Therapeutics of Chemotherapy

Question 1

define anaplasia

Answer 1

loss of structural organisation and useful function of a cell

Question 2

define dysplasia

Answer 2

disturbance in size, shape, and organisation of cells and tissues

Question 3

define hyperplasia

Answer 3

increase in number of cells in tissue or organ causing increase in bulk of an organ

Question 4

define neoplasm

Answer 4

abnormal growth of tissue whose cells usually have rapid growth

Question 5

define benign

Answer 5

non-malignant and suggests such tumours are harmless, some can cause death of tissue and lead to malignancy

Question 6

define malignant

Answer 6

have property of local invasion, destructive growth and potentially metastasis

Question 7

List the types of cancer and their frequency

Answer 7

carcinoma: 85%, occur in epithelium
sarcoma: 6%, form in connective tissue
leukemia/lymphomas: 5%, form in bone marrow and lymphatic system
others: 4%, brain tumours etc

Question 8

differentiate between adjuvant and neo-adjuvant therapy

Answer 8

adjuvant is treatment given after primary treatment to lower risk of returning cancer, neo-adjuvant is given before primary treatment to shrink tumour

Question 9

list the indications for chemo

Answer 9

cure, adjuvant/neo, control cancer, symptomatic relief, prevent/delay cancer returning

Question 10

how are chemo doses calculated?

Answer 10

individualised to px body surface area = square root of (height x weight)/ 3600

Question 11

What factors affect choice of chemo?

Answer 11

type of cancer cells, rate of division, time it takes for normal cells to repair

Question 12

Discuss basic chemo protocols

Answer 12

chemo given as several doses on cyclical basis, on specific day in specific time frame, rest periods between to allow normal cell recovery, sequence of treatments very important

Question 13

differentiate between the different responses to chemo

Answer 13

Complete: no signs of cancer
Partial: decrease in number of cancer cells
Stable disease: neither grown or shrunk
Disease progression: increase in number of cancer cells

Question 14

How does targeted therapy work?

Answer 14

interferes with cancer cell growth and division by blocking or inactivating particular signalling pathways or receptors essential to tumour growth.

Question 15

Describe mechanism of action of monoclonal antibodies

Answer 15

target extracellular components of cell cycle pathways, find particular markers on cell and attach to prevent processes that would otherwise occur if marker triggered

Question 16

differentiate between cell cycle specific and non-specific agents

Answer 16

cell-cycle specific agents are only effective against replicating cells in specific phase of cycle
non-specific are generally cytotoxic in all phases of cell cycle but are also effective in tumours with low percentage of replicating cells

Question 17

list the cytotoxic drug targets

Answer 17

Damage DNA, Inhibit microtubule function, Inhibit DNA synthesis and integrity