Brainscape's Knowledge GenomeTM


Top Flashcards (Certified)
All Flashcards

Pharmacology 2 > Chemotherapy > Flashcards

Chemotherapy Flashcards

(91 cards)

Start Studying
0
Q

What are the three compartments cells occupy in a solid tumour?

A

A - dividing cells
B - resting cells capable of dividing
C - cells no longer divide but contribute to tumour volume

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
1
Q

What are the three objectives of cancer therapy?

A

Curing patient
Prolonging life
Palliative therapy

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
2
Q

Which cells are the only ones susceptible to most cytotoxic drugs?

A

Compartment A

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
3
Q

What is the aim of chemotherapy?

A

To kill all malignant cells in the body

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
4
Q

Give 8 toxic effects of chemotherapy

A 
Bone marrow suppression
Impaired wound healing
Loss of hair
Damage to GI epithelium 
Growth stunted
Reproductive system - sterility
Teratogenicity - effect development of foetus
Nausea and vomiting
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
5
Q

What are two possible targets for anti cancer drugs?

A

Hormonal regulation of tumour growth

Defective cell cycle controls

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
6
Q

What are the four classes of anti cancer drugs?

A

Cytotoxic
Hormones
Monoclonal antibodies
Protein kinase inhibitors

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
7
Q

What do alkylating agents target?

A

Cells in S phase

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
8
Q

How do alkylating agents work?

A

Form covalent bonds with DNA, prevent uncoiling, inhibits replication.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
9
Q

What are the side effects with prolonged use of alkylating agents?

A

Sterility (esp men), increased risk of non lymphocytic leukaemia.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
10
Q

What are the 4 classes of alkylating agents?

A

Nitrogen mustards
Nitrosoureas
Platinum compounds
Others

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
11
Q

What is the name of the first anti cancer drug?

A

Mechlorethamine

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
12
Q

How are nitrogen mustards given and why?

A

IV - very reactive

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
13
Q

Give 5 examples of nitrogen mustards?

A

Cyclophosphamide, melphalan, chlorambucil, bendamustine, estramustine.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
14
Q

How is cyclophosphamide administered and activated?

A

Orally, activated by liver.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
15
Q

What is estramustine reliant on?

A

Testosterone

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
16
Q

What can nitrosoureas do?

A

Cross blood brain barrier - highly lipophilic. Treatment for CNS tumours.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
17
Q

Name 2 nitrosoureas and how they would be administered.

A

Carmustine (BCNU) IV

Lomustine (CC NU) given orally

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
18
Q

What type of drug is cisplatin?

A

Platinum compound

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
19
Q

Is cisplatin potent?

A

Yes

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
20
Q

How does cisplatin work?

A

Binds to RNA Increase DNA and protein, binds to purine bases.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
21
Q

What may develop when using cisplatin?

A

Resistance

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
22
Q

Which cancers are more sensitive to cisplatin?

A

Testicular/ovarian cancer

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
23
Q

How is cisplatin given?

A

Slow IV injection/infusion

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
24
What are the side effects of cisplatin?
Very nephrotoxic Severe nausea/vomiting Risk of tinnitus, peripheral neuropathy, hyperuricemia (gout) and anaphylaxis
25
What other platinum compound is derived from cisplatin but gives less side effects and can be given as an outpatient?
Carboplatin
26
What is the problem with carboplatin?
More myelotoxic - damages bone marrow
27
Which platinum compound is used to treat colorectal cancer with fluorouracil and folinic acid?
Oxaliplatin
28
What is busulfan?
A leukaemia treatment selective for bone marrow alkylating agent.
29
What is procarbazine?
A alkylating agent used to treat Hodgkin's disease
30
What is a side effect of procarbazine?
Can cause hypersensitivity rash and inhibits MAO as enzyme breaks down noradrenaline and dopamine.
31
What is trabectedin?
Alkylating agent used to treat soft tissue sarcoma and advanced ovarian cancer
32
What is a side effect of trabectedin?
Hepatotoxic
33
How do antimetabolites work?
Folate antagonists - cells cannot divide/no DNA synthesis.
34
Which antimetabolite inhibits dihydrofolate reductase?
Methotrexate
35
How would you give methotrexate?
Orally, IM, IV or intrathecally.
36
Does methotrexate cross the bbb?
No
37
Who should have a lower dose of methotrexate?
Renal impairment
38
Whichever drugs can reduce the excretion and thus increase toxicity of methotrexate ?
NSAID's
39
What is methotrexate given with in high doses to rescue normal cells?
Folinic acid
40
What other condition is methotrexate used in to suppress the immune system?
Rheumatoid arthritis
41
What do pyrimidine analogues compete with?
C and T bases
42
What do pyrimidine analogues inhibit?
DNA synthesis
43
List 4 pyrimidine analogues
Fluorouracil, capecitabine, cytarabine and gemcitabine
44
How are pyrimidine analogues given?
Parenterally
45
What do purine analogues compete with?
A and G bases
46
What do purine analogues inhibit?
Purine metabolism
47
Give 3 examples of purine analogues
Mercaptopurine/tioguanine, pentostatin and fludarabine.
48
Mercaptopurine/tioguanine is mainly used for what treatment?
Leukaemia treatment
49
What is doxorubicin and how does if work?
Cytotoxic antibiotic, binds to DNA and inhibits DNA/RNA synthesis. Inhibits topoisomerase 2
50
How is doxorubicin given?
By IV infusion
51
What are the problems with doxorubicin?
Dissolves the tissues of the skin. | Can cause dysrhythmias/heart failure in high doses.
52
What is bleomycin?
Cytotoxic antibiotic
53
How does bleomycin work?
Degrades pre formed DNA. Active against non-dividing cells.
54
What are the bad effects of bleomycin?
Causes pulmonary fibrosis in 10% patients. 50% patients develop mucocutaneous reactions such as mouth sores, hair loss, fungal infections and hyperpyrexia.
55
Which cytotoxic antibiotic is used in the treatment of paediatric cancers?
Dactinomycin
56
Vinka alkoids are a type of what?
Plant derivative
57
Give 3 examples of vinka alkoids?
Vincristine, vinblastine, vindesine
58
What are vinka alkoids derived from?
Madagascar periwinkle
59
What do vinka alkaloids prevent?
•Prevent polymerisation of tubulin → microtubules → prevents spindle formation
60
When can the effects of vinka alkaloids occor?
Only during mitosis M phase
61
Vinka alkaloids are relatively non toxic except for?
Vincristine - neuromuscular effects
62
Give two examples of taxanes
•E.g. paclitaxel, docetaxel
63
paclitaxel, docetaxel are derived from what and used to treat what?
Yew tree. | Breast cancer.
64
paclitaxel/ carboplatin are used to treat...
Ovarian cancer
65
Etoposide is derived from what?
The mandrake root
66
Etoposide is used to treat what?
Testicular cancer/lymphomas
67
Etoposide must avoid what?
Skin contact
68
What can Etoposide cause?
A rapid fall in blood during IV Infusion
69
Which cancers are hormones used to treat?
•Used in treatment of cancers in hormone-sensitive tissues (e.g. breast, prostate, ovaries)
70
How do hormones work?
Tumour growth inhibited by R antagonists, hormones with opposing actions, or drugs which block synthesis of endogenous hormones
71
How do oestrogens work?
Antagonists androgen dependent prostate cancer
72
What are the side effects of oestrogens?
Nausea, fluid retention, thrombosis: impotence and gynaecomastia
73
Name 3 other hormones used in cancer treatment
Progesterones GnRH analogues Somatostatin analogues
74
What type of drug is tamoxifen?
A hormone antagonist
75
How does tamoxifen work?
•Competitive antagonist at oestrogen Rs → inhibits transcription of oestrogen-responsive genes → breast cancer treatment
76
What are the adverse effects of tamoxifen?
•Adverse effects: similar to menopausal effects, may cause endometrial cancer + ↑ risk of blood clots
77
What are •Letrozole/ exemastine and how do they work?
•Aromatase inhibitors | Block conversion of androgens to oestrogens
78
What are •Flutamide, cyproterone, bicalutamide | And which cancer are they used to treat?
Androgen antagonists - prostate cancer
79
•Prednisolone/ dexamethasone work by and are used for?
Inhibit lymphocyte proliferation → treatment of lymphomas/ leukaemias. •Counter some side-effects of other anti-cancer drugs (e.g. nausea/ vomiting) •i.e. used as supportive therapy/ in palliative care
80
What are Monoclonal antibodies
* Produced by cultured hybridoma cells * React with specific target proteins expressed on cancer cells → activates immune system → lysis of cancer cells * Some mAbs activate GF-Rs on cancer cells → inhibit survival/ promote apoptosis
81
What are the advantages of Ma's?
•Advantages: targeted therapy → fewer side-effects
82
What are the disadvantages of Ma's?
•Disadvantage: expensive; must be given in combination with other drugs
83
How does rituximab work?
Binds to CD20 protein, expressed on certain lymphoma cells → lysis of B-lymphocytes
84
What are the disadvantages of rituximab?
•Not all tumours have CD20 Can cause hypotension, chills + fever •Longer term – hypersensitivity (can be fatal)
85
How does herceptin work?
•Binds to HER2 factor | Induces immune resp. + cell cycle inhibitors
86
Imatinib is a type of?
Protein kinase inhibitor
87
How does imatinib work?
Blocks tyrosine kinases involved in GF signaling pathways
88
Cytotoxic drugs often given in combination – why?
* ↑ cytotoxicity without ↑ general toxicity (i.e. drugs have diff. side-effects) * ↓ chance of developing resistance to individual drugs
89
Cytotoxic drugs Often given in large doses every 2-3 weeks (usually over 6 months) – why?
* allows bone marrow to regenerate ↓ chance of developing resistance to individual drugs * more effective than several small doses
90
How can you control the side effects of chemotherapy?
Control of side-effects Nausea + vomiting (emesis) •↓ patient compliance •Ondansetron/ granisetron – 5HT3R antagonists → effective vs cytotoxic drug-induced vomiting •Metoclopramide – dopamine (D2R) antagonist 0 Anxiety •Lorazepam - anti-anxiety drug (Benzodiazepine) Myelosuppression •Stem cell transplant –Autologous: stem cells harvested* from patient + infused back after chemotherapy –Allogenic: stem cells from a matched donor i.e. collected from blood (by dialysis) or bone marrow

Pharmacology 2 (14 decks)

Brainscape helps you reach your goals faster, through stronger study habits.
© 2025 Bold Learning Solutions. Terms and Conditions