ch11: cancer epidemiology, manifestations, and treatment Flashcards
ecogenetics
study of how environment can affect the development of cancer
xenobiotics
compounds that don’t exist naturally in the environment, is artificially made by people
carcinogens
substance that can cuase cancer
what are some examples of carcinogens
- tobacco use
- ionizing radiation
- non-ionizing radiation
- electromagnetic fields (EMF)
- air pollution
- obesity
- alcohol consuption
- sexual behaviors
ionizing radiation
harsher, shorter length higher frequencies (x-rays, gamma)
- extensive damage to DNA if exposed many times
air pollution
lots of xenobiotic compounds, can be combustion products → can generate something that wouldn’t have be generated naturally
alcohol consumption
inflammation in stomach/esophageal linked to cancer
sexual behaviors
STI (usually HPV) link to cancer
what are clinical manifestations of cancer
- pain
- fatigue
- cachexia
- early dietary satiety
- anemia
- leukopenia
- thrombocytopenia
- increase incidence of infections
- paraneoplastic syndromes
paraneoplastic syndromes
catch all category of things you experience when you have cancer (sequelae)
t/f: chemotherapy has a great selective toxicity
false
single agent chemotherapy
using one drug
combination chemotherapy
more than one drug
principle of dose intensity
the more of the drug you take, the stronger the effect
therapeutic index
window of intended effects (therapeutic dose) and toxic side effects (toxic dose)
primary (neoadjuvant) chemotherapy
administer chemotherapy drug first before surgical extraction of tumor
antimitotics
most common; inhibit mitosis and targets rapidly dividing cells –> loss of hair, dry skin, anemic, immunocompromised, fatigued
antiangiogenics
prevent formation of blood vessels (tumors release angiogenic factors for themselves → antiangiogenics administered → starve tumor)
radiation
targeted radiation to target cells in tumors, lots of effects on healthy tissue near tumor (xray, gamma) usually IONIZING RADIATION
what type of radiation is used to target tumor cells?
ionizing radiation
surgery and “margins”
edges of “hole” where tumor was removed → doctors check margins for cancerous cells left over
Good prognosis = “margins are clean”
hormonal therapy
depending on type of tumor; if agents naturally down regulate division
immunotherapy
T cells can naturally target cancer cells
iatrogenic metastasis
surgically remove tumor OR treatment → accidentally spread throughout body throughout process of treating a cancer
