Oncology Supportive Care – Study Notes
What is cancer?
Cells that is having abnormal growth, leading to imbalance of cell proliferation and death.
This makes a generation of cells that can invade other tissues.
Summarized!!!
- 1Alteration in gene expression
- 2Dysregulation of the normal cell program
- 3Imbalance of cell regulation and death
- 4Favoring growth of tumor cells
ANTIEMETICS
Nausea: is expressing/feeling discomfort that may or may not be followed by vomiting.
Retching: is the movement itself of the muscles during the act of vomiting, but without actual expulsion of vomitus.
Vomiting/emesis: is the expulsion of gastric content passing through the mouth.
Acute vomiting: occurs 0-24 hours from chemotherapy.
Delayed Vomiting: occurs after 24 hours after chemotherapy.
Anticipatory vomiting: happens with patients going to get chemo treatment, or with those patients who suffered from vomiting with previous sessions.
Breakthrough emesis: is when vomiting occurs even though the patient is on prophylactic antiemetics.
Refractory emesis: is when using the same antiemetic treatment that failed last session.
Risk factors contributing to patient experiencing vomiting during chemotherapy
PATIENT FACTORS
MEDICATIONS FACTORS
RADIATIONS FACTORS
Management of chemotherapy and radiation induced nausea and vomiting
Prophylactic should be administered before moderately/high sessions.
Schedule antiemetics for delayed nausea and vomiting and rescue antiemetics should be available.
Patients need to be protected for:
a. Three days for highly emetogenic regimens
b. Two days for moderately emetogenic regimens
Points to keep in mind when beginning with an appropriate antiemetic regimen
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