Malignant Hematology (blood cancer) EXAM 3 Flashcards
(81 cards)
What are the different types of Leukemia in terms of their origin?
Myelogenous (too much myeloblasts, platelets, RBC)
acute: AML
chronic: CML
Lymphocytic (too many lymphocytes)
acute: ALL
chronic: CLL
Lymphomas stems from which tissues?
Lymph nodes
Hodgkin’s lymphoma - good cure rates
Non-Hodgkin’s: variety in cancer cells
-B-lymphocytic or T-lymphocytic origin
Myeloma is cancer of which cells?
Plasma cells
Surgery might be considered in some types of myeloma. T/F
False.
Surgery is never an option, since it is cancer of the blood
ALL and AML are rapidly growing cancers. They have the highest risk of what?
-Highest risk of neutropenic fever
-Highest risk of tumor lysis syndrome (TLS)
What is the dose of Rasburicase in adults and children?
adults: 3 mg or 6 mg usually sufficient
children: 0.15 to 0.2 mg/kg IV daily for up to 5 days
Acute Leukemia Patient Presentation
-Fatigue, not feeling well, malaise, fever, pallor, weight loss, bone pa
-Anemia (fatigue, pallor)
-Thrombocytopenia (Petichiae (spots of bleeding under the skin), epistaxis, bleeding)
-Leukocytosis or leukopenia (depending on the time of diagnosis, WBC goes low than high)
-Infection/neutropenia (more in AML)
What are the signs of Tumor Lysis Syndrome?
REMINDER
-Hyperkalemia -> Arrhythmia
-Hyperphosphatemia -> Arrhythmia
-Hypocalcemia -> precipitation and AKI
-Hyperuricemia -> AKI
What is the concept of ALL treatment?
OBJECTIVE !!
- Induction chemotherapy (kill all cells (healthy and cancer) to achieve remission (no detectable cancer cells)
- Consolidation: more intense therapy bc the cells that have survived are more resistant
->then small cycles to give the body time to recover - delayed intensification, even more intense therapy
- Intrathecal chemo to kill ALL in the CNS
- Maintenance for 2.5 years with low dose of Mtx (weekly) and 6-MP daily, steroids monthly (kills lymphoma cells)
Which supportive or prophylactic drugs would you use during ALL cancer treatment?
!!!
-prevent TLS during induction
-prophylactic antimicrobials
Bactrim, fungus, PJP
What is the drug of choice to manage TLS?
REMINDER
Allopurinol 300 mg with hydration (NS)
-NS + Rasburicase for high-risk patients for TLS (WBC of 50k to 100k) or if they have Burkitt lymphoma
What are the late effects of ALL treatments?
secondary leukemia
-chronic health issues (higher rates of HF from anthracyclines)
-cognitive issues
Which drugs are used for ALL?
Combination of..
-Daunorubicin
-Cyclophosphamide
-Vincristine (no myelosuppression)
-Prednisone and dexamethasone (kills lymphocytes)
-Pegaspargase or Calaspargase (L-asparginase)
-Intrathecal chemo for all (cancer in the CNS): only
Mtx or Cytarabine
Corticosteroids kill which cells. They don’t have what type of side effect compared to anticancer drugs…
kill lymphocytes
no bone marrow suppression
What is the function of Pegaspargase or Calaspargase (L-asparaginase)?
hydrolysis of asparagine
cancer cells cant create asparagine by themselves, they get it from the bloodstream
by reducing asparagine from the bloodstream, cancer dies (healthy cells can produce it by themselves)
What are the unique toxicities of L-Asparaginase?
Hypersensitivity: fever, arthralgia, hypotension, anaphylaxis, lysis of asparagine creates ammonia -> sedation
loss of protein:
-Coagulopathies: bleeding and clots (depending on which protein is depleted)
-pancreatitis
-hepatotoxicity (especially in adults) due to glutamine deficiency
Counseling points for 6-MP
REMINDER
-Thiopurine methyltransferase (TPMT) & NUDT gene testing -> dose reduction
-avoid milk (contains Xanthine oxidase - metabolizes 6-MP before absorption)
(allopurinol may decrease 6-MP-induced hepatotoxicity)
What are the differences in treatment outcomes for acute leukemia by age?
-children tolerate chemotherapy better than adults
-cancer is more diverse and complex in adults, so harder to treat
AML: often in adults
ALL: often in kids
Acute Promyelocytic Leukemia (APL) results from which mutation?
translocation of chromosomes 15 and 17 → fusion of PML:RARA
PML: promyelocytic leukemia gene
RARA: retinoic acid receptor alpha gen
-prevents cell differentiation
Which drugs are used to treat APL by stimulating differentiation?
!!!
-All-trans-retinoic acid (ATRA) = tretinoin -> targets RAR and
causes differentiation of APL cells
-Arsenic trioxide -> targets RAR and causes differentiation and apoptosis of APL cells
What is the dose of All-trans-retinoic acid (ATRA) = tretinoin?
45 mg/m2/day PO in 2 divided doses
Which side effects are associated with ATRA (tretinoin)?
!!!
-Retinoic acid/differentiation syndrome
it causes cell differentiation of APL -> so patients have an increased amount of mature immune cells
-dyspnea
-pulmonary infiltrates
-respiratory distress
-wt gain, edema
-headache (80%)
treat with dexamethasone 10 mg IV Q12
What are the side effects of Arsenic trioxide?
!!!
-can cause retinoic acid (aka differentiation) syndrome
-QT prolongation BBW - need baseline EKG !!!
What should be Qtc, potassium and Magnesium before starting Arsenic trioxide?
QTc: <450 or 460 msec
K: > 4.0
Mag: > 2.0
if not at goal it increases the risk of Torsade