Types of Cancer and Clinical Trials

Questions and Answers

What is carcinoma?

Cancer of epithelial tissue.

What is sarcoma?

Malignant tumor growing from mesodermal tissue.

What is lymphoma?

Cancer of the nodes or glands of the lymph system.

What is leukemia?

Cancer of the bone marrow stopping the marrow from producing normal blood cells. Signup and view all the answers

What is myeloma?

Cancer in the plasma cells of the bone. Signup and view all the answers

What does 'well-differentiated' mean in cancer?

Tumor cells appear most like normal cells and tend to grow more slowly. Signup and view all the answers

What does 'undifferentiated' indicate in cancer grading?

Cancer cells appear more abnormal and are associated with poorer prognosis. Signup and view all the answers

What is the purpose of clinical trial phase 1?

Evaluate toxicity Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following are studied in clinical trial phase 2?

Preliminary data on effectiveness Signup and view all the answers

What is established during clinical trial phase 3?

Overall benefit vs risk Signup and view all the answers

What is the focus of clinical trial phase 4?

Long-term effects of new treatments Signup and view all the answers

What are lymphocytes?

A type of white blood cell that makes antibodies. Signup and view all the answers

What are phagocytes responsible for?

Enclosing foreign substances and destroying them. Signup and view all the answers

What role do basophils play in the body?

Travel to the area of tissue injury and stimulate an allergic reaction. Signup and view all the answers

What function do cytokines have?

Promote the maturity of white blood cells. Signup and view all the answers

What do interferons do in response to viral infections?

Activated in response to viral invasion and released early on. Signup and view all the answers

What are interleukins created by?

T cells. Signup and view all the answers

What are hematopoietic growth factors?

Organize and lead cell reproduction, triggering stem cell differentiation. Signup and view all the answers

What are tumor necrosis factors activated in response to?

Inflammation and actions that lead to cell death (apoptosis). Signup and view all the answers

What do chemokines do?

Direct white blood cells through the body in response to antigens. Signup and view all the answers

What is allogenic bone marrow transplant?

A transplant from a compatible donor. Signup and view all the answers

What is a syngeneic bone marrow transplant?

Donation comes from an identical twin. Signup and view all the answers

What is an autologous bone marrow transplant?

The patient receives his or her own bone marrow. Signup and view all the answers

What is carcinogenesis?

Normal cells are transformed into cancer cells. Signup and view all the answers

What does carcinomatosis indicate?

Presence of cancerous tumors at multiple sites in the body. Signup and view all the answers

What is meiosis?

A type of cell division where each daughter cell receives half the amount of DNA of the parent cell. Signup and view all the answers

What are anti-metabolites in cancer treatment?

Block essential enzymes necessary for DNA synthesis. Signup and view all the answers

What do antitumor antibiotics do?

Disrupt DNA transcription and inhibit DNA and RNA synthesis. Signup and view all the answers

What is the function of alkylating agents in cancer treatment?

Interfere with nucleic acid duplication and prevent mitosis. Signup and view all the answers

What do nitrosoureas do?

Inhibit the synthesis of both DNA and RNA. Signup and view all the answers

What are common clinical manifestations of multiple myeloma?

Hyperkalemia, renal insufficiency, anemia, bone lesions, thrombocytopenia, elevated blood urea nitrogen. Signup and view all the answers

What is nociceptive pain?

Pain within the body's tissue. Signup and view all the answers

What characterizes somatic nociceptive pain?

Pain in bones, joints, muscles, skin, or connective tissue. Signup and view all the answers

What defines visceral nociceptive pain?

Pain from internal organs, vague in location. Signup and view all the answers

What is neuropathic pain?

Results from compression or injury to nervous tissue. Signup and view all the answers

What does peripheral neuropathic pain result from?

Damage to peripheral nerves. Signup and view all the answers

What is centrally mediated pain?

Burning or aching sensation with sharp pain radiating from the site. Signup and view all the answers

What opioids are commonly used for pain management?

Hydrocodone/acetaminophen (Lortab), oxycodone/acetaminophen (Percocet), morphine. Signup and view all the answers

What are some stimulants used for pain management?

Methylphenidate (Ritalin). Signup and view all the answers

What anticonvulsants are used to treat neuropathic pain?

Phenytoin (Dilantin) and gabapentin (Neurontin). Signup and view all the answers

What antidepressants can assist with pain management?

Amitriptyline (Elavil) and venlafaxine (Effexor). Signup and view all the answers

What antihistamines are used for pain management?

Hydroxyzine (Vistaril) and diphenhydramine (Benadryl). Signup and view all the answers

What are the common side effects of benzodiazepines?

Sedation, hypotension, respiratory depression. Signup and view all the answers

What is neutropenia?

<blockquote> 1,000 cells/mm3. </blockquote> Signup and view all the answers

How do steroids affect neutrophils during cancer treatment?

They prevent neutrophils from detecting and fighting bacterial cells. Signup and view all the answers

What does myelosuppression refer to?

Impaired blood cell production due to dysfunctional bone marrow. Signup and view all the answers

What is pancytopenia?

Deficiency of all blood cells. Signup and view all the answers

What is thrombocytopenia?

Low platelet count (less than 100,000). Signup and view all the answers

Study Notes

Types of Cancer

Carcinoma: Cancer originating from epithelial tissue.
Sarcoma: Malignant tumor derived from mesodermal tissue.
Lymphoma: Cancer affecting the lymph system's nodes or glands.
Leukemia: Cancer of the bone marrow, impeding normal blood cell production.
Myeloma: Cancer affecting plasma cells in bone; known as multiple myeloma when widespread.

Tumor Differentiation

Well-differentiated (low grade): Tumor cells closely resemble normal cells, usually growing more slowly.
Undifferentiated (high grade): Cancer cells appear abnormal, linked with poorer prognosis.

Clinical Trial Phases

Phase 1: Focuses on patient safety, toxicity evaluation, establishing maximum tolerated dose, and administration schedule.
Phase 2: Gathers preliminary effectiveness data and studies short-term adverse reactions, comparing new treatment with standard options.
Phase 3: Comprehensive evaluation of overall benefit versus risk; determines if the new treatment outperforms existing standards with large randomized samples.
Phase 4: Conducted post-FDA approval; aims to refine treatment protocols and assess long-term effects.

Immunology

Lymphocytes: White blood cells that produce antibodies; include B cells (form in bone marrow) and T cells (mature in the thymus).
Phagocytes: Cells that ingest and destroy foreign substances.
Basophils: Cells that trigger allergic reactions at injury sites.
Cytokines: Molecules promoting white blood cell maturity and immune responses.
Interferons: Released early during viral invasion to combat infection.
Interleukins: Produced by T cells, playing roles in immune responses.

Bone Marrow Transplants

Allogenic: Bone marrow transplant from a compatible donor.
Syngeneic: Donation from an identical twin.
Autologous: Patient receives their own bone marrow.

Cancer Development

Carcinogenesis: Process of normal cells transforming into cancer cells.
Carcinomatosis: Widespread cancerous tumors throughout the body.

Cell Division

Meiosis: Type of cell division producing gametes with half the parent's DNA.

Chemotherapy Agents

Anti-metabolites: Block DNA synthesis by inhibiting necessary enzymes (e.g., cytarabine, 5-FU).
Antitumor antibiotics: Disrupt DNA transcription and inhibit DNA/RNA synthesis (e.g., doxorubicin, bleomycin).
Alkylating agents: Form bonds with nucleic acids to interfere with duplication and mitosis.
Nitrosoureas: Similar action to alkylating agents, inhibiting both DNA and RNA synthesis.

Pain Management

Nociceptive Pain: Pain linked to tissue damage; includes somatic (specific and local) and visceral (vague and dull) pain.
Neuropathic Pain: Caused by nerve damage, often presenting as tingling or numbness.
Opioids: Used for managing pain; some options like propoxyphene should be avoided in cancer treatment due to toxicity risks.
Stimulants: (e.g., methylphenidate) counter sedation effects.
Anticonvulsants: Treat neuropathic pain; may cause sedation and nausea (e.g., gabapentin).
Antidepressants: Used for neuropathic pain; potential side effects include sedation and dry mouth (e.g., amitriptyline).
Benzodiazepines: Manage anxiety and muscle spasms but may cause sedation and respiratory depression (e.g., lorazepam).

Blood Cell Disorders

Neutropenia: Low neutrophil count (<1,000 cells/mm3), normal range is 2,500-6,000 cells/mm3.
Meylosuppression: Reduced blood cell production due to compromised bone marrow.
Pancytopenia: Deficiency in all types of blood cells.
Thrombocytopenia: Low platelet count (<100,000); normal range is 150,000-350,000.

Effects of Steroids on Neutrophils

Steroids impair neutrophil function, hindering their ability to detect and combat bacterial infections, weakening the immune response.

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Description

This quiz covers various types of cancer, including carcinoma, sarcoma, lymphoma, leukemia, and myeloma. It also discusses tumor differentiation and the phases of clinical trials that evaluate the safety and effectiveness of cancer treatments. Test your knowledge on these vital topics in oncology!