Cancer Flashcards
(18 cards)
radiation therapy purpose
destroy cancer cells with minimal damaging effects of surrounding normal cells
types of radiation therapy
- teletherapy - external radiation to a specific part
- brachytherapy - radiation seeds
side effects of radiation (5)
- local skin changes and hair loss
- altered taste sensations
- xerostomia
- fatigue - increased energy demands
- inflammatory responses, fibrosis, scarring
nursing care for radiation (6)
- teach accurate objective facts to help pt cope
- don’t remove markings for teletherapy
- skin care - lotion only if approved by provider
- avoid direct skin exposure to sunlight
- care for xerostomia
- prevent fractures - bone exposed to radiation more vulnerable
chemotherapy nursing care (4)
- PPE when administering
- infection risk - neutropenic precautions
- chemotherapy-induced nausea/vomiting - antiemetics (ondansetron/Zofran)
- care for mucositis, alopecia, changes in cognitive function, peripheral neuropathy
hormone manipulation
decreasing hormone amounts to hormone-sensitive tumors to slow cancer growth rate
oncologic emergencies (6)
- sepsis
- syndrome of inappropriate antidiuretic hormone (SIADH)
- spinal cord compression
- hypercalcemia
- superior vena cava syndrome
- tumor lysis syndrome
sepsis symptoms (4)
- tachycardia - first warning sign
- fever
- increased WBC
- can be accompanied by disseminated intravascular coagulation (DIC)
sepsis management
- prevention = best measure
- IV antibiotics (culture before administering)
- anticoagulants, cryoprecipitated clotting factors - for DIC
SIADH
- most common in carcinoma of the lung
- water is reabsorbed excessively by kidneys → dilutional hyponatremia, hypervolemia
- care: fluid restriction, diuretics
spinal cord compression management (5)
- early recognition and treatment - may be palliative
- high-dose corticosteroids
- high-dose radiation
- surgery
- external back/neck braces to reduce pressure in spinal cord
hypercalcemia symptoms (7)
- fatigue
- loss of appetite
- nausea/vomiting
- constipation, paralytic ileus
- polyuria, dehydration
- muscle weakness, loss of tendon reflexes
- ECG changes
hypercalcemia management (4)
- oral hydration
- IV NS
- drug therapy - diuretics
- dialysis
superior vena cava syndrome patho
- superior vena cava is compressed or obstructed by tumor growth
- usually occurs with breast or lung cancer
- can lead to painful, life-threatening emergency
superior vena cava syndrome symptoms (5)
- edema of face, hands, arms
- Stoke’s signs - edema around neck/collar bones
- dyspnea
- erythema
- epistaxis - nose bleeds
superior vena cava syndrome management (3)
- diuretics - for airway and edema
- emergency high-dose radiation therapy
- metal stent placement in vena cava
tumor lysis syndrome patho
large numbers of tumor cells destroyed rapidly → intracellular contents (potassium, uric acid) released into bloodstream faster than body can eliminate them
tumor lysis syndrome management (4)
- Kayexalate - gets rid of potassium
- calcium glutamate - protects heart from effects of hyperkalemia
- insulin - lowers serum potassium
- allopurinol - for uric acid
