Oncology whatever Flashcards
What proportion of feb neuts are culture positive in the end?
10-25%
What proportion of feb neut infections are caused by endogenous flora?
80%
What are the most common gram positives that cause feb neut?
staph epidermis
staph aureus
enterococcus
strep
What are the gram negatives that usually cause feb neut
E coli
Klebsiella
Pseudomonas
What proportion of feb neut have in hospital mortality?
9%
What is the most common mechanism of spinal cord compression?
Extension of the tumour from vertebral body or pedicle
What is the best predictor of outcome in spinal cord compression?
Neurological function at the start of treatment
What are the most common tumours that cause SC compression?
Lung
Breast
Prostate
(lymphoma, myeloma)
In SC compression, you should always image…
THE WHOLE SPINE
one third have multilevel deposits
What is the treatment of SC compression?
10mg dex stat then 4mg QID
surgery best to stabilise spine
radiotherapy in sensitive tumours
chemo rarely indicated but good if very sensitive
Name some symptoms of SVC obstruction
face and arm swelling pressure sensation in head dyspnoea cough hoarse voice headaches epistaxis
Often worse on bending forward or lying down
Treatment of SVC syndrome
remove CVAD if present and thrombus
anticoagulate if thrombus
no evidence for steroids or diuretics
chemo: SC lung ca, NHL, germ cell
Endoluminal stent: rapid and sustained sx improvement
radiotherapy can be given alone or with stent.
What are the mechanisms of hypercalcaemia in malignancy?
pTHRP released by tumour (80%)- usually SCC
paracrine stimulation of osteosclasts eg breast, MM
Vitamin D analogue secretion by tumour- NHL and HD
When do you use bone modifying agents in advanced cancer?
when you have mets in breast and prostate cancer
decrease time to first skeletal related event
Effect: improve bone pain but do not improve survival
less data in other cancers, not PBS funded, not used
What are the two main classes of bone modifying agents in cancer?
Bisphosphonate
RANKL inhibitor
BOTH GIVEN WITH VIT D AND CA
What are the toxicities of zoledronic acid?
acute phase reaction renal insufficiency - caution under 60, CI under 30 hypocalcaemia ON jaw occular inflammation
Denosumab MOA
Inhibit RANKL–>inhibition of osteoclast activation
How is denosumab given?
Monthly subcut
Denosumab toxicities
hypocalcaemia (more than ZA) ON jaw (same risk as ZA)
not renally cleared so no need to monitor renal function
might be better than ZA in delaying first SRE in breast and prostate ca
If you get chest pain during Flurouracil and capcitabine what is it from
probably coronary artery spasm
not predictive if have pre-existing cardiac disease
plan: stop drug and do not re-challenge
What pulmonary toxicity is associated with the taxanes
diffuse intersitital pneumoinia
pulmonary oedema
pleural effusions
treat with cessation and steroids if severe