Principles of Cancer Therapy Flashcards
(21 cards)
Give the 6 key properties of cancerous cells
Self-sufficient growth signals Insensitivity to anti-growth signals Evade apoptosis Sustained angiogenesis Limitless replicative potential Tissue invasion and metastases
What is a neoadjuvant therapy?
Administration of a therapeutic agent before definitive treatment to shrink tumors and optimise outcomes.
What is an adjuvant therapy?
Treatment given after the initial treatment in order to reduce the risk of disease recurrance
What is palliative therapy?
Treatment to relieve symptoms and improve quality of life
What is chemotherapy?
Treatment of cancer using drugs. The drugs will target wither the chemistry of nucleic acids, DNA/RNA production or the mechanics of cell division. The damaged cell is unable to repair itself so goes through apoptosis.
Describe the mechanism of 5-FU
Inhibits thymidylate synthase which reduced DNA and RNA synthesis
Describe the mechanism of alkylating agents
Bind to DNA so cell can no longer function
Describe the mechanism of Cisplatin
Binds to DNA and inhibits synthesis
Describe the mechanism of topoisomerase inhibitors
Cleave DNA at abnormal sites and promote mutations which will trigger cell death
Describe mechanisms that a cancer cell can become resistant to chemotherapy
Decreases uptake of drug Increases drug metabolism Increases efflux Alters cell cycle checkpoints Alters drug targets Impairs the apoptotic pathway
How are chemotherapy drugs dosed?
BMI
Liver/renal function
What ways can chemotherapy be administered?
IV SC PO Intralesional Intrathecal Topical IM
Give 5 side effects of chemotherapy
Hair loss Pneumonitis PE Peripheral neuropathy Fatigue Electrolyte disturbance Cardiomyopathy Vomiting Deranged LFTs Mucositis Myelosuppression Rash Diarrhoea/constipation AKI Hemorrhagic cystitis Decreased fertility Decreased libido
What are immunotherapy and targeted therapies?
Drugs which use the immune system to recognise, target and destroy cancer cells.
What are passive immunotherapy drugs?
Ex-vivo activated cells, molecules once found inside the body given to compensate for missing or deficient immune functions.
What are active immunotherapy drugs?
Stimulates in vivo functions. Requires patients immune system to be able to respond, be stimulated and then mediate effector functions.
Give examples of passive immunotherapy agents
Tumour specific monoclonal antibodies
Cytokines
Adoptive cell transfer
Give examples of active immunotherapy agents
Checkpoint inhibitors
Oncolytic vaccines
Peptide vaccines
DC vaccines
What is the mechanism of a monoclonal antibody?
Bind to a specific antigen on the cancer cell surface to block signalling pathways and stop cell proliferation.
Give an example of a monoclonal antibody
Eg. HER2 inhibitor (Herceptin), VEGR inhibitor (Bevacizumab), EGFR inhibitor (Cetuximab)
Give 3 side effects of monoclonal antibodies
Skin toxicity Poor hair growth Pruritus Fatigue GI perforation Myelosuppression Diarrhoea Nausea Hypertension Cardiac ischaemia
