Oncology Flashcards
Benign
Non cancerous
Malignant
cancerous
Blasts
Immature WBC
Lymphoid
Tissue that makes lymphocytes, lymph tissue
Myeloid
Tissue that makes bone marrow
Lymphoma
Arises from the lymphoid tissue
Myeloma
Arises from the myeloid tissue
Carcinoma
Arises from the surface, or epithelium
Sarcoma
Arises from the connective tissue
Cancer Warning Signs
- Changes in bowel or bladder habits
- A sore that does not heal
- Unusual bleeding or discharge
- Thickening or lump in breasts (or elsewhere)
- Indigestion or difficulty swallowing
- Obvious change in wart or mole
- Nagging cough or hoarseness
Chemotherapy
What
○ Causes immunosuppression
○ Destroys cancer cells
○ Stops cancer cell growth
○ Prevents cancer cells from metastasizing
○ But….this destroys healthy cells too!
Side effects
○ Anemia - Fatigue
○ Thrombocytopenia - Bleeding risk
○ Neutropenia
○ Immunosuppression
○ High infection risk
○ GI upset
○ Loss of appetite
○ Nausea
○ Vomiting
Chemotherapy precautions
○ Chemo is administered by nurses with specialized training
○ Administered with special gloves and PPE
* Oral chemo at home
○ Only the client and caregiver should handle the medication
○ Wash your hands before and after handling the medication
○ Wear gloves while handling
○ If the medication spills, clean the spill right away
○ If the medication gets on the skin, wash and rinse using soap and water right away
* Bodily fluids
○ Handle anything soiled with bodily fluids with care
○ Clean up any spills right away
Wash anything soiled with bodily fluids separately
Radiation
What
○ High energy directed at cancer cells to shrink and kill them
○ X-rays
○ Gamma-rays
Forms of radiation
○ External - machine directs beams of radiation at location of tumor
○ Internal - radioactive material placed in the body near the cancer cells
○ Brachytherapy
○ The body may give off a small amount of radiation for a short time
External Radiation Precautions
○ Time
○ Distance
○ Shielding
Internal radiation precautions
○ Wash your laundry separately from the rest of the household, including towels and sheets.
○ Sit down when using the toilet (both men and women) to avoid splashing of body waste.
○ Flush the toilet twice after each use, and wash your hands well after using the toilet.
○ Use separate utensils and towels.
○ Drink extra fluids to flush the radioactive material out of your body.
○ No kissing or sexual contact (often for at least a week).
○ Keep a distance away from others in your household.
○ Avoid contact with infants, children, and women who are pregnant.
○ Avoid contact with pets.
○ Avoid public transportation.
Plan to stay home from work, school, and other activities.
Leukemia
What
* A malignant progressive disease in which the bone marrow produces increased numbers of immature or abnormal leukocytes. These suppress the production of normal blood cells, leading to anemia and other symptoms.
* “Blood cancer”
Pathophysiology
* Abundance of blasts
* These underdeveloped cells can’t function
* Immunity is suppressed since these immature WBCs are not functioning
* Excessive blasts suppress the bone marrow
* Other cells in the blood begin to die due to the excess of blasts
○ RBCs → anemia
○ Platelets → inability to clot
○ WBCs → infection
Classifications
* Acute Lymphocytic Leukemia (ALL)
○ Immature cells the body is producing too many of = lymphoid cells
○ Most common in 2-5 year-olds
○ Treatable and more common
○ 85% survival rate
* Acute Myelogenous Leukemia
○ Immature cells the body is producing too many of = myeloid cells
○ Poor outcomes
○ 27% survival rate
Assessment
* Weight loss
* Fever
* Infections
* Arthralgia
* Pallor
* Fatigue
* Bleeding
* Bruising
Side effects of treatment
* Infection
* Bleeding
* Nausea
* Vomiting
* Loss of appetite
* Weight loss
* Ulcers
* Alopecia
Treatment
* Chemotherapy
* Steroids
* Radiation
* Bone marrow transplant
Management
· Neutropenic precautions
· Antibiotics
· Antiemetics
· Enteral nutrition
Blood product administration
Lymphoma
What
* Cancer of the lymphatic system
* Affects the lymphocytes
* Impairs the body’s natural immune response
Classifications
* Hodgkin’s
○ Localized, single group of nodes
○ Reed-Sternberg cells are present
○ Extranodal involvement not common
* Non-Hodgkin’s
○ Multiple lymph nodes are involved
○ Reed-Sternberg cells are not present
○ Extranodal involvement is common
○ Most common type of lymphoma
Assessment
* Painless swelling of lymph nodes
* Fatigue
* Fever
* Night sweats
* Infections
* Weight loss
* Enlarged liver of spleen
Treatment
* Chemotherapy
* Radiation
* Bone marrow transplant
* Immunotherapy
* Lymph node removal
Management
○ Neutropenic precautions
○ Antibiotics
○ Antiemetics
Enteral nutrition
Lung Cancer
Signs and Symptoms
* Wheezing
* Cough
* Shortness of breath
* Hemoptysis
* Difficulty swallowing
Interventions
* Surgery
○ Wedge resection
○ Lobectomy
○ Pneumonectomy
* Radiation therapy
* Chemotherapy
