Chemotherapy I Introduction

Question 1

What is the general rule for clinical detectability of cancers/tumors?

Answer 1

Greater than 30 doublings

Question 2

What is the #1 factor preventing curative treatment form chemotherapy?

Answer 2

Drug resistance of the tumors

Question 3

What are the 3 basic stages of cancer?

Answer 3

1. Cancer localized to the organ of origin
2. Cancer localized to the organ of origin with spread to the regional draining lymph nodes
3. Disseminated disease

Question 4

What is the Skipper Hypothesis?

Answer 4

The ability of chemotherapy to cure is inversely proportional to the tumor burden - the more tumor cells, the less chance there is to cure.

Question 5

Chemotherapy

Answer 5

Drugs developed/designed/selected to kill mammalian cells

Question 6

What is the general purpose of Phase I trials?

Answer 6

Determine dose and dose limiting toxicity

Question 7

What is the general purpose of Phase II trials?

Answer 7

Determine activity of the drugs

Question 8

What is the general purpose of Phase III trials?

Answer 8

Determine efficacy of drugs

Question 9

What are the general SE of chemotherapy?

Answer 9

• Fatigue
• Nausea/vomiting
• Loss of appetite
• Alopecia
• Myelosuppression
• Sore mouth

Question 10

Vesicant

Answer 10

Substance that causes tissue blistering