if the cancer is resectable?
Surgery to remove the bulk of the tumor
What is the difference between Neoadjuvant therapy vs adjuvant therapy
Neoadjuvant = before surgery to shrink tumor
Adjuvant = after surgery to eradicate residual disease
____ causes ~80% of lung cancers
Smoking
T/F: Use of immunosuppressants post-transplant can increase risk of lung cancer
False - can increase risk of skin cancer
What is the “ABCDE” mnemonic for skin cancer
Asymmetry
Border - edges are irregular, notched
Color - not the same all over
Diameter - larger than 6 mm or the size of the tip of a pencil eraser
Evolving - changing in size, color, shape, or symptoms (itching, bleeding, tenderness)
The biggest risk factor for developing breast cancer is ___
female gender
Rationale: many breast cancer tumors have estrogen receptors that require estrogen to grow (females have more estrogen than males)
What are modifiable risk factors for breast cancer?
Overweight (in post menopausal females)
Low physical activity
Poor nutrition
Tobacco
Alcohol use
____ use low-dose x-rays to identify abnormal breast tissue
Mammograms
___ and ___ genes normally suppress tumor growth. Inherited mutations in either gene prevents cell repair and causes a dramatic increase in breast cancer incidence.
BRCA1
BRCA2
T/F: Less than 5% of breast cancer occurs in males
False - less than 1%
____ is a congenital condition in which males have 1 Y chromosome and 2 or more X chromosomes. Males with this condition produce more estrogen (higher breast cancer risk)
Klinefelter syndrome
If a breast tumor expresses either estrogen or progesterone receptors, the tumor is referred to ____ and classified as ____
Hormone-sensitive
estrogen receptor positive (ER+), progesterone receptor positive (PR+), or both (ER+/PR+)
Hormone-sensitive breast cancers will be treated with adjuvant hormone (endocrine) therapy for ____ years to suppress cancer recurrence. Choice of treatment depends on ____
5-10 years
Menopausal status of the patient
First-line adjuvant treatment for premenopausal females with hormone-sensitive breast cancer is ____
tamoxifen
MOA tamoxifen for breast cancer
Selective estrogen receptor modulator (SERM) and antagonist in breast cells
Why are aromatase inhibitors (AIs) not useful as monotherapy in premenopausal women with breast cancer?
Premenopausal females produce estradiol (most potent estrogen) while postmenopausal females produce very little estradiol and get most of their estrogen from the peripheral conversion of androgens
AIs do not block ovarian estradiol production
MOA aromatase inhibitors for breast cancer
Reduce estrogen production by blocking the aromatase enzyme that catalyzes this conversion
___ is a selective estrogen receptor modulator (SERM) used for breast cancer prevention, not treatment. It is used in (premenopausal/postmenopausal) females at risk for breast cancer.
Raloxifene
Postmenopausal
Raloxifene increases bone density and is also indicated for osteoporosis prevention and treatment. Why is not first-line?
Causes hot flashes and has a risk of blood clots
Aromatase inhibitors (AIs) are typically not useful as monotherapy in premenopausal women. When would AI treatment be a reasonable option in premenopausal women?
Menopause was induced (i.e. ovarian suppression or ablation) by taking a gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH) agonist (goserelin or leuprolide)
GnRH agonist treatment decreases LH and FSH which suppresses ovarian estradiol production
Compare first-line adjuvant treatment between premenopausal females vs postmenopausal females with hormone sensitive breast cancer
Premenopausal: tamoxifen (can use AIs if ovarian suppression or ablation)
Postmenopausal: AIs (second line is tamoxifen)
The ___ oncogene promotes breast tumor growth
HER2/neu (typically referred to as HER2)