Cancer Basics
Uncontrolled growth of unregulated cells
What is cancer?
Oldest form of cancer treatment
What is surgery?
Premedicating with an antiemetic can help to prevent this side effect of chemotherapy
What is nausea/vomiting?
At least one recommendation to prevent cancer
What is limit alcohol use, regular physical activity, maintain normal weight, avoid smoking/tobacco use, use of sunscreen, healthy diet
Cancer causing agents
What are carcinogens?
Drugs that interrupt the cell cycle of cancer
What is chemotherapy?
At least one recommendation for those experiencing constipation
What are taking stool softeners, high-fiber foods, increasing fluid intake, and increasing activity (such as walking)?
Recommended way to detect cancer early
What are screenings?
Two types of tumors
What are benign and malignant?
Form of treatment that when absorbed into tissues damages cell DNA and causes cell death
What is radiation?
Use of this can be used to prevent or help with oral injury/stomatitis/mucositis
What is saline or salt solutions (1 tsp salt in 1 L water)? Also topical anesthetics, soft bristle toothbrush, moist/bland/soft foods, avoiding spicy/acidic/too hot/too cold foods, avoiding use of irritants like tobacco or alcohol.
Second stage of cancer where it is still reversible
What is promotion?
Process where cancer spreads to other parts of the body
What is metastasis?
Procedure removing as much as possible of a tumor without completely removing
What is debulking?
Bone marrow suppression places patients receiving chemo at increased risk for developing this
What is infection? (Also accept hemorrhage and extreme fatigue)
Stage of cancer where metastasis can be seen
What is progression (final stage)?
Acronym that provides cancer warning signs
What is CAUTION? (Change in bowel/bladder; A sore that doesn't heal; Unusual bleeding or discharge from any body orifice; Thickening or lump in the breast or elsewhere; Indigestion or difficulty in swallowing; Obvious change in a wart or mole; Nagging cough or hoarseness)
Primary three goals of cancer treatment
What are cure, control, and palliation?
Liver function tests are collected to monitor for this possible chemotherapy effect
What is hepatotoxicity?
Something that cancer cells do that normal cells will not do
What is invade territory not their own? Also not respecting boundaries, growing on top of each other, sometimes producing 2 cells at a time.