Hemeonc 12

Question 1

What is the term given when 50% of people will live up to certain number of years and beyond?

Answer 1

Median survival

Question 2

True or False

“complete response” or “remission” mean that cancer is cured

Answer 2

False, it means it is no longer detectable on imaging and tumor markers have normalized (remember 75% of a cancer’s life cycle occurs before it is of detectable size)

Question 3

A partial response to cancer treatment would be a reduction in tumor size of what?

Answer 3

30%+ (stable disease)

Question 4

disease progression would be characterized by what?

Answer 4

Increase in tumor size by 20%+ or development of a new lesion

Question 5

What are some ways that responses to therapy can be measured for cancer?

Answer 5

PET scan (measures highly active areas of body)
other imaging
tumor markers
BMbx

Question 6

What would you see on a pathology report that would indicate a cancer resection that was likely curative?

Answer 6

Clear margins on a local tumor

Question 7

Small escaped cancer cells that can be left behind and remain dormant prior to resurging

Answer 7

micrometastatic disease

Question 8

How does radiation therapy work?

Answer 8

Causes errors in replication of cancer cells that lead to apoptosis, generates free radicals that damage cancer DNA, targets rapidly proliferating cells

Question 9

For what two reasons would you administer radiation therapy for a patient without a goal of cure or palliation?

Answer 9

Prophylactically (ex: radiate brain for known small cell lung ca)
Preparation (irradicate immune system for bone marrow transplant)

Question 10

What type of radiation involves Changing shape of radiation beam to give better control over tissues radiated

Answer 10

Intensity modulated radiation therapy

Question 11

What type of radiation is specific to the brain (Gamma Knife/ Cyberknife)

Answer 11

Stereostatic radiation

Question 12

what type of radiation uses Implantation of radioactive isotopes into tumor?

Answer 12

brachytherapy

Question 13

What is the most common secondary malignancy after receiving radiation?

Answer 13

Leukemia (thyroid is 2nd)

Question 14

What are the 3 types of chemo and how are they different?

Answer 14

1) Cytotoxic–direct killers of cells
2) Biologic Agents–target tumor proteins (rituximab)
3) Hormonal Agents–block hormones (breast ca, tamoxifen)

Question 15

what are 4 ways that cancer cells can become resistant to chemo? How do we avoid this when possible?

Answer 15

1) select for cells that repair DNA damage
2) Inactivate the drug
3) efflux from cells
4) they go dormant (dormant cells not susceptible to chemo or radiation)

Avoid by combining chemo agents

Question 16

What type of support can we give patients on chemo?

Answer 16

antiemetics, growth factors, fluids, prophylactic abx, monitor for toxicity

Question 17

The process of __________ involves removal of whole blood from a patient or donor. Within an instrument that is essentially designed as a centrifuge, the components of whole blood are separated. One of the separated portions is then withdrawn and the remaining components are retransfused into the patient or donor.

Answer 17

apheresis