Chemotherapy Drugs Final Questions
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Cytotoxic anticancer drugs injure normal tissue because - ✔✔these drugs lack selective toxicity
As a rule, serious toxicity occurs to normal tissues that have a - ✔✔high growth fraction (ie, bone
marrow, gastrointestinal [GI] epithelium, hair follicles, sperm-forming cells).
Myelosuppression (toxicity to bone marrow) can reduce the number of neutrophils, platelets, and
erythrocytes, thereby - ✔✔posing a risk of infection (from loss of neutrophils), bleeding (from loss
of platelets), and anemia (from loss of erythrocytes).
Loss of neutrophils and platelets during chemotherapy is common; - ✔✔significant loss of
erythrocytes is relatively rare, but can happen with certain drugs (eg, cisplatin).
In patients taking myelosuppressive drugs, - ✔✔neutrophil counts must be monitored.
If neutropenia is substantial (absolute neutrophil count below 500/mm3): - ✔✔the next round
of chemotherapy should be delayed.
When a neutropenic patient develops an infection, immediate and vigorous intervention is required: -
✔✔Until lab reports on the identity and drug sensitivity of the infecting organism are available, empiric
therapy with IV antibiotics should be instituted.
Neutropenia can be minimized by treatment with granulocyte colony-stimulating factor or
granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor: - ✔✔both of which act on the bone marrow to
increase neutrophil production.
By injuring the epithelial lining of the GI tract, - ✔✔anticancer drugs often cause stomatitis and
diarrhea.
Many anticancer drugs cause moderate to severe nausea and vomiting, - ✔✔in part by stimulating
the chemoreceptor trigger zone.
, . Nausea and vomiting can be reduced by premedication with antiemetics - ✔✔The combination
of aprepitant, dexamethasone, and ondansetron is especially effective.
Patients who want to wear a hairpiece should - ✔✔select one before hair loss occurs.
Anticancer drugs can cause fetal malformation and death: - ✔✔Accordingly, women
undergoing chemotherapy should be warned against becoming pregnant.
Anticancer drugs can cause irreversible male sterility: - ✔✔Accordingly, men undergoing
chemotherapy should be counseled about possible sperm banking.
Chemotherapy can cause hyperuricemia as a result of - ✔✔DNA degradation secondary to massive
cell death.
Renal injury from hyperuricemia can be minimized by giving - ✔✔(1) fluids, (2) prophylactic
allopurinol (a drug that blocks uric acid formation) and, (3) if hyperuricemia develops despite these
measures, rasburicase (an enzyme that catalyzes uric acid degradation).
Anticancer drugs with vesicant properties can cause severe local injury if - ✔✔the IV line through
which they are being administered becomes extravasated.
Cancer chemotherapy has three possible benefits: - ✔✔cure, palliation, and prolongation of useful life.
For treatment to be justified, at least one of these benefits should be forthcoming.
Cytotoxic anticancer drugs act directly on - ✔✔cancer cells and healthy cells to produce cell death.
Cell-cycle phase-specific drugs are effective only during a specific phase of the - ✔✔cell cycle (eg, S
phase, M phase). Accordingly, they are only active against cells that are participating in the cell cycle.
Cells in G0 are spared.
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