APHON CHEMO COURSE EXAM
QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS
apoptosis -ANSnatural cell death
necrosis -ANScell 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
malignant cells -ANScells 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 -ANSthe primary characteristic of malignant cells
tumor suppression genes -ANSthese 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
nadir -ANSthe period of time after a course of chemotherapy in which the patients blood
counts are lowest
physical barrier -ANSthe first layer of defense that provides protective immunity through
anatomic barriers; ex. skin, mucous membranes
innate passive immunity -ANSthe second layer of defense that provides rapid,
nonspecific response to invading pathogens
adaptive acquired immunity -ANSthe third layer of defense
tumor marker -ANSa characteristic feature or byproduct of a tumor cell that serves as a
useful indication of tumor cell origin or tumor activity
risk stratification -ANSallows for tailoring therapy after consideration of factors beyond
those traditional staging systems; this approach allows for early intensification of
treatment
pharmacokinetics -ANSthe movement of a drug in the body and studies how the body
affects the administered drug
, pharmacogenetics -ANSthe study of how a person's genetic makeup affects that
person's response to drug therapy
surgery -ANSoften 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 -ANSsurgical treatment of a tumor by removing it
complete resection -ANSsurgical treatment that involves the removal of all visible and
microscopic evidence of the tumor
partial resection -ANSsurgical debulking that involves resecting a portion of the tumor
because the entire mass cannot be completely or safely removed
chemotherapy -ANSdrug therapy aimed at reducing visible tumor volume by cytotoxic
effects and preventing tumor cell division and spread; agents are designed to kill
malignant cells during different phases of the cell cycle
radiation therapy -ANSthe goal of treatment is to target the tumor for destruction while
sparing the surrounding tissues
autologous transplant -ANSthe patient is both the donor and the recipient, often given
as a "rescue" after high-dose chemo when immunosuppression or myelosuppression
would be a dose-limiting factor; no risk of GVHD
allogenic transplant -ANSdonor and recipient are related or closely matched; donor is
healthy
syngeneic tranplant -ANStransplant source is from an identical twin
immunotherapy -ANSbiologic therapy that activates, modulates, or restores the patient's
immune system in order to control the cancer
molecular targeted therapy -ANSbiologic therapy that act directly on a cancer cell to
exert effect on a specific pathway or function that the cancer cell depends on for growth,
division, or spread
grade x -ANSgrade of the tumor cannot be assessed
grade 1 -ANSwell-differentiated; looks identical to the organ or structure of origin
grade 2 -ANSmoderately differentiated
grade 3 -ANSpoorly differentiated; bears little resemblance to the organ or structure of
origin
QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS
apoptosis -ANSnatural cell death
necrosis -ANScell 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
malignant cells -ANScells 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 -ANSthe primary characteristic of malignant cells
tumor suppression genes -ANSthese 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
nadir -ANSthe period of time after a course of chemotherapy in which the patients blood
counts are lowest
physical barrier -ANSthe first layer of defense that provides protective immunity through
anatomic barriers; ex. skin, mucous membranes
innate passive immunity -ANSthe second layer of defense that provides rapid,
nonspecific response to invading pathogens
adaptive acquired immunity -ANSthe third layer of defense
tumor marker -ANSa characteristic feature or byproduct of a tumor cell that serves as a
useful indication of tumor cell origin or tumor activity
risk stratification -ANSallows for tailoring therapy after consideration of factors beyond
those traditional staging systems; this approach allows for early intensification of
treatment
pharmacokinetics -ANSthe movement of a drug in the body and studies how the body
affects the administered drug
, pharmacogenetics -ANSthe study of how a person's genetic makeup affects that
person's response to drug therapy
surgery -ANSoften 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 -ANSsurgical treatment of a tumor by removing it
complete resection -ANSsurgical treatment that involves the removal of all visible and
microscopic evidence of the tumor
partial resection -ANSsurgical debulking that involves resecting a portion of the tumor
because the entire mass cannot be completely or safely removed
chemotherapy -ANSdrug therapy aimed at reducing visible tumor volume by cytotoxic
effects and preventing tumor cell division and spread; agents are designed to kill
malignant cells during different phases of the cell cycle
radiation therapy -ANSthe goal of treatment is to target the tumor for destruction while
sparing the surrounding tissues
autologous transplant -ANSthe patient is both the donor and the recipient, often given
as a "rescue" after high-dose chemo when immunosuppression or myelosuppression
would be a dose-limiting factor; no risk of GVHD
allogenic transplant -ANSdonor and recipient are related or closely matched; donor is
healthy
syngeneic tranplant -ANStransplant source is from an identical twin
immunotherapy -ANSbiologic therapy that activates, modulates, or restores the patient's
immune system in order to control the cancer
molecular targeted therapy -ANSbiologic therapy that act directly on a cancer cell to
exert effect on a specific pathway or function that the cancer cell depends on for growth,
division, or spread
grade x -ANSgrade of the tumor cannot be assessed
grade 1 -ANSwell-differentiated; looks identical to the organ or structure of origin
grade 2 -ANSmoderately differentiated
grade 3 -ANSpoorly differentiated; bears little resemblance to the organ or structure of
origin
