Breast Oncology and Palliative Care Flashcards
what does neo-adjuvant treatment mean?
treatment given pre-surgery eg chemo/radio
what kind of patients would get neo-adjuvant hormonal therapy?
ER+ patients
less fit patients
material is stained with what substance after FNA?
H + E
what neo-adjuvant therapy has a cosmetic advantage and why?
chemo, can shrink tumour significantly so that less surgery is needed
what patients would be unsuitable for neoadjuvant chemo?
patients with lots of comorbidities
how is hormonal therapy given as an adjuvant therapy?
tamoxifen for 5yrs
what aromatase inhibitors are given to patients who have undergone the menopause?
letrozole
anastrozole
side effects of hormonal therapy?
vaginal dryness
hot flushes
how are side effects of hormonal therapy managed?
clonidine
what chemotherapy drugs are given as adjuvant for breast cancer?
toxic anthracycline
taxane
side effects of chemo?
anorexia malaise neutropenia alopecia myalgia peripheral neuropathy
when would you admit someone with side effects from chemo?
if fever from neutropaenia
significantly ill
what is trastuzomab?
a monoclonal antibody (used in HER2+ patients)
side effects of trastuzomab/herceptin?
allergy
reversible heart failure
how are patients with breast cancer followed up after treatment?
1 mammogram a year for 3 yrs
back to usual screening after that