APHON CERTIFICATION SCRIPT 2026
QUESTIONS WITH SOLUTIONS
GRADED A+
◍ Biotherapy.
Answer: Targeted anticancer agents also known as biological response
modifiers (BRM)
◍ apoptosis.
Answer: natural cell death
◍ Tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs) are what class.
Answer: Biotherapy
◍ necrosis.
Answer: cell death that results from an insult, such as a lack of blood supply,
physical trauma, or cytotoxic therapy that leads to rupture of the cell
membrane and spilling of cell contents
◍ Monoclonal antibodies (MoAbs) are what class.
Answer: Biotherapy
◍ Define pharmacokinetics.
Answer: Study of drug absorption, metabolism, and excretion
◍ malignant cells.
Answer: cells that do not have a finite number of cell divisions as normal
cells do; lost the ability to undergo apoptosis; can keep replicating and
dividing indefinitely
◍ aberrant cell division.
Answer: the primary characteristic of malignant cells
◍ tumor suppression genes.
, Answer: these keep normal cellular growth in check by regulating cell
division, DNA repair, and apoptosis; if damaged or absent, cells lack the
appropriate growth-inhibiting signals and grow out of control
◍ Define pharmacodynamics.
Answer: The concentration of the drug in the body and how it produces a
response
◍ nadir.
Answer: the period of time after a course of chemotherapy in which the
patients blood counts are lowest
◍ physical barrier.
Answer: the first layer of defense that provides protective immunity through
anatomic barriers; ex. skin, mucous membranes
◍ innate passive immunity.
Answer: the second layer of defense that provides rapid, nonspecific
response to invading pathogens
◍ Define adjuvant chemotherapy.
Answer: The use of chemo after another type of therapy, such as surgery, to
treat residual disease or undetectable metastasis.
◍ adaptive acquired immunity.
Answer: the third layer of defense
◍ Define neoadjuvant chemotherapy.
Answer: When chemo is used preoperatively to decrease tumor burden in
order to make it easier to remove the tumor surgically.
◍ tumor marker.
Answer: a characteristic feature or byproduct of a tumor cell that serves as a
useful indication of tumor cell origin or tumor activity
◍ Define sanctuary sites.
Answer: Sites within the body where tumor cells sequester and are not easily
reached by chemo such as the CNS
, ◍ risk stratification.
Answer: allows for tailoring therapy after consideration of factors beyond
those traditional staging systems; this approach allows for early
intensification of treatment
◍ What normal cells are most often effected by chemotherapy.
Answer: Hematopoietic, mucosal (mouth & GI), hair follicles
◍ pharmacokinetics.
Answer: the movement of a drug in the body and studies how the body
affects the administered drug
◍ Why use chemotherapy.
Answer: To prevent cancer cells from dividing, metastasizing, and
ultimately causing the death of the patient
◍ Cure.
Answer: To permanently eradicate the cancer
◍ pharmacogenetics.
Answer: the study of how a person's genetic makeup affects that person's
response to drug therapy
◍ Control.
Answer: To extend the length & QOL when cure is not feasible or realistic
◍ Palliation.
Answer: Minimize pain and suffering during end of life
◍ surgery.
Answer: often used as a method for treating cancer with the primary goal
being to reduce the tumor burden so that any remaining cancer cells can be
more effectively destroyed by host immunologic factors, chemo, or
immunotherapy
◍ resection.
Answer: surgical treatment of a tumor by removing it
QUESTIONS WITH SOLUTIONS
GRADED A+
◍ Biotherapy.
Answer: Targeted anticancer agents also known as biological response
modifiers (BRM)
◍ apoptosis.
Answer: natural cell death
◍ Tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs) are what class.
Answer: Biotherapy
◍ necrosis.
Answer: cell death that results from an insult, such as a lack of blood supply,
physical trauma, or cytotoxic therapy that leads to rupture of the cell
membrane and spilling of cell contents
◍ Monoclonal antibodies (MoAbs) are what class.
Answer: Biotherapy
◍ Define pharmacokinetics.
Answer: Study of drug absorption, metabolism, and excretion
◍ malignant cells.
Answer: cells that do not have a finite number of cell divisions as normal
cells do; lost the ability to undergo apoptosis; can keep replicating and
dividing indefinitely
◍ aberrant cell division.
Answer: the primary characteristic of malignant cells
◍ tumor suppression genes.
, Answer: these keep normal cellular growth in check by regulating cell
division, DNA repair, and apoptosis; if damaged or absent, cells lack the
appropriate growth-inhibiting signals and grow out of control
◍ Define pharmacodynamics.
Answer: The concentration of the drug in the body and how it produces a
response
◍ nadir.
Answer: the period of time after a course of chemotherapy in which the
patients blood counts are lowest
◍ physical barrier.
Answer: the first layer of defense that provides protective immunity through
anatomic barriers; ex. skin, mucous membranes
◍ innate passive immunity.
Answer: the second layer of defense that provides rapid, nonspecific
response to invading pathogens
◍ Define adjuvant chemotherapy.
Answer: The use of chemo after another type of therapy, such as surgery, to
treat residual disease or undetectable metastasis.
◍ adaptive acquired immunity.
Answer: the third layer of defense
◍ Define neoadjuvant chemotherapy.
Answer: When chemo is used preoperatively to decrease tumor burden in
order to make it easier to remove the tumor surgically.
◍ tumor marker.
Answer: a characteristic feature or byproduct of a tumor cell that serves as a
useful indication of tumor cell origin or tumor activity
◍ Define sanctuary sites.
Answer: Sites within the body where tumor cells sequester and are not easily
reached by chemo such as the CNS
, ◍ risk stratification.
Answer: allows for tailoring therapy after consideration of factors beyond
those traditional staging systems; this approach allows for early
intensification of treatment
◍ What normal cells are most often effected by chemotherapy.
Answer: Hematopoietic, mucosal (mouth & GI), hair follicles
◍ pharmacokinetics.
Answer: the movement of a drug in the body and studies how the body
affects the administered drug
◍ Why use chemotherapy.
Answer: To prevent cancer cells from dividing, metastasizing, and
ultimately causing the death of the patient
◍ Cure.
Answer: To permanently eradicate the cancer
◍ pharmacogenetics.
Answer: the study of how a person's genetic makeup affects that person's
response to drug therapy
◍ Control.
Answer: To extend the length & QOL when cure is not feasible or realistic
◍ Palliation.
Answer: Minimize pain and suffering during end of life
◍ surgery.
Answer: often used as a method for treating cancer with the primary goal
being to reduce the tumor burden so that any remaining cancer cells can be
more effectively destroyed by host immunologic factors, chemo, or
immunotherapy
◍ resection.
Answer: surgical treatment of a tumor by removing it
