ANTINEOPLASTICS AND CANCER REVIEW

Flashcards covering key vocabulary, concepts, drug classes, and side effects related to antineoplastic agents and cancer review from the lecture notes.

Antineoplastic Agents

Cancer chemotherapy drugs that fight neoplasms or cancer, boost the immune system, and fight abnormal human cells.

Anaplasia

Loss of cellular differentiation, a characteristic of cancer cells.

Autonomy

The ability of cancer cells to grow without restriction or regulation.

Metastasis

The ability of cancer cells to travel from their place of origin to other parts of the body.

Angiogenesis (Cancer)

The creation of abnormal blood vessels by cancer cells to supply themselves with oxygen and nutrients.

Oncogenes

Genes present in all cells that, when expressed abnormally, can contribute to cancer development.

Immune System in Cancer Fight

Components like T Cells, Antibodies, Interferons, and Tissue Necrosis Factor that can help fight cancer.

Carcinomas

Solid tumors that originate in epithelial cells, such as some breast cancers or skin cancers.

Sarcomas

Solid tumors that originate in the mesenchyme, such as osteogenic tumors or rhabdomyosarcoma.

Hematological Cancers

Cancers that occur in blood-forming organs, such as leukemias and lymphomas.

Antineoplastic Drug Mechanisms

Affecting cell survival (e.g., Alkylating agents, Antimetabolites) or boosting the immune system.

Adjunctive Therapy

Treatments used to combat the serious adverse effects of antineoplastic drugs.

Cell Cycle Specific (CCS) Drugs

Chemotherapy drugs that specifically target cancer cells during certain phases of the cell cycle.

Cell Cycle Nonspecific (CCNS) Drugs

Chemotherapy drugs that target cancer cells at any phase of the cell cycle, including resting cells.

Nadir

The lowest point for red blood cells, white blood cells, and platelet levels, typically occurring 7-10 days after chemotherapy treatment.

Alkylating Agents

Non-cell cycle specific antineoplastic drugs that damage cancer cell DNA, preventing reproduction, most effective for slow-growing cancers.

chlorambucil

A prototype alkylating agent, toxic to the liver and bone marrow, carcinogenic, and avoided in pregnancy.

cisplatin

An alkylating-like drug that is neurotoxic, nephrotoxic, highly emetogenic, and can cause serious hypersensitivity reactions.

Amifostine

A cytoprotective drug used to reduce toxicity, particularly with cisplatin.

cyclophosphamide

An alkylating agent that can cause hemorrhagic cystitis, sterility, and common alopecia.

Mesna

A cytoprotective drug used to prevent hemorrhagic cystitis with cyclophosphamide.

Antimetabolites

S phase cell cycle specific drugs with chemical structures similar to natural metabolites, inhibiting DNA production in cancer cells.

methotrexate

A prototype antimetabolite that crosses the BBB, can cause liver/GI toxicity, and requires caution with renal dysfunction.

Leucovorin or levoleucovrin

Cytoprotective drugs used to rescue normal cells from the adverse effects of high-dose methotrexate.

Antineoplastic Antibiotics

Cell Cycle Nonspecific drugs that break up DNA links or prevent DNA/RNA synthesis, toxic to human cells.

doxorubicin

A prototype antineoplastic antibiotic associated with cardiotoxicity, cardiomyopathy, reddish urine/sweat/tears, and severe extravasation.

Dexrazoxane

A cytoprotectant used to reduce the cardiotoxicity associated with doxorubicin.

Mitotic Inhibitors

M Phase cell cycle specific drugs that kill cells by preventing division as mitosis begins.

vincristine

A prototype mitotic inhibitor primarily excreted in feces, commonly causing CNS effects, neurotoxicity, and peripheral neuropathy.

Hormone and Hormone Modulators

Drugs that block hormone receptor sites (estrogen, gonadotropic, androgen) to inhibit the growth of hormone-sensitive cancers.

tamoxifen

A prototype hormone modulator with antiestrogen action used for the treatment and prevention of breast cancer, can affect visual acuity.

anastrozole

A hormone modulator used for treating advanced or local breast cancer, often after tamoxifen.

Extravasation

The leakage of a chemotherapy drug from the vein into the surrounding tissue, requiring immediate cessation of infusion and specific protocol.

Tyrosine Kinase

An enzyme that acts as an 'on/off switch' for various cellular functions, including growth and division.

Tyrosine Kinase Inhibitors

Drugs (often ending in ~tinib) that act on specific enzymes needed by tumor cells for protein building, essentially 'turning off' cellular functions driving cancer growth.

Philadelphia Chromosome (Ph Chromosome)

A mutation on the BCR-ABL gene, present in 95% of Chronic Myelogenous Leukemia (CML) cases, leading to proliferative cancer cell growth.

Imatinib

The first Tyrosine Kinase Inhibitor, a prototype oral medication used to treat CML, with side effects including GI upset and edema.

Proteasome

A large protein complex that maintains cell homeostasis and protein production.

Proteasome Inhibitors

Drugs (often ending in ~mib) that inhibit proteasome function, leading to cancer cell death with limited action on normal cells.

Bortezomib

A prototype proteasome inhibitor typically given IV, associated with severe sensory and peripheral neuropathy, GI issues, and cardiotoxicity/hepatoxicity.

EGFR Inhibitors

Epidermal Growth Factor Receptor Inhibitors that slow or stop cancer growth by selectively blocking epidermal growth factor, used in head, neck, and colorectal cancers.

mTOR Kinase Inhibitors

Drugs that cut off a cancer cell's supply of nutrients and energy by regulating mTOR, which controls essential cell needs, often causing hyperglycemia and hyperlipidemia.

Angiogenesis Inhibitors

Drugs that prevent new blood vessels from forming, interfering with factors like VEGF, to starve cancer cells and impede metastasis.

ziv-aflibercept

An angiogenesis inhibitor that decreases new vessel growth and permeability, with side effects including GI toxicity, hemorrhage, poor wound healing, and proteinuria.

Hedgehog Pathway Inhibitors

Drugs (ending in ~degib) that alter a signaling pathway essential for cell development, primarily used to treat basal cell carcinoma.

Histone Deacetylase Inhibitors

Drugs (ending in ~inostat) used to treat T-cell lymphoma and multiple myeloma.

BCL-2 Inhibitors

Drugs like venetoclax, used for the treatment of Chronic Leukocytic Leukemia.

PARP Inhibitors

Poly ADP-ribose polymerase inhibitors (ending in ~parib) used in various ovarian cancers, including advanced, recurrent, and relapsed mutated forms.