Musculoskeletal, Cancer, and Blood Disorders

A comprehensive set of Q&A flashcards covering fractures, musculoskeletal complications, joint and bone disorders, cancer biology, and hematologic malignancies.

What is a closed (simple) fracture?

Bone fragments separate completely but remain beneath the skin.

What is an open (compound) fracture?

Bone protrudes through the skin, creating a high risk of infection.

What is an incomplete fracture?

Bone fragments remain partially joined.

What is a compression fracture?

Crushing of cancellous bone, most commonly in the vertebrae.

What is a transverse fracture?

A straight break in which bone fragments remain close together.

What is a comminuted fracture?

The bone is shattered into multiple fragments.

What is a spiral fracture?

Fracture caused by a twisting force; the fracture line encircles the bone.

What is a stress fracture?

Micro-fractures produced by repetitive stress, often seen in athletes.

What is an avulsion fracture?

A small bone fragment is pulled away by a tendon or ligament.

What is an impacted fracture?

One bone fragment is driven into another.

What is a greenstick fracture?

Partial break with bending on the opposite side; common in children.

Which factors affect bone healing?

Age, nutrition, nicotine use, medications, type of fracture, magnitude of trauma, comorbid disease, and infection.

What are the major complications of musculoskeletal injury?

Arterial injury, compartment syndrome, rhabdomyolysis, infection, thromboembolism, fat embolism, avascular necrosis, delayed union, malunion, and nonunion.

What is compartment syndrome?

Elevated tissue pressure exceeding perfusion pressure, leading to ischemia; requires emergency fasciotomy.

What is rhabdomyolysis?

Rapid muscle breakdown releasing myoglobin that can damage the kidneys; diagnosed by markedly elevated creatine kinase (CK).

What are common infectious risks of open fractures?

Cellulitis, osteomyelitis, and sepsis.

What makes up Virchow’s Triad?

Endothelial vessel injury, venous stasis, and hypercoagulability.

What is Fat Embolism Syndrome (FES)?

Fat globules enter the circulation after fractures, causing dyspnea, petechial rash, and neurological confusion.

What is avascular necrosis (AVN)?

Bone tissue death due to impaired blood supply, often affecting the femoral head.

What is osteomyelitis?

Bone infection (often by Staphylococcus aureus) that leads to abscess formation and bone necrosis.

What is septic arthritis?

Infection of a joint causing acute swelling and pain, frequently in knees or hips; requires drainage and antibiotics.

What is gout?

Inflammatory arthritis caused by monosodium urate crystal deposition from hyperuricemia.

What is osteoporosis?

Systemic bone disease characterized by low bone density and increased fracture risk, especially in hips, spine, and wrists.

What are common causes of primary osteoporosis?

Negative calcium balance due to poor calcium/vitamin D intake, low gonadal hormones, and physical inactivity.

What is osteoarthritis (OA)?

Degenerative joint disease marked by progressive cartilage loss and osteophyte (bone spur) formation.

How does osteoarthritis (OA) differ from rheumatoid arthritis (RA)?

OA is localized and mechanical, whereas RA is systemic, autoimmune, and usually symmetric in presentation.

How is cancer related to the cell cycle?

Cancer cells bypass cell-cycle checkpoints and evade apoptosis, enabling uncontrolled proliferation.

What causes most cancers?

DNA mutations acquired hereditarily or induced by carcinogens such as chemicals, viruses, and radiation.

What key gene categories are involved in cancer formation?

Tumor-suppressor genes, proto-oncogenes, DNA repair genes, and apoptosis-regulating genes.

What is cancer cachexia?

A wasting syndrome driven by cytokines (e.g., TNF-α, IL-1) causing weight loss and muscle wasting.

Which malignancies are classified as blood cancers?

Leukemia, lymphoma, myelodysplastic syndrome (MDS), and multiple myeloma (MM).

What are common signs and symptoms of blood cancers?

Fatigue, recurrent infection, bleeding or bruising, weight loss, lymphadenopathy, and splenomegaly.

How are blood cancers generally treated?

Combination of chemotherapy, monoclonal antibodies, radiation therapy, and hematopoietic stem-cell transplant.

What are the four major types of leukemia?

Acute lymphoblastic (ALL), chronic lymphocytic (CLL), acute myeloid (AML), and chronic myeloid (CML) leukemia.

What is lymphoma?

Cancer of lymphocytes arising in lymph nodes, classified as Hodgkin’s (featuring Reed–Sternberg cells) or Non-Hodgkin’s.

What is myelodysplastic syndrome (MDS)?

A clonal stem-cell disorder of the bone marrow, predominantly affecting older adults and causing ineffective hematopoiesis.

What is multiple myeloma (MM)?

Malignancy of plasma cells leading to bone destruction, renal failure, and immune dysfunction.

What are key nursing priorities when caring for cancer patients?

Monitor blood counts, implement infection and bleeding precautions, provide patient education, and offer psychosocial support.

Tumor suppressor genes (e.g., TP53):

normally inhibit growth; mutations remove these controls.

Proto-oncogenes:

become oncogenes when mutated, driving unchecked cell growth.

DNA repair genes:

fix errors; mutations lead to instability.

Apoptosis genes:

when damaged, allow abnormal cells to survive.

initiation of cancer development:

DNA mutation from a carcinogen or spontaneous change

Promotion of cancer development:

abnormal cell proliferation (reversible)

Progression of cancer development:

malignant transformation with rapid growth and potential to invade or metastasize

Viruses that cause cancer:

• HPV - cervical, vaginal, vulvar, penile, anal, oropharyngeal cancers.

• Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) - Burkitt's lymphoma.

• Hepatitis B & C - hepatocellular carcinoma.

Cancer cell cycle:

The cell cycle includes stages: GO (rest), Gl (growth), S (DNA synthesis), G2 (repair), and M (mitosis).