31 - Chemotherapy

Question 1

Cancer is characterized by abnormal cell growth with potential to spread to other parts of the body. This is called (blank)

Answer 1

metastasis

Question 2

Cancer is fundamentally a disease of:

Answer 2

cell growth regulation/

Cancer arises when genes that regulate cell growth are mutated

Question 3

List the phases of the cell cycle and describe them:

Answer 3

G1 Phase: checkpoint to ensure cell ready for DNA synthesis

S Phase: DNA synthesis

G2 Phase; checkpoint to ensure cell ready for mitosis

M Phase: mitotic phase (cell divides into two daughter cells)

G0 Phase: quiescent state

Question 4

Genes important in the regulation of cell cycle are divided into 2 groups:

Answer 4

tumor suppressor genes and protooncogenes

Question 5

What do tumor suppressor genes do? Give an example

Answer 5

repress cell cycle or promote apoptosis, p53

Question 6

Tumor cells are most susceptible in which phases?

Answer 6

S and M phases

Question 7

Alkylating groups lead to apoptosis. Give two examples

Answer 7

Nitrogen mustards, cyclophosphamide

Cisplatin

Question 8

Cancer cells are most susceptible to this class of drugs in which phase?

Answer 8

G1 and S phase

Question 9

Some examples of pyrimidine analogues are:

Answer 9

Fluorouracil (nucleobase analogue)

Cytosine arabinoside (side)

Gemcitabine (side)

Question 10

Vinca Alkaloids

Answer 10

derived from periwinkle plant

inhibit tubulin polymerization

disrupts the assembly of microtubules involved in mitotic spindle apparatus (M phase)

Question 11

Taxanes

Answer 11

derived from Pacific yew tree

promote microtubule assembly

inhibit M phase (cell division)

paclitaxel

Question 12

Campotothecins

Answer 12

DNA toipoisomerase inhibitor

makes DNA stay tightly wound and supercoiled, leading to accumulation of single stranded breaks

S phase

Question 13

Antibiotics for cancer drug

Answer 13

Anthracyclines

tight
high affinity
bind cellular membrane to alter fluidity
generate free radicals

Question 14

Tyrosine kinase inhibitors

Answer 14

used to treat leukemia, philadelphia chormosome, fusion chromosome 22 makes BCR-ABL

Imantinib inhibits the tyrosine kinase domain of the BCRABL

Question 15

Epidermal growth factor receptor inhibitor activation promotes cell growth, metastasis, and angiogenesis. Name a drug

Answer 15

Cetuximab is a monoclonal antibody directed against the extracellular domain of EGFR. It slows tumor growth

Question 16

What is tamoxifen?

Answer 16

influenza A drug, selective estrogen receptor antagonist (breast cancer)