Drug Therapy for Cancer Flashcards
what are some common endings for cancer drugs?
-ate, -ib, -ine, -one
what are the characteristics of cancer?
- persist
- invade (transformer - disguise themselves)
- metastasize
- immortal (don’t die)
does chemotherapy work better for slow-growing cancer or fast-growing cancer?
fast-growing cancer (chemo doesn’t work well for slow-growing cancers like prostate or thyroid)
what doesn’t chemotherapy work well for?
- solid tumors
- slow-growing cancer
what are the four most common side effects of chemo? what do they have in common?
all rapidly growing cells - chemo kills rapidly dividing cells which are cancer cells and these cells
- decreased immune system (low WBC)
- fatigue (low H&H)
- hair loss
- GI (nausea and vomiting)
why do people typically need more than 1 chemotherapy drug?
because the chemos might work in different parts of the cell cycle
- cell cycle-specific
- cell cycle nonspecific
why would cancer patients be on steroids?
- decrease inflammation so chemo can work better
what is the nurse’s role when counseling a patient about chemotherapy options?
- guide patients to ask questions to their provider
- guide them to professional resources
what is the schedule of cancer treatment like?
- complicated due to tolerance
- demanding of time
- realistic for lifestyle
why would drugs be alternated for cancer or stop for a period of time?
- tolerance
- to allow healthy cells that were damaged like bone marrow cells a chance to recover
- recover platelet, WBC, and bone marrow count
- fatal cells (not cells causing hair loss)
what is the Karnofsky performance scale?
determine who would be a good candidate for chemotherapy
- 100 best score
- less than 40 would not be a good candidate
what are the 3 reasons chemotherapy would be performed?
- cure/complete response (remission)
- control (prevent a tumor from growing, shrink a tumor in preparation for surgery)
- palliation (less aggressive, just enough to keep a patient comfortable)
what needs to be known about palliation chemotherapy?
- less aggressive
- just enough to help with symptoms and keep patient comfortable, can be confusing for patient and family so inform them this is not to cure the patient’s cancer)
what would combination chemo be used?
to use medications with different side effects to limit side effects
what is an ommaya reservoir?
a way to perform direct chemotherapy
- fewer side effects
- more specific
a small, plastic device that is implanted in your brain. It allows your doctor to deliver medicine directly to the fluid around your brain and spinal cord
what precautions are needed when handling antineoplastics (medications used to treat cancer)?
- airflow hood
- low permeability gown
- chemo gloves
- face shield or googles
- chemo waste disposal container
- no food or drink in the area
- DON’T CRUSH CANCER DRUGS
what is needed with patients’ urine after chemotherapy?
it is toxic
- chemotherapy gloves when handling
- flush toilet multiple times
what do you do as a nurse with a neutropenic patient?
very susceptible to infection
- glove, gown, mask yourself to protect patient
- no live plants
- no fresh fruit or vegetables
- limited visitors
how are chemo doses determined?
by body weight and surface area
- different for everyone
what is the action of alkylating agents?
binds to DNA and cause impaired functioning and replication to eventually kill the cell
- kills for within
what part of the cell cycle do alkylating agents work in?
non-specific
what is an example of an alkylating agent?
cyclophosphamide
what are the adverse effects of alkylating agents?
- neutropenia
- severe nausea and vomiting (90%)
- bone marrow suppression
- hair loss (alopecia)
what is the common ending for platinum compounds?
-tin
what is the action of platinum compounds?
binds to DNA and cause impaired functioning and replication to eventually kill the cell
- kills from within
what part of the cell cycle do platinum compounds work in?
non-specific
what are the side effects of platinum compounds?
- neuropathy
- severe nausea and vomiting
- mild to moderate bone marrow impression
- ototoxicity