Oncology drugs Flashcards
What do we give to ER+ breast ca in post-menopausal women?
Aromatase inhibitors
- this is because more oestrogen is produced in peripheral adipose tissue in post-menopausal women
- MoA: they block the conversion of androgens to oestrogen in subcuteneous fat of post-menopausal women
Examples: Letrozole, Anastrazole, Exemesane
What hormonal therapy to use in pre-menopausal women that have ER+ breast cancer?
Tamoxifen
MoA: mixed agonist and antagonist of oestrogen and oestrogen receptors
What hormonal therapies are used in the treatment of prostate cancer?
- gonadothropin-releasing hormone agonists → Goserelin
- androgen receptor blockers → Flutamide
Side effects of radiotherapy
Side effects depend on: site and radiosensitivity of normal tissue
- damage to skin → erythema
- gut → nausea, mucosal ulceration, diarrhoea
- testes → sterility
- bone marrow → leukopenia, anaemia
General SEs: loss of energy, lethargy
Interferons
MoA
example of drug
Interferons
MoA: anti-proliferative activity, stimulation of humoral and cell-mediated immune response to the tumour
Example: Interferon-alpha
Interleukins
- MoA
- example
- use
Interleukins
MoA: coordinate cellular activity in many organs
Example: Interleukin 2
Use: Renal Cell Carcinoma, Melanoma
Tyrosine kinase inhibitor
- 3 examples
- general MoA
Examples: Imatinib, Sunitinib, Sorafenib
MoA: have different effects on cell growth, metabolism and differentiation
Examples (2) of Anti-Growth Factor agents
- Bevcizumab
- Cetuximab
*these are added to chemotherapy to improve response
Anti CD20
- example
- MoA
Rituximab
MoA: inhibits CD20 on B-cells (normally it plays the role in the differentiation of B cells into plasma cells
What type of drug Alemtuzumab is?
Alemtuzumab is CD52 inhibitor
(CD52 is expressed on T and B lymphocytes and monocytes)
What drugs are used to reduce the duration of neutropenia following chemotherapy?
Haemeapoietic Growth Factors
- EPO
- G-CSF
What Myeloablative therapy is?
Myeloablative therapy uses: chemotherapy, radiotherapy to clear bone marrow from both malignant but also normal cells
- transplantation of bone marrow needed to replace bone marrow (otherwise death occurs)
Types of bone marrow transplantation (+explain)
- Allogenic → taken from another human being (requires immunosupressants)
- autologous stem cells
- synergic stem cell → taken from a twin
- stem cells taken from umbilical cord blood
Drugs used for prophylaxis of tumour lysis syndrome
- allopurinol
- rasburicase
- high fluid load (prior and post chemo)
Electrolyte abnormalities seen in tumour lysis syndrome
- high phosphate
- high potassium
- low calcium
Methotrexate
MoA
SEs
Fluorouracil
MoA
SEs
6-mercaptopurine
MoA
SEs
Cytarabine
MoA
SEs
