Exam 2 Concept Review: Chapter 20 Flashcards
What are benign tumors?
Differential cells that reproduce at a higher rate than normal:
Benign tumors are made up differentiated cells so cells are still doing what they are supposed to do, it’s just they are reproducing at a higher rate
Encapsulated: cells have a little capsule around them
Expands but does not spread:
Cells can get bigger but they don’t travel to distant sites
Can cause tissue damage (benign tumors can compress on a structure and block off blood supply:
This a result of compression of adjacent structures
It can be life-threatening in the brain: if it occurs in the brain, it can be life threatening because the brain doesn’t have space for any this in extra
What are Malignant tumors?
Undifferentiated, nonfunctional cells
Rapid production- abnormal mitotic figureS
Infiltrate or spread into surrounding tissue and spread to distant sites (Ex: lymph system, bloodstream)
What are the warning signs of cancer?
Unusual bleeding or discharge anywhere in the body
Change in bowel or bladder habits (e.g. prolonged diarrhea and discomfort)
A change in wart or mole (i.e, color, size, shape)
A sore that does heal (on the skin or in the mouth, anywhere)
Unexplained weight loss
Anemia or low hemoglobin, and persistent fatigue
Persistent cough or hoarseness without reason
A solid lump, often painless, in the breast or testes or anywhere in the body
What is commonly used TMN system?
(T) Size of primary tumor
(M) spread (Metastasis) of tumor
(N) Involvement of regional lymph nodes
What is TMN used for?
Used to estimate prognosis
What are the adverse effects of chemotherapy?
Bone marrow suppression: Nadir is point of lowest cell count - different points in cycle
Suppressing the white blood cells puts patient at risk for infection
Suppressing red blood cells cause anemia
Suppressing platelets causes bleeding
Nausea:
Patient gets anticipatory nausea
Antiemetic drugs are helpful for decreasing nausea
May occur prior to, during, or shortly after treatment
Epithelial cells damage:
Occurs easily
Hair loss
Breakdown of skin and mucosa (can cause mucositis - it can be so pain for the patient when they swallow their own saliva)
Damage of specific areas:
With some antineoplastic drugs
Fibrosis in the lungs
Damage to myocardial cells
Kidney damage
What are the risk factors for cancer?
Genetic factors: oncogenes that regulate all growth
Viruses: oncoviruses alter host cell’s DNA
Radiation: Ultraviolet rays (stay out of the sun)
x-rays and gamma rays
Radioactive isotopes
Risk is increased with higher cumulative dosage
Chemicals:
Organic solvents
Asbestos
Heavy metals
Formaldehyde
Chemotherapy agents (for patients with specific cancers)
Biological factors:
Chronic irritation and inflammation
Age (older a person gets, more exposure they have had)
Diet
Hormones (person exposed to hormones overtime are at a higher risk for cancer)
What does remission mean?
No clinical signs of cancer (a patient may receive several remissions)
What is the most common type of cancer in men and women?
Men: Prostate Cancer
Women: Breast Cancer
What is the difference between invasion and metastasis?
Invasion:
Local spread (tumor cells grow into adjacent tissues)
Ex: uterine carcinoma invades the vagina
Metastasis:
Spread to distant sites (via blood or lymph or other body fluids)
Ex: carcinoma of the colon spreads to the liver
What are the adverse effects of radiation therapy?
Bone marrow depression: Decreased leukocytes (white blood cells) - increase risk of infection
Decreased erythrocytes (red blood cells)- Fatigue, tissue breakdown, and anemia
Decreased platelets -excessive bleeding
Epithelial cell damage:
Damage to blood vessels and skin, hair loss
Anything in the path of the radiation essentially be destroyed or have damage
Infertility (if it is in the path of the female and male organs):
Caused by abnormal radiation
Nonspecific fatigue and lethargy:
Can lead to mental depression
What is radiation therapy?
Causes mutations or alterations in target DNA
Most effective in rapidly dividing cells:
Whole GI system has rapidly dividing cells (mouth to anus could be at risk for having issues with this)
Skin has rapidly dividing cells (causes issues such as burns and other)
May be used as an adjuvant therapy prior to surgery to shrink tumor
What are the methods of using radiation therapy?
External sources (cobalt machine): Radiation for short time to specific site in the body and requires multiple treatments
Instill radioisotope in a solution into a body cavity:
Monitor to ensure that there is no leakage
Radioisotopes may be given by injection for specific tumors
Internal insertion of radioactive material at the tumor site:
Treat specific cancers (e.g cervical or oral tumors)
What is Breaky Therapy?
Breaky therapy: where doctors implant small radiations seeds that are going to go after the cancer and this used often in prostate cancer or breast cancer (this is when the patient is considered radioactive so there are precautions that these patients have to take to protect other people because they are walking around radioactive)
What is Chemo therapy?
Can be used alone or in combination with surgery or radiation
Usually a combination of two or four drugs:
Given at periodic intervals
Antineoplastic drugs
Drugs interfere with protein synthesis and/or DNA replication
