Cancer Awareness and Treatment Quiz

Cancer (10-12 Questions)

• Classification: Guides treatment decisions, facilitates communication, and provides statistical survival information to patients. Includes anatomic site, histology, and staging (extent of malignancy). Common stages include 0, IV (metastasis).
• Prevention: Limits alcohol intake, promotes regular physical activity, maintains normal weight, and encourages routine checkups. Includes avoiding tobacco, understanding family health history and genetics. Adequate rest and sunscreen use are also important. Manage stress effectively, eat a balanced diet.
• CAUTION: Recognizing warning signs for cancer through a mnemonic device (Change in bowel/bladder habits, Sore throat, Unusual bleeding, Thickening, Indigestion, Obvious change, Nagging cough or hoarseness).
• Goals of CA treatment: Cure, control, or palliative care.
• Debulking: Removal of parts of a tumor to enhance quality of life.
• CA treatment methods: This includes surgery, chemotherapy (using chemicals to kill rapidly growing cells), radiation (sending rays of energy to kill or shrink tumors), and immunotherapy/targeted therapy (using the patient's immune system to target cancer cells).
• Chemotherapy Administration: Intravenous (IV) methods, including large-bore IV, intrathecal (within the lumbar space), intraarterial (into arteries leading to affected organs), and intravesical administration (into the bladder) are used for delivery of chemo drugs.
• Effects of chemo on normal tissues: Acute and delayed reactions in various organs (e.g., cardiac, kidneys), and the importance of recognizing and managing these effects.

Other Topics

• Absolute granulocyte count (AGC): The percentage of white blood cells available to fight infection. Calculated as WBC x (segs+bands).
• Neutropenia care/education: Monitoring and managing individuals with low neutrophil counts (< 1500). Prompting medical attention for individuals with fever, redness or signs of infection. Avoiding fresh flowers, and produce, pets, in individuals with neutropenia.
• Thrombocytopenia: Low platelet count (<50,000) leading to potential bleeding issues. Avoiding NSAIDS/ASA, IM injections, and recognizing the symptoms (petechiae, ecchymosis, bleeding).
• Anemia: Low red blood cell count leading to symptoms like palpitation, tachycardia, headaches (HA), and dizziness. Recognizing and reporting symptoms to the provider as necessary.
• GI Side Effects of Chemo: Addressing taste alterations, hepatotoxicity (liver damage), mucositis (inflammation of the mucosa), diarrhea, constipation, and oral hygiene considerations.
• Cardiac and Pulmonary SE: Progressive, sometimes irreversible effects of chemo on the heart and lungs. Addressing these issues might involve bronchodilators or expectorants.
• Integumentary, GI, and other SE: Addressing dry skin, desquamation, alopecia (hair loss), and other side effects of chemo, ensuring appropriate post-treatment care.
• Cancer Recurrence Awareness: Encouraging individuals to stay proactive in ongoing care and understanding warning signs of recurrence.
• Breast Cancer Risk Factors: Factors associated with an increased risk of breast cancer, such as age, family history, early menarche/late menopause, and lifestyle choices.
• Breast Cancer Management: Discussing various surgical options (lumpectomy, sentinel lymph node biopsy, mastectomy), radiation, chemotherapy, and hormone therapy to manage and treat breast cancer.
• Post-operative complications for Breast Cancer Surgery: Addressing and managing lymphedema, including suggestions on how to prevent this common complication.
• Healthcare-acquired infections (HAIs): General, Central lines, surgical sites, C. diff, MRSA, and VRE are important considerations for patients with infections. Emphasis on prevention through handwashing, infection precaution practices, PPE use and appropriate standard, contact, droplet and airborne precaution practices.
• HIV: Describing phases of infection (acute, seroconversion, symptomatic), relevant diagnostic tests (NAT, antigen/antibody tests) and their uses. High-risk populations, medical conditions and diseases common to HIV patients, treatment (PREP, PEP).
• Multiple Sclerosis (MS): Chronic, progressive, and degenerative autoimmune condition of CNS (Central Nervous System). Characterized by demyelination of nerve fibers and varying symptoms including varying visual disturbances, mobility issues and remissions/exacerbations.
• Myasthenia Gravis (MG): Autoimmune disease causing fluctuating muscle weakness. Recognizing the common muscle groups affected, especially initial presentation, symptoms, and treatment.
• Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS): Progressive, and degenerative disease that affects motor neurons. Leading to eventual death and complications associated with paralysis and respiratory issues.
• Spinal Cord Injury (SCI): Major priority is stabilization and immobilization. Emphasizing the phases of injury, classification of injuries (mechanism and level), neurological correlation, and comprehensive care.
• Intracranial Pressure (ICP): Describing causes, symptoms (involving level of consciousness, visual changes, changes in mood or feeling), and treatment options (e.g., draining cerebrospinal fluid, osmotic diuretics, surgery).
• Brain infections: Identifying and differentiating between bacterial and viral meningitis (bacterial symptoms include fever, headache, neck stiffness), and encephalitis (viral symptoms including fever, headache, neurologic impairments). Management should involve early treatment and preventing complications.

Test your knowledge on cancer classification, prevention strategies, and treatment methods. This quiz will cover important aspects such as recognizing warning signs through CAUTION, the goals of cancer treatment, and the role of debulking in patient care. Brush up on your understanding of cancer to better support yourself and others.