Cancer Pharmacology

Question 1

What is systemic anti-cancer therapy (SACT)?

Answer 1

Refers to all drugs (irrespective of route of administration) with direct ant-tumor activity, including cytotoxic chemotherapy

Question 2

What is cancer?

Answer 2

A condition where cells grow and reproduce uncontrollably

Question 3

State the key differences between normal and cancer cells

Answer 3

Normal cells are subject to strict control whereas Cancer cells are autonomous - they do not demonstrate normal cell control

Normal cells:
• Reproduce themselves exactly
• Stop reproducing at the right time
• Stick together in the right place
• Self destruct if they are damaged
• Become specialised or 'mature'

Question 4

Define apoptosis

Answer 4

Programmed cell death

Question 5

What word defines “programmed cell death”?

Answer 5

apoptosis

Question 6

Define Angiogenesis

Answer 6

formation of new blood vessels

in the case of cancer, this formation allows tumours to spread.

Question 7

What term defines the process of “forming new blood vessels”?

Answer 7

angiogenesis

Question 8

Define metastasis

Answer 8

development of secondary malignant growths at a distance from a primary site of cancer.

Question 9

What term defines the development of secondary malignant growths at a distance from a primary site of cancer?

Answer 9

metastasis

Question 10

List some ant-cancer treatments.

Answer 10

• Surgery
• Radiotherapy
• Cytotoxic chemotherapy
• Immuno-oncology or immunotherapies

Question 11

What are the factors that explain higher susceptibility of malignant cancer cells than normal cells to toxic effects of chemotherapy?

Answer 11

– They can reproduce more rapidly than many
normal cells

– The proportion of tumour cells dividing at any
one time is often higher than that in normal
tissue

– Cancer cells often repair less well than normal
cells when injured

Question 12

What is cytotoxic chemotherapy?

Answer 12

an interventional cancer treatment which involves introducing agents into the body to slow or stop the growth of cell. induces cell death

Question 13

How do do cytotoxic drugs lead to the destruction of cancer cells?

Answer 13

(1) interfering with cellular replication

(2) inducing programmed cell death or
cell senescence through cell injury or
other mechanisms

Question 14

in the context of cancer treaments, what is primary treatment?

Answer 14

An treament intervention which aims to completely remove the cancer or kill any cancer cells

common primary treatment includes surgery

Question 15

What type of treatment aims to completely remove the cancer or kill any cancer cells?

Answer 15

primary treatment

Question 16

In the context of cancer treaments, what is adjuvant treatment?

Answer 16

intervention which aims to kill any cancer cells that may remain after primary treatment in order to reduce the chance that the cancer will recur.

Question 17

What type of treatment aims to kill any cancer cells that may remain after primary treatment in order to reduce the chance that the cancer will recur?

Answer 17

adjuvant treatment

Question 18

In the context of cancer treaments, what is neo-adjuvant treatment?

Answer 18

Treatment given as a first step to shrink a tumor before the main treatment, which is usually surgery, is given

Question 19

What treatment is given as a first step to shrink a tumor before the main treatment, which is usually surgery, is given?

Answer 19

neo adjuvant treatment

Question 20

In the context of cancer treaments, what is single therapy?

Answer 20

The use of a singe treatment to remove the cancer

Question 21

What type of therapy uses a single treatment to remove the cancer?

Answer 21

single therapy

Question 22

In the context of cancer treaments, what is combination therapy?

Answer 22

the amalgamation of therapeutic agents in order to enhanceefficacy of drugs at killing cancer cells.

Question 23

What type of therapy amalgamates therapeutic agents in order to enhance ef the drugs?

Answer 23

combination therapy

Question 24

In the context of cancer treaments, what is mult-modal therapy?

Answer 24

Therapy which combines more than one method of treatment

Question 25

What type of therapy combines multiple methods of treatment?

Answer 25

multi-modal therapy

Question 26

What is Cell cycle specific chemotherapy?

Answer 26

Cancer killing drugs which targets cancer cell which are dividing

Question 27

What type of chemo targets cancer cells when they are dividing?

Answer 27

cell-cycle specific

Question 28

What is Cell cycle phase specific chemotherapy?

Answer 28

Chemotherapy which targets going through a specific phace with the cell division cycle.

Question 29

What type of tumors is cell-cycle phase specific chemotherapy effective on?

Answer 29

It is most effective against tumours that have a large proportion of cells actively moving through the cell cycle and cycling at a fast rate

Question 30

What is Cell cycle non- specific chemotherapy?

Answer 30

Chemo which targets cancer cells regardless of what phase of cell division they are in.

Question 31

What type of chemo targets cancer cells regardless of what phase of cell division they are in/

Answer 31

Cell cycle non- specific chemotherapy

Question 32

What type of chemo are effective on slow growing tumours?

Answer 32

Cell cycle non- specific chemotherapy

Question 33

What type of tumors is cell-cycle non specific chemotherapy effective on?

Answer 33

slow growing tumours

Question 34

What type of chemo is effctive on tumours that have a large proportion of cells actively moving through the cell cycle and cycling at a fast rate?

Answer 34

cell cycle specific chemo

Question 35

What are the aims of combining cytotoxic chemotherapy

Answer 35

* Enhance the cytotoxic effect of each agent * Ensure a broader range of coverage * Prevent single agent high dose toxicity * To reduce chances of multi-drug resistance • Give better response rates and long term remission (cancer-free)

Question 36

Why do we schedule chemotherapy into regular treatment cycles?

Answer 36

Allows the cancer cells to be attacked at their most vulnerable times, and allows the body's normal cells time to recover from the damage.

Question 37

Why are there so many side-effects of cytotoxic chemotherapy?

Answer 37

It is a combination of several different cytotoxic drug, each with it's own side effects

Question 38

What factors affect severity of chemotherapy side-effects?

Answer 38

``` Specific chemotherapeutic agent • Dose • Administration schedule • Route of administration • Patient genetic factors • Pre-existing illnesses ```

Question 39

9. What is bone marrow suppression?

Answer 39

The reduced production of leukocytes, erythrocytes and blood clotting factors - all of which are integral for immunity