oncology medications; info overview

CYTOTOXIC CHEMOTHERAPY AGENTS

• These agents kill fast-growing cancer cells as well as healthy cells including skin, hair, intestinal mucosa, and blood cells.  

• Common adverse effects of cytotoxic chemotherapy agents include nausea, vomiting, myelosuppression, and alopecia.  

• Many of these medications are “vesicants” and can cause severe damage if they leak into the surrounding tissue.  For this reason, many clients have central venous lines placed.

• Extravasation of agents that are vesicants requires immediate attention to minimize tissue damage. Selection of the neutralizing solution is dependent on the vesicant.  

what is extravasation?

extraversion happens when a medication escapes into the surrounding tissue by.

cannula puncturing the wall of the vein or fluid leaking from vein at insertion site

signs and symptoms of extravasation

pain, redness, burning, pallor, no blood return, edema, decreased IV flow or flush

access lines

PICC

Implanted infusion port

central line

CHEMOTHERAPY/ANTINEOPLASTIC AGENTS

Antimetabolites:

Folic acid analog: methotrexate, pemetrexed, pralatrexate

CHEMOTHERAPY/ANTINEOPLASTIC AGENTS

Antitumor antibiotics:

Anthracyclines: doxorubicin, liposomal doxorubicin, daunorubicin, epirubicin, idarubicin, valrubicin, mitoxantrone

CHEMOTHERAPY/ANTINEOPLASTIC AGENTS

Alkylating agents:

Nitrogen mustards: cyclophosphamide, mechlorethamine, bendamustine, chlorambucil, melphalan

CHEMOTHERAPY/ANTINEOPLASTIC AGENTS

Hormonal agents: Breast cancer medications:

Estrogen receptor blockers: tamoxifen, raloxifene, fulvestrant, toremifene

CHEMOTHERAPY/ANTINEOPLASTIC AGENTS

Targeted antineoplastic medications:

BCR-ABL tyrosine inhibitors: imatinib