Chemotherapy Flashcards
What is the difference between adjuvant and neoadjuvant treatment?
Adjuvant treatment can be chemo that is applied after a surgery to prevent further growth and reoccurrence.
Neoadjuvant treatment is chemo applied before surgery to reduce the tumour for easier removal or to make surgery possible.
What are OS, PFS and QoL?
Overall survival
Progression free survival
Quality of life
Where do alkylating agents act and name an example?
They act directly on the DNA.
Cisplatin
Where do anti metabolites act and name an example?
They act on the synthesis on the DNA.
Cytosine
Where do mitotic inhibitors/spindle poisons act and name an example?
They act on mitosis.
Taxoids
Name an example of a cytotoxic antibiotic
Dactinomycin
How do alkylating agents affect the DNA structure?
They alkyl Group allows bonding to other molecules and in between DNA strands. They attach to N6 on separated DNA strands so the DNA can’t act as a template strand for synthesis.
What are three mechanisms of resistance for alkylating agents?
Increased exit of the drug or reduced entry so it doesn’t have time to work.
Inactivating of the agent in the cell.
Enhanced repair of the DNA lesions produced by the drug.
How do anti metabolites affect DNA synthesis?
They have a chemical structure as essential metabolites needed by the cell before division so they are incorporated into the nuclear material or they bind to enzymes to inhibit the synthesis.
How do two mitotic inhibitors, vinca alkaloids and taxanes, affect mitosis?
Vinca alkaloids bind to tubuli and block microtubule and spindle formation.
Taxanes promotes the spindles then freeze the cell at that stage of the cycle.
How do antimitotic antibiotics work?
They intercalate and inhibit RNA/DNA synthesis. Free radicals disrupt DNA chain and prevents mitosis.
What three aspects are important when thinking of two drugs to use in combination?
They have different mechanisms of action.
They have different mechanisms of resistance.
They have compatible side effects.
Name two different receptors that can be targeted with specific target drugs
Vascular endothelial receptors
Epidermal growth factor receptors.
What are some side effects of immunotherapy?
Immune mediated such as colitis, pneumonitis and endocrinopathies.
