Chemotherapeutic Flashcards
What are characteristics of cancer cells?
- Persistent proliferation
- unresponsive to feedback mechanisms that regulate cells
- Invasive growth/formation of mets
- malignant cells free of constraints that inhibit invasive growth–> cells of solid tumor can penetrate adjacent tissues and spread of cancer
- immortality
- cancer cells undergo endless division
- due to telomerase
What are the 6 hallmarks of cancer cells?
- Sustaining proliferative signaling
- evading growth supressors
- activation invasion and metastasis
- enabling replicative immortality
- inducing angiogenesis
- resisting cell death
How do cancers differ?
Based on phenotye, aggressiveness, responsiveness to drugs
What 3 ways are cancers treated?
surgery
radiation
pharmacologic agents
How does chemotherapy kill cancers (what order?)
1st order kinetic matter, generally kill 50% proportion
What is palliative chemo curve representative of?
Treatment of a terminal Ca that does not have a cure.
More for symptom management
WHat is adjuvant chemo?
Used after surgery to minimize tumor regrowth
What needs to happen in order to reach a cure of cancer
Entirely free of disaes, and has same life expectancy as a cancer free individual
What is a complete resposne from chemo?
Complete disappearance of all cancer without evidence of new disease for at least 1 month
What is a partial response from chemo?
50% decrease in tumor size or other objective markers
What is stable disease?
A patient whose tumor size neither grows nor shrinkgs by more than 25%
What is tumor progression?
25% increase in tumor size or devleopment of new lesions while on tx
Order of cell cycle events?
G0–> G1–> S–> G2–> Mitosis–> G0
What is mitosis?
cell division
time span 1/2-1 hour (need high concentration of drugs)
What is G0?
Resting
cells not committed to cell divison
(all neurons in resting)
What is G1?
Postmitotic
enzymes necessary for DNA synthesis are made
What is S phase?
Synthesis
10-20hours
cell doubles its DNA
What is G2?
Premitotic phase
2-10 hours
Specialized proteins and RNA synthesis
What are 7 calsses of chemotherapy/antineoplastic drugs?
- Alkylating agents
- antimetabolites
- antitumor antibiotics
- topoisomerase inhibitors
- tubulin binding drugs
- signal transduciton modifiers
- immunotherapy**< new approach
Why are chemotherapy drugs combined?
Combination therapy preferred in order to:
- delay drug resistance
- decrease toxicity
- improve cancer cell death
What is a broad summary of toxicity from chemo drugs?
-
Bone marrow suppressio (leukopenia, thrombocytopenia, anemia
- iatrogenic infection
- may need extra preop lab testing
- GI tract damage
-
N/V
- electolyte distubance, hypovolemia
- Aloplecia
-
mucosal ulceration
- avoid using oral airways, LMA, esophageal stethoscope
-
Reproductive
- infertility, teratogenic (1st semester, risk highest)
-
Urinary stones (uric acid crystals)
- Formed from breakdown DNA following cell death
- Extravasation: local injury
-
End organ damage and hepatic enzyme induction
- consider altered respones to anesthetics
- Promotion of secondary cancers
What are the most common chemo drugs to cause extravasation?
- Anthracyclines
- Vinca alkaloids
- Taxanes
Symptoms of extravasation?
- Pain
- burning
- swelling
- redness
- lack of blood return
- may require skin grafting/surgery
What are some examples of aklylating agents?
- Nitrogen mustards
- Cyclophosphamide
- Nitrosureas
- Carmustine
- Platinum compounds
- Cisplatin
- Carboplatin