Patho of Cancer
The ability of a cell to self-regulate and destroy itself.
What is Apoptosis?
This treatment involves chemical agents (po/IV) for curative or palliative treatment.
What is chemotherapy?
Has more of a systemic effect
Good for rapid growth types of cancers.
What is skin cancer?
Basal cell most common
Melanoma - most deadly
The main antiemetic drug used for treatment of nausea & vomiting in cancer patients is ______.
What is Ondansetron (Zofran)?
Give at least 30 min. before the start of treatment.
Can cause cardiac arrythmias & chest pain in patients receiving chemo.
_______ may be the only sign that this complication is starting.
What is a low grade temperature?
_________ is the most preventable carcinogen and is the culpret for the development of over 30% of all cancers.
What is smoking?
Types of diet changes recommended to decrease risk for certain cancers.
What is a diet high in fruits/veggies/fiber and low in fat and red meats.
Description of cells by number of chromosomes & appearance.
What is ploidy?
Euploidy/Aneuploidy
This cancer treatment binds to target antigens to prevent the function of certain proteins and disrupt cellular regulation and cellular division.
What is monoclonal antibiody therapy?
The only symptom of this cancer may by dysphagia.
What is esophageal cancer?
High mortality rate.
Metastaizes quickly due to esophagus being highly vascular
This side effect of chemotherapy can be very distressing to the patient.
What is alopecia?
Hair starts to grow back after about a month from completing chemo, but texture and appearance may be different.
Concern for head trauma and thermoregulation.
Back pain is typically the first sign of this complication, with further symptoms dependent on location of this complication.
What is spinal cord compression?
Required immediate tx to prevent permanent neurological damage.
Treat with high doses of steroids (IV/PO) and potentially surgery.
Having the BRCA1 or BRCA2 genes increases the risk for the development of this cancer.
What is breast cancer?
Annual mammogram screenings for women age 40 and over are this type prevention.
What is secondary prevention?
Also includes teaching breast self-awareness and self-examinations.
These cells have all of the characteristics of a normal cell but the specific function is less defined.
What is a benign cancer cell?
This is a form of radiation therpy and involves the implantation of radioactive seeds, capsules, or ribbons.
What is brachytherapy?
This is one of the slowest growing cancers with most of the tumors being sensitive to androgen hormones.
What is prostate cancer?
These three hematologic conditions commonly occur in cancer patients receiving treatment.
What is thrombocytopenia, neutropenia, and anemia?
Symptoms of superior vena cava syndrome include __________.
What are edema to face/neck (especially periorbital edema), engorgement of blood vessels in the chest, erythema to chest, stridor/dyspnea, edema to arms/hands, HA, nasal stuffiness or fullness in head.
Hypotension
Symptoms more prevalent in supine position.
Diagnose with CT/MRI
Risk factors for this cancer include a diet high in fat and red meats.
What is colorectal cancer?
A colonoscopy is recommended for screening of colorectal cancer starting at _____ age.
What is age 50?
Polyps are removed as they are considered the precursor to the developement of this cancer.
Other health promotion is to perform fecal occult stool tests.
Cancer cells move from primary site of tumor to a different location in the body.
What is metastasis?
This cancer treatment utilizes the patient's own body to attack cancer cells.
What is immunotherapy?
Used when cytotoxic therapy is not tolerated.
Jaundice and icterus are the two common symptoms of this cancer.
What is pancreatic cancer?
Patient can have a variety of GI symptoms
Will see glucose intolerance develope (hyperglycemia) & onset of DM
Anorexia/weight loss/ascites
This condition occurs in response to cytotoxic chemotherapy and causes painful mouth sores.
What is mucositis?
Treatment?
Resolves once chemo is stopped
This life-threatening complication usually results from sepsis and results in the depletion of clotting factors.
What is Disseminated Intravascular coagualtion (DIC)?
Chronic exposure to carcinogens such as asbestos, radiation, coal distillates, and air pollution can lead to this cancer.
What is lung cancer?
Exposure to second hand smoke also increase risk for developing lung cancer.
A PSA is used to screen for this type of cancer.
What is prostate cancer?
Normal is below 4.0 ng/mL
These cancer cells have the appearance of the parent cancer cell but are found elsewhere in the body.
What are secondary tumors?
_________ is the most common side effect of radiation therpy.
What is radiation dermatitis?
Severity of this depends on the amount of radiation exposure and dose.
redness/rash to skin
Treatment?
This cancer results from a loss of cellular regulation, leading to the uncontrolled production of WBCs in the bone marrow.
What is leukemia?
Blood cancer
Come from the lymphatic system
Classified as Lymphocytic or lymphoblastic
Symptoms may not manifest for years
Priority nursing actions for a patient with neutropenia include_______.
What is preventing infection through proper handwashing, placing patient in reverse isolation if indicated, administering colony stimulting factor agents.
Tumor Lysis Syndrome can lead to these complications.
What are hyperkalemia, hyperuricemia, hyperphosphatemia and acute kidney injury?
Other: build up of uric acid and blockage of tubules in kidney.
Untreated reflux is a main causative factor for the development of this cancer.
What is esophageal cancer?
Excessive alcohol intake, diet high in nitrates, diet chronically deficient in fruits and vegetables, smoking, obesity, malnutrition
This vaccine helps protect against the Human Papillovirus (HPV) and the development of cervical cancer.
What is Gardasil?
These cancers arise from blood cell-forming tissues.
What are hematologic cancers?
Leukemia/Lymphomas
This cancer treatment inhibits the activation of tyronsine kinase in cancer cells.
What are Tryonsine Kinase Inhibitors?
S/E - N/V, fluid (retention) & electrolyte imbalances, & bone marrow suppression
Symptoms of this cancer include persisten cough, frank hemoptysis, chest tightness/pain, and hoarsness.
What is lung cancer?
other s/s is any change to resp. pattern or breathing status, wheezing, and recurrent episodes of pneumonia, bronchitis, and pleural effusions.
Can go undetected initially and only be present in pleural fluid.
Patient education for mucosistis should include these dietary consideration and hygiene care.
What is performing frequent oral care with a soft bristle toothbrush.
What is avoiding acidic, spicy, salty, dry or rough foods and no alcoholic beverages or smoking.
May need artificial saliva
Encourage fluids for hydration
Watch temp of food to avoid burns
Proper denture care
Spinal cord compression can lead to these additional complications.
What are constipation, urinary retention or incontinence, paralysis.
Excessive use of tanning beds can predispose a person to developing this type of cancer.
What is skin cancer?
Modifying risk factors for cancer falls under this type of prevention level.
What is primary prevention?
This _______ helps to determine the size & location of the tumor and if metastasis has occured.
What is staging?
Clinical/Surgical/Pathological
This cancer treatment can often lead to physical impairments and disfigurements.
What is surgery?
This cancer often has vague symptoms of bloating, pelvic pain, and urinary urgency/frequency.
What is ovarian cancer?
Has been known as the 'silent killer'
many times is not found until it has already metastasized.
A patient with thrombocytopenia is a risk for ______?
What is bleeding?
May need transfusions
Bleeding precautions
Metastasis of cancer to the bone or multiple myeloma can lead to this oncologic emergency.
Ca++ normal range (8.6 - 10.3)
Risk factors for this cancer include having diabetes, obesity, older age, male gender, and genetic mutation (BRCA2).
What is pancreatic cancer?
Screening for this cancer includes a papanicolaou test.
What is cervical cancer?
Tumor growth is determined by these two fractors.
What is doubling time and mitotic index?
Less than 10% good
85% bad
This cancer therapy is used when the growth of cancer is influenced by certain hormones.
What is endocrine therapy?
Used with certain types of breast cancer.
S/E - fatigue, hot flashes, joint stiffness/pain (cause issues with adherence to regimine)
Long-Term s/e - increased risk for CV disease, risk for thrombolytic events, and osteoporosis
What is acute leukemia?
These hematopoitic drugs are used to treat neutropenia and anemia.
What are colony stimulating factor drugs?
filgrastrum or pegfilgrastim (neupogen/Neulasta) (neupogen)
epoetin alfa (epogen/procrit)
Transfusions may be needed for anemia
Compression or obstruction of venous return of the neck, head, and upper trunk can lead to this oncologic emergency.
What is superior vena cava syndrome?
Trestment is supportive and can include radiation therapy, placement of stents, or bypass surgery, chemotherapy, thrombolysis, and steroids.
Risk factors for this cancer includes long-term use of oral contraceptives, use of an IUD, having had chlamydia, or having had multiple births or a full term pregnancy before the age of 17.
What is cervical cancer?
Health promotion and cancer prevention includes modifying risk factors, vaccinations, removal of 'at risk' tissue, and chemoprevention.
What is primary prevention?
These are irritants that can lead to the development of cancer.
What are carcinogens?
Chemical/Physical/Chronic Irritation/Viral/Dietary
This treatment causes changes in cellular regulation by directly damaging the DNA of the cancer cell.
What is radiation therapy?
Can often lead to secondary cancers.
Treatment for this cancer can include a lumpectomy, partial masectomy, or radical masectomy.
What is breast cancer?
Care of the post-op patient
Reconstructive surgery
Prophylactic radical masectomy
Patients who develop this side effect should be evaluated for risk for falls.
What is peripheral neuropathy?
Chemo also leads to other sensory impairements.
This oncologic condition is caused by a mass destruction of tumor cells.
What is tumor lysis syndrome?
Treatment includes hydration (IV/PO)
Need to dilute potassium and uric acid. May need to give meds to lower K+ levels.
Risk factors include exposure to hair dyes, paint, gasoline/diesel fuel, and working in the textile industry.
What is bladder cancer?
This level of prevention uses screening stratagies to detect cancer early when a cure is more likely.
What is secondary prevention?
Primary prevention is the use of stratagies to prevent the occurance of cancer.
This acronym is used for teaching about the seven warning signs of cancer.
What is CAUTION?
C - Changes in bowel/bladder habits
A - A sore that does not heal
U - Unusual bleeding/discharge
T - Thinkening/lump in breast or elsewhere
I - Indestion/difficulty swallowing
O - Obvious change in mole/wart
N - Nagging cough/hoarsness
Care of the patient with radioactive implants includes what?
What is assigning the patient to a private room, wearing a lead apron while providing care, limiting exposure time to patient to no more than 1 hour a day, keep 6 feet from patient when ever possible, wear a dosimeter, make sure proper signage is on patient's door, and discard of patient waste per facility policy.
This cancer results in the development of tumors in the lymphatic system and can develop anywhere in the body.
What is lymphoma?
Classified as Hodgkin's or Non-hodkin's lymphoma.
Two peak times - teens & young adults, older adult (50-60 years of age)
Tumors are found in lymph nodes and spleen most commonly
NHL more common in patients who have had organ transplants, HIV, on immunosuppresents, chronic H-pyloir infections & epstein-barr virus.
Priority post-operative nursing care for a patient who has had an esophogectomy includes what?
What is monitoring for respiratory distress, keeping the HOB elevated, managment of the NGT, and nutritional support.
Treatment for hypercalcemia includes _________?
Loop diuretics - promote excretion of Ca++
No Thiazide diuretics - promote absorbtion of Ca++
Biophosphonates - prevent reabsorption of Ca++
Watch intake/output
Watch for kidney stones
Past exposure to chemotherapy or radiation treatment can lead to this cancer.
What is leukemia?
This acronym is used for teaching early identification of skin cancer.
What is the ABCDE acronym?
A - Asymmetry (if mole divided in 1/2, sections will not match/mirror each other)
B - Border (uneven, scalloped, or notched)
C - Color (exhibiting different shades of brown, black, tan, or even red, white, or blue)
D - Diameter (usually larger than an eraser tip)
E - Evolving/changing