Intro to Oncology Flashcards
What are the most common cancers in the US?
prostate, lung, and breast cancer
What is the most common cause of cancer-related deaths?
lung cancer
What is the role of a pharmacist in cancer treatment?
to have a thorough understanding of the pharmacokinetic, pharmacodynamic, and pharmacogenomic properties of all the anticancer agents
How is cancer thought to develop?
the normal mechanisms for cell growth and proliferation in a cell are altered
What is the process of cancer formation called?
carcinogenesis
What are the stages of carcinogenesis
- Initiation
- Promotion
- Conversion
- Progression
What is initiation?
when normal cells are exposed to carcinogens
What is promotion?
carcinogens alter the environment to favor altered cell growth over normal cell growth
What is conversion?
the normal cell turns cancerous
What is progression?
further genetic alterations that lead to rapid proliferation, invasion into local tissues, and metastasis
Which drugs can cause leukemia?
- alkylating agents
- anthracyclines
- epipodophyllotoxins
which drugs can cause liver cancer?
- anabolic steroids
2. steroidal estrogens
what drugs can cause renal or urinary cancer?
- analgesics containing phenacetin
2. oxazaphosphorines
Which drugs can cause endometrium cancer?
- antiestrogens
- nonsteroidal estrogens
- steroidal estrogens
Which drugs can cause skin cancer
- coal tar
2. immunosuppressive drugs
Which drug can cause vaginal or cervical cancer?
nonsteroidal estrogens
Which drugs can cause breast cancer?
- steroidal estrogens
2. nonsteroidal estrogens
Which drug can cause testicular cancer
nonsteroidal estrogens
Which drug can cause lymphomas?
immunosuppressive drugs
What two types of genes play an important role in the development of cancer?
oncogenes and tumor suppressor genes
What are the functional abilities acquired by cancer cells?
- angiogenesis
- self-proliferation
- insensitivity to antigrowth signals
- metastasis
- antiapoptotic effects
How are proto-oncogenes turned into oncogenes?
through genetic alterations such as point mutations, chromosomal rearrangements, or gene amplifications
What is the oncogene responsible for?
it either produces excessive amounts of normal gene product or an abnormal gene product
ALK
lung cancer, lymphomas, neuroblastoma, ovarian cancers
BCR-ABL
acute lymphoblastic leukemia and chronic myeloid leukemia
BCL-2
B-cell lymphomas
BRAF
colon cancer, lung cancer, melanoma, ovarian cancer, and thyroid cancer
ERBB1
colon cancer, glioblastoma multiforme, lung cancer
ERBB2
breast, gastric, and lung cancers
KIT (CD117)
acute leukemia and gastrointestinal stromal tumor
MYC
acute myeloid leukemia, breast cancer, lung cancer, pancreatic cancer, retinoblastoma, T-cell lymphomas
P13KCA
lung and ovarian cancer