week 6: Ch. 57 [Neoplasia] Flashcards
_________________ agents kill or stop the growth of cancer cells & may be classified as:
–Alkylating agents
–Antimetabolites
–Antitumor antibiotics
–Hormones and hormone antagonists
–Natural products
–Biologic response modifiers and targeted therapies
–Miscellaneous antineoplastic drugs
Antineoplastic
Antineoplastic agents kill or stop the growth of :
cancer cells
Alkylating Agents
- Alter the shape of the : 1
- Prevent DNA from : 2
- Kill cancer cells when : 3
- Suppress : 4
(myelosuppression) - Damage epithelial cells
1- DNA double helix
2- duplicating
3- they divide
4- bone marrow
Alkylating Agents can lead to :
- Alopecia
- Strong vesicants [blistering]
- Secondary malignancies
- Can develop resistance
Prototype drug for Alkylating Agents :
Cyclophosphamide (Cytoxan)
Prototype drug: Cyclophosphamide (Cytoxan)
Adverse effects:
anorexia, nausea, vomiting, weight loss, diarrhea, and mouth sores
–Alopecia occurs in 50% of patients
– jaundice, acne, blistered skin, darkened or thickened skin
▪Serious adverse effects
–Bone marrow suppression
–Severe infection and sepsis
– Cardiotoxicity
–Pulmonary fibrosis
– Hematuria may signal hemorrhagic cystitis
– Interfere w/ ability to reproduce
– Risk of secondary malignancies
Prototype drug: Cyclophosphamide (Cytoxan)
– Therapeutic classification ?
– Pharmacologic classification ?
Therapeutic classification
▪Antineoplastic
Pharmacologic classification
▪Alkylating agent, nitrogen mustard, disease-modifying antirheumatic drug, immunosuppressant
Therapeutic effects and uses of Cyclophosphamide (Cytoxan)
▪Cancers of ____________________
– Chemo of Hodgkin’s & non- Hodgkin’s lymphoma
– Acute & chronic lymphocytic & myelogenous leukemia
▪Ovarian & _________ cancer
▪Multiple myeloma
▪Mycosis fungoides
▪Neuroblastoma
▪Sarcomas
▪Retinoblastoma
▪Off-label uses = other cancers
▪Cancers of the lymph nodes
– Chemo of Hodgkin’s & non- Hodgkin’s lymphoma
– Acute & chronic lymphocytic & myelogenous leukemia
▪Ovarian & breast cancer
▪Multiple myeloma
▪Mycosis fungoides
▪Neuroblastoma
▪Sarcomas
▪Retinoblastoma
▪Off-label uses = other cancers
Cyclophosphamide (Cytoxan)
– Mechanism of action
▪Converted to its active form (phosphoramide mustard) in ______________
▪Binds to DNA and forms cross-links
–Prevent the synthesis of______________________________
▪It is a cell cycle nonspecific drug.
▪Converted to its active form (phosphoramide mustard) in the liver
▪Binds to DNA and forms cross-links
–Prevent the synthesis of DNA, RNA, & protein
▪It is a cell cycle nonspecific drug.
Cyclophosphamide (Cytoxan)
– Contraindications/precautions
▪Pregnancy & lactation
▪Severe myelosuppression
▪Leukopenia
▪Thrombocytopenia
▪Previous radiation therapy
▪Bone marrow infiltration of tumor cells
▪Chronic kidney disease (CKD)
▪Impaired hepatic function
▪Recent history of steroid use
▪Previous therapy that caused cytotoxicity
Cyclophosphamide (Cytoxan)
– Drug interactions
▪Many drug interactions possible due to its extensive hepatic metabolism.
▪Additive immunosuppressive effects if taken with other agents that cause bone marrow toxicity
▪May be an increased anticoagulant effect if given with anticoagulants
▪Increased cardiotoxicity may result if given with doxorubicin
▪Insulin may increase hypoglycemia.
▪Lower serum digoxin levels in patients who takes digoxin
▪Phenobarbital use may lead to increased rate of metabolism
▪Phenytoin use may lead to an increased risk of toxicity.
– Herbal/Food
▪St. John’s wort may increase toxic effects.
Cyclophosphamide (Cytoxan) – Treatment of overdose
▪General supportive measures for severe myelosuppression with the possibility of infection
Antimetabolites are similar structured to nutrients required by:
rapidly growing cancer cells
Antimetabolites disrupt _________ ____________ of cancer cells
metabolic pathways
Antimetabolites inhibit __________ and are cell cycle specific
enzymes
Antimetabolites
Prototype drug:
Methotrexate (MTX, Rheumatrex, Trexall)
Methotrexate (MTX, Rheumatrex, Trexall)
– Therapeutic classification ?
– Pharmacologic classification ?
Therapeutic classification
▪Antineoplastic
Pharmacologic classification
▪Antimetabolite, folic acid analog,
immunosuppressant, disease-modifying antirheumatic drug (DMARD)
Methotrexate (MTX, Rheumatrex, Trexall)
– Therapeutic effects and uses
▪Neoplastic conditions, including osteosarcoma
▪Acute lymphocytic and
lymphoblastic leukemias
▪Lymphosarcoma in children
▪Certain inoperable head, neck, and pelvic cancers
▪Breast & Lung cancer
▪Advanced-stage non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma
▪Combo therapy to maintain remissions after surgical resection of a primary tumor
▪Powerful immunosuppressant
Methotrexate (MTX, Rheumatrex, Trexall)
– Mechanism of action
▪Specific for ___ _______ of the cell cycle
▪It blocks an enzyme that is responsible for
_________________________________________, which
interferes with DNA synthesis, repair, and cellular
replication mainly in actively proliferating tissues.
▪This action enables it to be effective in treating
_________________________________ in addition to cancer.
▪Specific for S phase of the cell cycle
▪It blocks an enzyme that is responsible for
converting folic acid to reduced folate, which
interferes with DNA synthesis, repair, and cellular
replication mainly in actively proliferating tissues.
▪This action enables it to be effective in treating
psoriasis and arthritis in addition to cancer.
Methotrexate (MTX, Rheumatrex, Trexall)
– Adverse effects/ black box warning
– Adverse effects
▪Nausea and vomiting are severe at high doses.
▪Serious adverse effects
– Uric acid nephropathy
– GI hemorrhage
– Hemorrhagic enteritis
–Pancreatitis
–Pericardial effusion
–Pulmonary embolism
– Black box warnings
▪Methotrexate combined with NSAIDs may cause
severe/fatal myelosuppression
▪Hepatotoxic
▪Ulcerative stomatitis & diarrhea may lead to
hemorrhagic enteritis & death from intestinal
perforation.
▪Pneumocystis pneumonia
▪Pulmonary toxicity may result in acute or chronic
interstitial pneumonitis at any dose level.
▪Severe, sometimes fatal, dermatologic reactions
Methotrexate (MTX, Rheumatrex, Trexall)
– Contraindications/precautions
▪Thrombocytopenia
▪Anemia, Leukopenia
▪Concurrent administration of hepatotoxic drugs
and hematopoietic suppressants
▪Alcoholism
▪Lactation
▪CKD
▪Impaired hepatic function
▪Active infections
▪Ulcerative colitis, Peptic ulcers
▪Patients with cancer who have preexisting bone
marrow impairment
▪Patients who are very young, older, or debilitated
▪poor nutritional status
▪Confirmed teratogen; avoid pregnancy during
therapy
▪caution in handling; can cause severe skin
reactions
▪Interacts with many drugs
▪Increased serum methotrexate levels can occur with the penicillins, vancomycin, cyclosporine, and para-amino benzoic acid.
▪Chloramphenicol may decrease intestinal absorption.
▪Increased effect can occur with probenecid, ibuprofen, aspirin, and tetracyclines
▪Folic acid may alter the body’s response to
methotrexate
▪Can cause decreased phenytoin effects
▪Immunization during therapy is not effective.
▪Any live vaccine use may lead to a severe
reaction secondary to the immunosuppressant
activity of methotrexate
– Herbal/Food
▪Food delays oral absorption.
▪Echinacea may increase risk of hepatotoxicity.
▪More than 180 mg/day of caffeine may decrease
effectiveness of methotrexate when taken for
arthritis
Methotrexate (MTX, Rheumatrex, Trexall)
– Treatment of overdose
▪_______________ or levoleucovorin as soon as possible
▪In some cases, leucovorin is given 24 to 36 hours after methotrexate chemotherapy to “rescue” normal cells.
▪Leucovorin or levoleucovorin as soon as possible
▪In some cases, leucovorin is given 24 to 36 hours after methotrexate chemotherapy to “rescue” normal cells.
methotrexate (MTX, Rheumatrex, Trexall)
– Nursing responsibilities
▪Monitor: 1
▪Be alert for and report symptoms of: 2
1- I&O ratio and pattern
2- thrombocytopenia
Antitumor Antibiotics bind to:
DNA
- Mechanism of action similar to alkylating agents
Antitumor Antibiotics contain substances obtained from bacteria that can:
kill cancer cells
Antitumor Antibiotics: their use is restricted to treating
a few specific types of cancer
Antitumor Antibiotics
how are they given?
IV or direct instillation via catheter
Antitumor Antibiotics
a great risk is:
bone marrow supression
[myelosuppresion]