Oncology Flashcards
What is a-fetoprotein a tumour marker for?
Hepatocellular carcinoma (liver) Germ cell/testicular
What is b-HCG a tumour marker for?
testicular germ cell carcinoma
Gestational trophoblastic tumours
What is inhibin a tumour marker for?
Ovarian carcinoma
What is estridiol a tumour marker for?
Ovarian germ cell carcinoma
What is CA 19.9 a tumour marker for?
Pancreatic carcinoma
What is carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA) a tumour marker for?
Colorectal
What is Sex Hormone Binding Globulin a tumour marker for?
Breast carcinoma
What is Lactose Dehydrogenase a tumour marker for?
Testicular germ cell and gastric carcinoma
What is CA-125 a tumour marker for?
Ovarian carcinoma
Carrying BRCA1 or BRCA2 mutations confers what lifetime risk of cancers?
BRCA1-
65% risk of breast cancer
40% risk of ovarian cancer
BRCA2-
45% risk of breast cancer
11% for ovarian cancer
What kind of surveillance should women aged 30-50 with BRCA mutations be offered?
Yearly MRI (more sensitive than mammogram)
What prophylaxis can women with BRCA1/2 be offered to reduce risk of cancer?
Bilateral mastectomy (decreases risk by 90%) ±oophrectomy
What mutation is associated with Familial Adenomatous Polyposis?
How can cancer be avoided?
APC gene in germline cells
Total colectomy (100% of those with the gene get cancer by 50)
What is Peutz Jeghers syndrome?
Inheritance, features?
Autosomal dominant mutation of STK11 (tumour supressor)
Dark freckles on lips, oral mucosa, palms + soles
GI cancer risk
Hereditary non-polyposis colorectal cancer- inheritance pattern? Type of genes involved?
Autosomal dominant (but not everyone who has the mutation gets the cancer) DNA mismatch repair genes
Investigation and treatment of oncology patient where spinal cord compression is suspected?
MRI whole spine
Dexamethasone 16mg OD
Harry has a diagnosis of prostate cancer and has noticed worsening back pain and ‘numbness’ in his lower leg. What diagnosis needs to be excluded?
Spinal cord compression
Do spine MRI
What test can you perform in suspected superior vena cava obstruction?
Pemberton’s test: lift arms over head for 1 minute = facial plethora/cyanosis, raised JVP and inspiratory stridor
Investigation of choice for suspected SVC obstruction?
Contrast enhanced CT (venogram)
Rx of superior vena cava obstruction?
Dexamethasone
Balloon venoplasty/SVC stenting
(More rapid relief of symptoms than chemo/radiotherapy)
Patient with multiple myeloma comes in confused and weak with polyuria and complaining of nausea, what needs to be ruled out?
Rx if positive?
Malignancy associated hypercalcaemia (occurs in 40% of myeloma patients)
Rehydration then IV bisphosphonate
Which cancer types may lead to tumour lysis syndrome when treated?
What electrolyte disturbance occurs?
Leukaemia, lymphoma or myeloma
Germ cell tumours
Rise in serum urate and potassium
What can be given prior to chemo to reduce the chance of getting tumour lysis syndrome?
Allopurinol 24 hours before (xanthine oxidase inhibitor)
Tumour lysis syndrome leads to raised urate- crystallisation in nephrons causes renal failure
How soon after chemo are patients at risk of neutropenia?
10-14 days later
Or 7 days later for taxanes
Which three types of cancers commonly use bone scans for staging?
Prostate
Breast
Lung
What scan can you use to demonstrate a cancer with somatostatin receptors?
Which types of cancer can have such receptors?
Octreotide scan
Pancreas
Medullary thyroid
Neuroblastoma (CNS)
Carcinoid
What cancer type are MIBG scans used for localising?
Phaeochromocytoma
Localise noradrenaline production
What are Beau’s lines?
Horizontal depressions in the nail plate from interruption to keratin synthesis due to infection, trauma, systemic illness or chemo
How many weeks does it take for palliative radiotherapy to exert it’s effect?
Around 3 weeks
Rx for cancer patients complaining of xerostomia during radiotherapy?
Xerostomia = dry mouth
Pilocarpine (ACh agonist)
When a patient is taking 5a-reductase inhibitors, how much should you adjust their PSA value?
Multiple by 2
What is the tumour marker for medullary thyroid cancers?
Calcitonin
For breast cancer what tumour marker can you use?
CA 15.3
CA 19-9 (=pancreatic) CA 125 (=ovarian)
What is the tumour marker for thyroid cancers of follicular or papillary types?
Thyroglobulin
Calcitonin for medullary thyroid
Adjuvant chemo means?
After surgery if at risk of reoccurrence
When do you give patients granulocyte colony-stimulating factor?
May give it day 2 or 3 post chemo if white blood cell counts are low to try to stimulate the bone marrow, but the WBCs that are produced may not be good quality
Rx of neutropenic sepsis?
IV broad spectrum antibiotics (within 1 hour)
Not GCS-factor in the acute setting
Young patient with SVC obstruction due to cancer, what is the most likely type of cancer causing the problems?
Lymphoma
Lung cancer commoner in older patients
Cancers typically going to bone?
Thyroid Lung Breast Renal Prostate
What needs to be considered for treating brain metastases?
Not chemo- may not be able to cross the blood brain barrier
Consider surgery if focal lesion (need MRI head to confirm)
Whole brain radiotherapy / Stereotactic radiotherapy (specific)
Palliative
Management of bowel obstruction in cancer patients?
Drugs?
Conservative:
Drip and suck
Steroids
Antiemetics SC
Motility agents (if subacute, like metoclopramide)
Antisecretory agent (octreotide)
When would you consider surgical management for someone with cancer and bowel obstruction?
If it hasn’t resolved after 48 hours of conservative management
Cancer patient on active treatment + VTE, what anticoagulant to use?
LMW heparin whilst on active treatment
Unstable INR with chemo makes management difficult.
Patient with liver mets from an unknown primary, what imaging modalities would be useful?
CT
PET scan to look for primary
Tend to give combination chemo if fit for it.
What proportion of those with benign prostatic hyperplasia have a PSA greater than 10?
1%
What are the three mechanisms for nausea and the chemicals mediating these?
Visceral stimulation: dopamine + serotonin
Vestibular + CNS: histamine + acetylcholine
Chemoreceptor trigger zone: dopamine + serotonin
Why does cyclizine (an antihistamine) work on motion sickness?
Histamine + ACh stimulate vestibular centres to cause nausea
What type of antiemetic is most effective for post-op or GI irritation?
Anti-serotonin (ondansetron)
As serotonin and dopamine trigger nausea via the stomach
Which antiemetics are dopamine antagonists and what is the risky SE?
Domperidone (peripheral so no dystonic SEs)
Metoclopramide (central and peripheral)
Chlorpromazine
Haloperidol
Not suitable for Parkinson’s, may cause extrapyramidal SEs or orthostatic hypotension
Name a serotonin antagonist antiemetic?
Ondansetron
Which antiemetic is good for gastric stasis (ie after surgery)?
Metoclopramide
Give an example for each of the common types of antiemetic
Antidopaminergics: domperidone, metoclopramide, haloperidol
Antiserotonin: Ondansetron
Antihistamine: Cyclizine
Vestibular pathway= ACh + histamine
Visceral stomach pathway = 5-HT + dopamine
Chemoreceptor trigger zone = 5-HT + dopamine
What are the four different types of laxative?
Bulking agents- increase faecal mass (bran, ispaghula husk)
Stimulant laxatives- increase intestinal motility (biascodyl, senna)
Stool softeners- for painful anal conditions
Osmotic laxatives- retain fluid (lactulose, macrogel)
Patient has constipation from intestinal obstruction, which type of laxatives should be avoided?
Stimulant laxatives as they increase intestinal motility, will just lead to further impaction of obstruction
Ie docusate, bisacodyl, senna, glycerol
Prolonged use of stimulant laxatives may cause…?
Colonic atony
or hypokalaemia
Which laxative type is best for use in constipation related to anal fissures? (Pre-surgery)
Stool softeners- le liquid paraffin (although not for long term use)
1st line for acute or opiate-related constipation?
Senna (stimulant laxative)
1st line for chronic constipation or elderly patients?
Ispaghula husk (bulk forming laxative)
Laxative used for faecal impaction?
Macrogol (osmotic laxative)
Palliative treatment for agitation near death?
Midazolam
What is the difference between hyoscine hydrobromide and hyoscine butylbromide?
Palliative:
Hyoscine hydrobromide- respiratory secretions
Hyoscine butylbromide- bowel colic (spasmodic pain)