Basics of Oncology Flashcards
(73 cards)
Radiotherapy is prescribed in what units/given in what doses?
Gray (Gy) - one joule deposited per kilogram
Chemotherapy doses are usually calculated according to what?
Patients’ calculated surface area
If SVCO is caused by intrinsic clot, which treatment should NOT be used?
Stent
What type of back pain should particularly alert you to the possible diagnosis of spinal cord compression?
Radicular (pain “radiated” along the dermatome)
In a patient with hypocalcaemia, what would your initial management be?
IV fluids
Which type of lung cancer is most likely to lead to hypercalcaemia?
Squamous cell
If a patient is taking 30mg MST bd for pain control, what should their breakthrough dose of oramorph be?
10mg
Breast cancer can be treated with tamoxifen if the patient is what?
Premenopausal
When receiving radiotherapy, what happens to tattooed patients
Have tattoos marked on them
Patients can go home immediately following radiotherapy. True or false?
True
Patients may have what symptom following radiotherapy
Fever
Chemotherapy can cause renal failure. True or false?
False
Chemotherapy can cause oedema. True or false?
True
Will malignant spinal cord compression have a better outcome if treated with radiotherapy, chemotherapy, pharmacologically or surgically?
Surgically - but only limited patients are fit (eg disease at only one level and are fit for surgery)
Cervical cancer may cause what due to ureteric obstruction?
Renal failure
When starting a patient on opiate analgaesia, you should also prescribe which 2 drugs?
A laxative and an anti-emetic
Mrs Smith has ovarian Cancer. Screening of the tumour identifies a mutation BRCA1.
What is the next one action?
Test Mrs Smith for the BRCA mutation - the tumour can have the mutation even if the person doesn’t, so first you actually have to confirm Mrs Smith has the BRCA1 mutation
Mrs Jones is 32 and comes to your clinic worried about her risk of breast cancer. She is
healthy, but her mother was affected with breast cancer at 56. There is no other family history.
What should you offer Mrs Jones?
Reassurance - no specific treatment indicated. Breast cancer in women >50 is not concerning
Mrs Green 32 comes to your clinic, worried about her risk of breast cancer. She is healthy but
her mother was affected with breast cancer at 70. Her Aunt (mother’s sister) had breast cancer at
32 (still alive) and her mother’s mother had ovarian cancer at 40 ( now dead).
How should you proceed with this case?
BRCA mutation analysis for the Aunt - you should always test an affected person in suspected BRCA before the unaffected as you don’t know if the unaffected person has inherited the mutation. Also, the Aunt having breast cancer at 32 looks more like an autosomal dominant inheritance of BRCA1 from the grandmother than the mother’s breast cancer at 70. Therefore you should test the aunt not the mother as she is the most likely carrier of a BRCA gene
ECOG/WHO performance status 0 means the patient is what?
Fully active, no restrictions on activities
ECOG/WHO performance status 1 means the patient is what?
Unable to do strenuous activities, but able to carry out light housework and sedentary activities
ECOG/WHO performance status 2 means the patient is what?
Able to walk and manage self-care, but unable to work. Out of bed more than 50% of waking hours
ECOG/WHO performance status 3 means the patient is what?
Confined to bed or a chair more than 50% of waking hours. Capable of limited self-cares
ECOG/WHO performance status 4 means the patient is what?
Completely disabled. Totally confined to a bed or chair. Unable to do any self-care
