Comprehensive Oncology Nursing Flashcards

Vocabulary flashcards covering cancer pathophysiology, risk factors, staging, treatment modalities, symptom and toxicities management, oncological emergencies, and palliative/end-of-life care.

Carcinoma

A category of cancer that begins in the skin or in tissues that cover or line internal organs.

Sarcoma

A category of cancer that begins in bone, cartilage, fat, muscle, blood vessels, or other connective or supportive tissues.

Leukemia

A category of cancer that begins in blood-forming tissue such as the bone marrow, causing large amounts of immature cells to enter circulation.

Lymphoma

A cancer that begins in lymphocytes, which are cells of the immune system.

Carcinoma in Situ

A severe stage of dysplasia characterized by abnormal, non-invasive cancerous cells that have not broken through the basement tissue layer.

Benign Tumor

A non-cancerous growth characterized as encapsulated, noninvasive, highly differentiated, slow-growing, with rare mitoses and no metastasis.

Malignant Tumor

A cancerous growth characterized as nonencapsulated, invasive, poorly differentiated, rapidly growing, with common mitoses and capacity for metastasis.

Carcinogen

A biological, chemical, or physical agent capable of permanently and directly changing the molecular structure of cellular DNA.

Oncogenes

Mutated or damaged normal growth-regulating genes that accelerate cell growth and division.

Tumor Suppressor Genes

Normal genes that function to prevent cancer; damage to or inactivation of both alleles leads to uncontrolled cancer cell growth.

TNM Staging System

An anatomic classification system that measures primary tumor size and extent ($T$), regional lymph node involvement ($N$), and distant metastasis ($M$).

Grade IV Tumor

An undifferentiated histologic tumor classification featuring bizarre, highly immature cells that bear no resemblance to the parent tissue of origin.

CAUTION UP Mnemonic

A early warning sign mnemonic: Change in bowel/bladder, A lesion that does not heal, Unusual bleeding/discharge, Thickening/lump, Indigestion, Obvious wart/mole change, Nagging cough, Unexplained weight loss, Pernicious anemia.

Adjuvant Therapy

A treatment strategy that combines chemotherapy with other primary treatment modalities, such as surgery, radiation, or biological response modifiers.

Cell Specific Agents

Chemotherapeutic drugs, such as antimetabolites, that kill proliferating cancer cells only during a specific phase of the cell cycle.

Doxorubicin

An antitumor antibiotic chemotherapeutic agent that causes common myelosuppression and carries a specific toxicity risk for cardiomyopathy and EKG changes.

Cisplatin

An alkylating chemotherapy agent whose primary dose-limiting complication is renal failure, requiring mandatory monitoring of blood pressure, fluid output, and BUN/creatinine levels.

Cyclophosphamide

An alkylating chemo drug causing myelosuppression and hemorrhagic cystitis, requiring high oral fluid intake ($2\text{-}3\text{ liters/day}$).

Vincristine

A mitotic inhibitor chemotherapeutic agent that causes neurotoxicity manifested as numbness and tingling in fingers and toes, with lower incidence of myelosuppression.

Extravasation

The accidental infiltration of a vesicant chemotherapeutic drug into surrounding subcutaneous tissue, causing severe swelling, chemical cellulitis, ulceration, and tissue necrosis.

Totect (dexrazoxane)

The antidote indicated for the management of extravasation caused by anthracyclines such as doxorubicin, daunorubicin, and epirubicin.

Hyaluronidase

An antidote administered subcutaneously into the extravasation site in conjunction with warm packs for Vinca Alkaloid extravasations.

Filgrastim (Neupogen)

A granulocyte colony-stimulating factor (G-CSF) given at $5\text{ mcg/kg/day}$ subcutaneously to reduce the duration of chemotherapy-induced neutropenia.

Epoetin alfa

An erythropoietin-stimulating drug prescribed when hemoglobin drops below $10\text{ g/dl}$ to stimulate red blood cell synthesis.

Oprelvekin (Neumega)

An Interleukin-11 hematopoietic drug administered to stimulate platelet production and reduce chemotherapy-induced thrombocytopenia.

Tamoxifen citrate

An antiestrogen hormonal medication that blocks estrogen in hormone-sensitive breast cancers, carrying an increased risk for deep vein thrombosis and pulmonary embolism.

Trastuzumab (Herceptin)

A targeted monoclonal antibody therapy used for HER2-positive breast cancer that carries a black box warning for heart failure and ventricular dysfunction.

Capillary Leak Syndrome

A systemic adverse reaction associated with cytokine immunotherapy using interferons.

Autologous HSCT

A hematopoietic stem cell transplant in which the patient receives their own previously harvested stem cells.

Allogeneic HSCT

A hematopoietic stem cell transplant utilizing donor stem cells obtained from a human leukocyte antigen (HLA)-matched individual other than an identical twin.

Absolute Neutrophil Count (ANC)

A calculated laboratory metric indicating infection risk, where an ANC below $1000\text{ /mm}^3$ indicates neutropenia and an ANC below $500\text{ /mm}^3$ represents severe infection risk.

Nadir

The point of maximum bone marrow depression following chemotherapy, representing the lowest blood cell count value.

WHO Pain Relief Ladder

A 3-step progressive framework for cancer pain management, starting with non-opioids and advancing to mild and then strong opioids with adjuvants.

Naloxone (Narcan)

A pure opioid antagonist indicated for complete or partial reversal of severe opioid-induced respiratory depression.

Tumor Lysis Syndrome

An oncological emergency caused by massive cell destruction releasing intracellular contents into circulation, manifesting as hyperkalemia, hyperphosphatemia, hyperuricemia, hypocalcemia, and acute renal failure.

Syndrome of Inappropriate Antidiuretic Hormone (SIADH)

An oncological emergency marked by excessive ADH release leading to fluid retention and severe hyponatremia, treated primarily with fluid restriction to $1\text{ liter/day}$.

Superior Vena Cava Syndrome (SVCS)

An emergency caused by structural obstruction of venous return through the SVC, leading to facial edema, swelling of the head, neck, and upper extremities, and severe dyspnea.

Hypercalcemia of Malignancy

An emergency where bone resorption exceeds renal excretion capability, manifested by bone pain, polyuria, polydipsia, and lethargy, treated with IV normal saline, loop diuretics, and IV bisphosphonates.

FICA Spiritual Assessment Model

A clinical framework for spiritual evaluation assessing Faith/Belief, Importance/Influence, Community, and Address in Care.

Dual Process Model

A bereavement framework explaining how grieving individuals oscillate dynamically between loss-oriented processes and restoration-oriented processes.

Physician Orders for Life-Sustaining Treatment (POLST)

A transferable medical order signed by a provider and patient/surrogate that translates advance care planning preferences into actionable end-of-life medical instructions.