Oncology and Chemotherapy Overview

These flashcards cover key vocabulary and concepts related to oncology, chemotherapy, side effects, and patient care.

Oncology

The branch of medicine that deals with the study and treatment of tumors (cancer).

Chemotherapy

A type of cancer treatment that uses drugs to destroy cancer cells.

CIND

Chemotherapy Induced Nausea and Vomiting.

Mucositis

Inflammation of the mucous membranes, often occurring in the mouth as a side effect of chemotherapy.

CIPN

Chemotherapy Induced Peripheral Neuropathy; a side effect causing nerve damage.

Myelosuppression

Suppression of bone marrow activity leading to reduced blood cell production.

Alopecia

Hair loss commonly associated with chemotherapy treatment.

Extravazation

Leakage of a drug from its intended vascular pathway into surrounding tissue, potentially causing tissue damage.

Vesicants

Chemotherapy agents that can cause blistering or tissue damage upon extravasation.

Anticipatory nausea

Nausea that occurs before chemotherapy treatment due to anxiety or past experiences.

Acute nausea

Nausea that occurs within 24 hours after receiving chemotherapy.

Delayed nausea

Nausea that occurs more than 24 hours after chemotherapy.

Breakthrough nausea

Nausea that occurs despite prophylactic anti-nausea medications.

Filgrastim

A medication used to stimulate the production of white blood cells in cancer patients.

Epoetin alfa

A medication that stimulates red blood cell production, used in anemia due to chemotherapy.

Nadir

The lowest point of blood cell counts following chemotherapy.

ANC

Absolute Neutrophil Count; a measure of the number of neutrophil white blood cells.

Neutropenia

A condition in which you have a low level of neutrophils, increasing the risk of infection.

Hypercalcemia

An abnormally high calcium level in the blood, potentially due to malignancies.

Superior vena cava syndrome

A condition caused by obstruction of blood flow through the superior vena cava, often due to malignancy.

Tumor lysis syndrome

A potentially life-threatening condition that occurs when cancer cells die rapidly and release contents into the bloodstream.

SIADH

Syndrome of Inappropriate Antidiuretic Hormone secretion, leading to water retention and hyponatremia.

DIC

Disseminated Intravascular Coagulation; a serious condition leading to both bleeding and clotting.

Spinal cord compression

Compression of the spinal cord due to tumor growth, leading to neurological deficits.

Palliative care

Medical care that focuses on providing relief from symptoms and stress of a serious illness.

Toxicity

The degree to which a substance can damage an organism.

Peripheral IV

An intravenous access point established in a peripheral vein.

Central line

A catheter placed in a large vein for long-term therapies, including chemotherapy.

Brachytherapy

A type of radiation therapy where a radioactive source is placed directly into or near a tumor.

Radiation therapy

The use of high-energy radiation to kill cancer cells or shrink tumors.

Immediate care

Care that needs to be provided urgently to preserve life or function.

Delayed care

Care that can wait without immediate risk to the patient.

Minor injuries

Injuries that are non-life-threatening and can be treated with basic care.

Biological terrorism

The intentional release of viruses, bacteria, or other germs to cause illness or death.

Decontamination

The process of cleaning to remove contaminants, especially from radiation or chemicals.

Ciprofloxacin

An antibiotic used to treat infections, especially those related to bioterrorism agents like anthrax.

Antibiotics

Medications that fight bacterial infections.

Health disparities

Differences in health outcomes and their causes among groups of people.

Vaccine prevention

Use of vaccines to prevent disease outbreaks and improve public health.

Screening recommendations

Guidelines for regular testing to detect diseases early.

Genetic predisposition

An increased likelihood of developing a particular disease based on a person's genetic makeup.

BRCA genes

Genes that, when mutated, are associated with a higher risk of breast and ovarian cancers.

Cancer Staging

Determining the extent of cancer in a patient's body.

Tumor markers

Substances that may be present in higher amounts when cancer is present.

Immunotherapy

A cancer treatment that helps your immune system fight cancer.

Preventive care

Health care that focuses on disease prevention.

Nutritional support

Providing nutritional interventions to support health, particularly in cancer patients.

Side effects

Secondary, typically undesirable effects of a drug or therapy.

Organ donation

The process of giving an organ to a person in need of a transplant.

Patient safety

Preventing errors and adverse effects to patients during health care delivery.

Triage

The process of determining the priority of patients' treatments based on the severity of their condition.