Chemotherapy Flashcards
Whats it called when the primary tumour invades the blood vessel?
Intravasation
Whats it called when tumour cells invade out the blood vessles?
Extravasation
What ahppens if chemo isnt delivered frequently enough?
Normal cells are damaged each time but the large intervel allows tumour cell population to actually increase between courses
By what route are systemic therapies delivereD?
IV & Oral
5 phases of mitosis?
Interphase Prophase Metaphase Anaphase Telophase
what are the 5 main types of cytotoxic agents?
- Alkylating Agents
- Anti-metabolites
- Mitotic Inhibitors
- Antibiotics
- “other”
At what point do antimetabolites act?
On DNA synthesis
Where do alkylating agents act?
On DNA itself
Where do intercalating agents act?
On DNA transcription & DNA duplication
When do spindle poisons act?
During mitosis, theyre mitotic inhibitors
How do alkylating agents work?
- > alkyl group allows covalent bonds to other molecules
- > . DNA helix then cross links between & within strands
- > Seperate strands attach by free guanines at N6
- > This prevents the strands acting as templates for new DNA formation (impairs replication)
How do antimetabolites prevent tumor cell division?
They can be incorporated into new DNA in place of normal nucleosides
Or they may bind irreversibly to viral enzymes
Name 2 types of anti-mitotic drugs?
Vinca Alkaloid
Taxanes
How do vinca Alkaloids inhibit mitosis?
They arrest metaphase by binding to tubuli & inhibitng microtubule + spindle formation
How do taxanes inhibit mitosis?
They promote spindles, preventing their dissasemlby & ‘freeze’ cells at that stage of the cycle??
What are the 2 types of antimitotic antibiotics?
Anthracyclines
Non-Anthracyclines
How do antibiotics inhibit DNA/RNA synthesis?
By intercalating??
How do antibiotics prevent mitosis via disrupting the dNA chain?
Produce free radicals which disrupt the DNA chain.
How do antibiotics block DNA replication?
By Alkylation
What 2 other ways do antitotic antibiotics act?
Bind to membrane & increase permeabiity to certain ions
MEtal ion chelation results in cytotoxic compound?
In combination chemo why use methods with different action mechanisms?
To reduce risk of resistance developing
To have increased efficacy (synergistic or additive effect)
In combo chemo why use methods with dissimilar toxicity?
Allows both to be used to max dose without causing toxicity. E.g. dont use two that both have neurotoxicity
Name some side effects of chemo?
Mucositis Alopecia' Nausea/vomiting Sterilit Myalgia Neuropathy Renal failure Cardiotoxicity Pulmonary Fibrosis Diarrhoea Cystisis Myelosuppresion Phlebitis
What is alopecia
Hair loss
Mucositis?
Inflammation of mucous membranes
pulmonary fibrosis?
Lung scarring causes dificulty breathign
Cardiotoxicity?
Muscle damage to heart
Cystisis?
Bladder inflamamtion
Myalgia?`
muscle pain
Neuropathy?
um problems with nerves
Myelosuppression?
Supression of cell production in the bone marrow (leukocytes, erythrocytes, thrombocytes)
phlebitis?
inflammed veins due to clots
CINV?
Chemotherapy Induced Nausea & Vomiting
Describe hormonal drugs used to treat brest cancer:
-Anti Oestrogen tamoxifen & aromatase inhibitors used for breast cancer
What kinds of hormonal drugs are used for prostate cancer?
Anti-androgen drugs (e.g. CPA) used for prostate cancer
Name two targets for targeted cancer drugs?
EGFR & VEGF
epidermal growth factor receptor & Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor
Example of VEGF targeted cancer drug?
Avastin
Example of EGFR targeted cancer drug?
Erlotinib
NSCLC?
Non-small cell lung cancer
Types of immunotherapies?
CTLA4 inhibitors
PD-1/PDL1 inhibitors
What type of immunotherapies are used for melanoma?
Ipilimumab (a CTLA4 inhibitor) & Nivolumab (PD-1/PDL1 inhibitor) are approved together for melanoma treatment.
