Chapter 14: Antineoplastic Agents

A parent hears the health care provider using the word extravasation. The parent asks the nurse what extravasation means. What would be a correct answer?

A parent hears the health care provider using the word extravasation. The parent asks the nurse what extravasation means. What would be a correct answer?

A client's chemotherapeutic regimen includes procarbazine. What is the client's most likely diagnosis?

Hodgkin lymphoma

How can a nurse best prevent tissue damage caused by an antineoplastic extravasation?

Inspect the site frequently for redness or swelling

A patient with non-Hodgkin's lymphoma (NHL) will be starting a course of doxorubicin shortly. When planning this patient's care, what nursing diagnosis should the nurse prioritize?

Risk for Infection related to suppressed bone marrow function

An adult client who has been diagnosed with a rectal tumor is scheduled to begin treatment with cisplatin. The nurse has conducted client teaching about the possibility of nausea and vomiting. In order to reduce the client's risk of severe nausea, the nurse should:

administer a combination of antiemetics prior to the administration of the drug

A nurse educator is discussing the role of protooncogenes in the pathophysiology of cancer. What typically triggers protooncogenes to differentiate into oncogenes?

exposure to carcinogens

A female client will soon begin targeted therapy as a component of her treatment plan for chronic leukemia. The nurse is conducting health education about this new aspect of the client's drug regimen and the client has asked about the potential side effects of treatment. How should the nurse best respond?

"Both classes of drugs have adverse effects, but targeted therapies tend to have less of an effect on healthy body cells."

A patient who will begin chemotherapy voices concern to the nurse about the accompanying nausea and vomiting. What is the best response by the nurse?

"We can relieve your nausea and vomiting with antiemetic drug therapy. You should ask for these medications whenever you need them."

A nurse is preparing to administer a chemotherapeutic drug to a client. The nurse anticipates the client will exhibit which sign(s) related to the effect of the drug on various rapidly growing cells in the body? Select all that apply.

Alopecia

An adult client has recently begun cancer treatment with methotrexate (MTX). When reviewing this client's laboratory work, the nurse should consequently prioritize assessment of what

BUN and creatinine

An adult client has recently begun cancer treatment with methotrexate (MTX). When reviewing this client's laboratory work, the nurse should consequently prioritize assessment of what?are:

BUN and creatinine

A nurse is caring for a client prescribed gemcitabine. On the morning laboratory results, the nurse discovers the following: white blood cell count 4500/mm3 and platelets 135,000/mm3. The nurse anticipates discovering which sign on the ongoing assessment?

Bloody urine

What does the nurse identify as a potential cause of thrombocytopenia in a client receiving chemothrapy?

Bone marrow suppression

Question 2 See full question3m 3sReport this Question A 79-year-old woman has recently moved to a long-term care facility, and the nurse at the facility is conducting a medication reconciliation. The nurse notes that the woman has recently been taking tamoxifen. The nurse is justified in concluding that the woman has a history of what malignancy?

Breast cancer

A child is prescribed an anthracycline drug. The nurse would teach the parents to observe for signs and symptoms of what adverse effect?

Cardiotoxicity

A client has been diagnosed with a brain tumor and is dealing with this diagnosis by seeking detailed information about cancer. The nurse would explain to the client that cancer is essentially a result of the disruption of what?

Cell cycle

When describing alkylating agents, the nurse would explain that this medication is seen as the protot

Chlorambucil

A patient who is receiving methotrexate is also receiving leucovorin. The nurse understands that this drug is being given for which reason?

Counteract effects of methotrexate

A patient is to receive doxorubicin as treatment for leukemia. The nurse would instruct the patient that the typical cycle would be repeated at which frequency?

Every 3 weeks

Which is a potential life threatening adverse effect of monoclonal antibodies?

Heart failure and bleeding problems

A 26-year-old man with testicular cancer is prescribed combination chemotherapy that involves using two drugs that are effective against testicular tumors. Combination drug therapy is superior to single-drug therapy because of:

Higher tumor response rates

A male client is diagnosed with prostate cancer. The treatment modality of choice includes both surgery and chemotherapy. What does the chemotherapeutic option include?

Hormonal therapies

A client's chemotherapy regimen has been deemed successful, but the client is experiencing debilitating nausea and vomiting. These adverse effects should signal the nurse to the possibility of what nursing diagnosis?

Imbalanced nutrition: less than body requirements

A patient is receiving carboplatin. The nurse would expect to administer this drug by which route?

Intravenous

A female client is ending an extensive chemotherapeutic regimen that included cytotoxic antineoplastic drugs. What does the nurse understand about bone marrow toxicity in this client?

It is a common adverse effect of her treatment.

A patient is diagnosed with ovarian cancer. Why is this considered to be an aggressive form of cancer?

It is fed by the hormones produced by the ovaries.

Chlorambucil has been ordered for a patient with Hodgkin's disease. The patient's son asks the nurse what this drug does. What would be the nurse's best answer?

It is palliative chemotherapy used to relieve pain associated with tumor."

A male patient has been on long-term bicalutamide therapy. In order to assess adverse effects of the drug therapy, the nurse will closely monito

Liver function

During which phase of the cell cycle would a nurse expect a mitotic inhibitor to act?

M

Which agent would the nurse expect to be administered orally?

Methotrexate

Which would the nurse identify as an antineoplastic antibiotic?

Mitomycin

A male client is informed that the latest tests indicate that his cancer has spread to his liver. The client receives capecitabine as part of his treatment regimen. What would the nurse expect the health care provider to do?

Monitor the client closely and repeat LFTs routinely.

A client, who is prescribed vinblastine, is also currently administered warfarin. The nurse will carefully monitor the client for which reaction?

Prolonged bleeding

An elderly man has been admitted to a residential care facility and the nurse has conducted a medication reconciliation. The man has taken numerous drugs in the past, including a course of bicalutamide (Casodex) several years earlier. The nurse recognizes this drug as being an antiandrogen and is consequently justified in presuming that the man has a history of what disease?

Prostate cancer

A client is prescribed doxorubicin drug therapy for carcinoma of the breast. On the second day of drug therapy, she calls in to report reddish urine. What should the nurse do?

Reassure the client that it is a harmless and expected response to the drug.

A group of nursing students are preparing a presentation depicting the cell cycles and the chemotherapeutic agents that work best at each phase. The instructor determines the students have correctly illustrated the information by including antimetabolites at which phase?

S phase

When describing the various effects of antineoplastic agents, the nurse explains that antineoplastic drugs primarily affect human cells that are rapidly multiplying, going through the cell cycle quickly. The nurse would identify which cells as an example?

Skin

A nurse is teaching a client about the chemotherapeutic agent that has been prescribed. When asked about potential hair loss, which answer should the nurse prioritize?

Suggest the use of a wig or cap

A 42-year-old female with breast cancer has had a radical mastectomy. She will have radiation therapy and then begin chemotherapy. Drug therapy will consist of a combination of doxorubicin, cyclophosphamide, and paclitaxel. What will the nurse include in the teaching plan concerning the drug therapy?

Take special care when shaving or brushing her teeth.

When describing the process of cancer cell growth to a client, the nurse addresses angiogenesis. Which description would the nurse include?

The process of creating new blood vessels to supply oxygen and nutrients to the cells

A client with a diagnosis of bladder cancer is started on a chemotherapeutic regimen that includes three agents. What is the rationale for using multiple antineoplastic agents?

The use of three agents decreases the development of cell resistance.

What potential benefit is unique to biologic agent therapies?

They may affect cancer cells while leaving normal body cells unaffected.

The nurse is describing the necessity of recovery periods between treatment cycles to a client receiving chemotherapy. How should the nurse best explain the need?

Time is needed to replace many of the healthy body cells killed by chemotherapy.

Which agents would be considered cancer non-cell cycle specific agents?

alkylating agents

The nurse may be asked to administer which medications to a client to counteract the increase in uric acid and subsequent hyperuricemia resulting from the metabolic waste buildup from rapid tumor lysis?

allopurinol

The oncology nurse understands that chemotherapeutic agents are most effective during a particular phase of the cell cycle. This means the agents are:

cell cycle-specific.

Many times a combination of antineoplastic medications are used to:

decrease the development of cell resistance.

A female patient is taking oral cyclophosphamide therapy for breast cancer. Because of possible adverse effects of the drug, the nurse will instruct the patient to:

drink a lot of water.

A female client prescribed methotrexate for meningeal leukemia is asking the nurse about adverse effects of the drug. What would the nurse tell this client should be avoided while taking methotrexate?

pregnancy

A client asks the nurse what cancer cell growth is called. What would the nurse tell the client?

proliferation

The community health nurse is planning care for a client who will be prescribed an oral chemotherapy drug for the next several months while recovering at home. What health education topic should the nurse emphasize?

techniques for safely handling the drug

A 25-year-old female client is prescribed methotrexate to treat rheumatoid arthritis (RA). The nurse should teach the client to:

use an effective contraceptive.