Pathophysiology and Pharmacologic Foundations for Nursing Practice

These flashcards cover key terms and concepts related to cancer pathophysiology and pharmacology important for nursing practice.

Apoptosis

Programmed cell death essential for normal growth and development.

Proto-oncogenes

Genes that promote cell growth and division; when mutated, they become oncogenes.

Tumor suppressor genes

Genes that inhibit cell growth and proliferation; when mutated, they lead to uncontrolled growth.

Carcinogenesis

The process by which normal cells are transformed into cancer cells.

Metastasis

The spread of cancer cells from the primary site to distant organs.

Angiogenesis

The development of new blood vessels, crucial for tumor growth.

Somatic variant

A genetic mutation not inherited, occurring in non-germ cells.

Germline variant

A genetic mutation inherited from a parent, present in every cell of the body.

Chemotherapy

Treatment of cancer using drugs that kill or inhibit the growth of cancer cells.

Immunotherapy

Treatment that utilizes the body's immune system to fight cancer.

Antimetabolites

Chemotherapeutic agents that interfere with DNA synthesis at the S-phase.

Monoclonal Antibodies

Large molecules that target specific antigens on cancer cells to inhibit growth.

Cytokine Release Syndrome

A potential side effect of immunotherapy characterized by flu-like symptoms due to immune activation.

Heterogeneous cell populations

Diverse types of cancer cells within a tumor that can respond differently to therapies.

Carcinoma in situ

An early stage of cancer where abnormal cells are present but have not spread.

Myelosuppression

A decrease in bone marrow activity resulting in lower blood cell counts, common in chemotherapy.

Tumor grading

A classification that describes the differentiation of cancer cells and their likely behavior.

TNM staging

A system that describes the extent of cancer based on tumor size, lymph node involvement, and metastasis.

Alkylating agents

Chemotherapy drugs that bind DNA, causing strand breakage and cell death.