Cancer Basics
This process is uncontrolled in cancer due to “go” signals being stuck on
Cellular proliferation
Type of therapy that is systemic and affects the whole body
Chemotherapy
Temperature that signals emergency in neutropenic patient
100.4°F (38°C)
Cancer of blood and bone marrow
Leukemia
Lab value that determines RBC size
MCV
Mutated genes that continuously tell cells to divide
Oncogenes
Type of therapy that is localized to a specific area
Radiation therapy
Most common metabolic emergency in cancer patients
Hypercalcemia
Type of leukemia most common in children
ALL
Low MCV indicates this type of anemia
Microcytic anemia
Mutated genes that fail to stop abnormal growth
Tumor suppressor genes
Common chemo side effect due to bone marrow suppression
Neutropenia / thrombocytopenia / anemia
Emergency caused by rapid tumor cell breakdown after chemo
Tumor lysis syndrome
Cell that defines Hodgkin lymphoma
Reed-Sternberg cell
High MCV indicates deficiency of these vitamins
B12 or folate
Final stage of cancer where it spreads to distant organs
Stage IV / Metastasis
Treatment that stimulates the immune system to attack cancer
Immunotherapy
Back pain + neuro deficits indicating emergency
Spinal cord compression
Lymphoma with unpredictable spread and more common overall
Non-Hodgkin lymphoma
Universal symptom caused by decreased oxygen delivery
Fatigue
Process where tumors develop their own blood supply
Angiogenesis
Transplant used to replace diseased bone marrow
Hematopoietic stem cell transplant (HSCT)
Triad of hypotension, JVD, muffled heart sounds
Cardiac tamponade
Leukemia associated with Philadelphia chromosome
CML
Condition where all blood cell lines are decreased
Aplastic anemia (pancytopenia)