Question 1

A female client has experienced alopecia due to chemotherapy. She is distraught and feels that no one will want to look at her. How can the nurse best address the client's concerns?

Accepted Answer

The best way for the nurse to address the client's concerns is to discuss her feelings about the effects of her hair loss. This allows the nurse to validate the client's emotions and provide empathy and support. It also opens the door for the nurse to provide resources and education about coping mechanisms and wig options. Showing photos of cancer survivors or making promises about hair growth can come across as dismissive and invalidating of the client's current emotional state. While having a cancer survivor visit can be helpful, it may not be feasible and can also come across as uncomfortable or intrusive for the client.

Question 2

The nurse on an oncology unit is planning care for clients with various Note: Credit will be given only if all correct choices and no incorrect choices are selected. Standard Text: Select all that apply.

Accepted Answer

The answer of The nurse on an oncology unit is...

Question 3

The nurse is caring for a client for myelosuppression. Which lab values would the nurse monitor for this client? Note: Credit will be given only if all correct choices and no incorrect choices are selected.
Standard Text: Select all that apply.

Accepted Answer

Myelosuppression can cause a decrease in red blood cells, white blood cells, and platelets. Therefore, monitoring RBC, WBC, and platelet counts is important in managing this condition. Monitoring of potassium and sodium levels is important for treating electrolyte imbalances, but they are not directly related to myelosuppression.

Question 4

The client experiences nausea and vomiting soon after chemotherapy treatments. What is the best action by the nurse?

Accepted Answer

Administering an antiemetic 1-2 hours before chemotherapy can help prevent nausea and vomiting. Increasing fluid intake and restricting food are not effective interventions for chemotherapy-induced nausea and vomiting. Administering a sleeping medication during chemotherapy does not address nausea and vomiting.

Question 5

A client who is receiving chemotherapy frequently complains of headache. The most effective nursing intervention would be to administer:

Accepted Answer

Acetaminophen is the most effective option for headache relief in patients receiving chemotherapy. This is because aspirin and nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) such as ibuprofen and naproxen can increase the risk of bleeding and gastrointestinal irritation in patients undergoing chemotherapy.

Question 6

A common theme among all the antineoplastic agents is:

Accepted Answer

The answer of A common theme among all the antineoplastic...

Question 7

Which statement most accurately describes the action that occurs during stage S (synthesis) of the cell cycle?

Accepted Answer

During stage S (synthesis) of the cell cycle, the cell duplicates or replicates its DNA in preparation for cell division. The other choices do not accurately describe the action that occurs during this stage.

Question 8

The client receives several chemotherapeutic agents as treatments for cancer. The client asks the nurse why he needs so many drugs. What is the best response by the nurse?

Accepted Answer

Using multiple drugs will help kill more of the cancer. Combination chemotherapy is generally more effective than single-agent therapy because no single agent is effective against all tumor cells. By using drugs with different mechanisms of action, different cell cycle effects, and different toxicities, more tumor cells can be killed.

Question 9

Most chemotherapeutic medications are administered intermittently, using specific dosing schedules. Which factor does not affect the dosing schedule?

Accepted Answer

The psychological stage of the client is not a factor that affects the dosing schedule of chemotherapeutic medications. The dosing schedule is determined by factors such as the condition of the client, the type of tumour, and the stage of the disease. Psychological factors may play a role in the overall treatment plan, but do not directly affect the dosing schedule.

Question 10

The client receives cisplatin as therapy for cancer. Which assessment finding would prompt the nurse to contact the client's health care provider immediately?

Accepted Answer

Buzzing, ringing, or tingling in the ears is a symptom of ototoxicity, which is a potential side effect of cisplatin. It can lead to permanent hearing loss, and the healthcare provider should be notified immediately. Nausea and vomiting, an elevation in blood glucose, and leg cramps are common side effects of cisplatin and can be managed with appropriate interventions.

Question 11

A client is receiving a cell-cycle-specific medication for the treatment of leukemia. How should these medications be delivered in order to kill the most cancer cells?

Accepted Answer

Cell-cycle-specific medications target cells that are actively dividing. Dividing cells go through various stages, including G1, S, G2, and M phases. By dividing the medication into frequent doses, the medication can target the cells in various phases of the cell cycle, resulting in more cancer cells being killed. In contrast, a single dose or infrequent doses may not target all the phases of the cell cycle as effectively. A large, one-time dose may also cause severe side effects and toxicity. Therefore, divided, frequent doses are the best choice for killing the most cancer cells while minimizing side effects.

Question 12

Which statement most accurately describes the cell kill hypothesis?

Accepted Answer

The cell kill hypothesis is a model that predicts the ability of antineoplastic drugs to eliminate cancer cells. It suggests that a certain percentage of cancer cells will be killed with each round of chemotherapy, eventually leading to complete remission if enough cells are eliminated.

Question 13

A client is being prepared for the delivery of an intravenous chemotherapeutic agent. The client asks why the drug cannot be given by mouth. The nurse explains that an advantage to intravenous delivery is that:

Accepted Answer

Intravenous delivery allows for a consistent serum drug level to be maintained as it is delivered directly into the bloodstream, bypassing the first-pass metabolism that occurs when a drug is taken orally. This can result in more predictable and effective treatment outcomes.

Question 14

The nurse is explaining the mechanisms of action for alkylating agents and states that alkylating agents kill cancer cells by: Note: Credit will be given only if all correct choices and no incorrect choices are selected.
Standard Text: Select all that apply.

Accepted Answer

The answer of The nurse is explaining the mechanisms of...

Question 15

The nurse tells the client that alkylating agents kill cancer cells by:

Accepted Answer

Alkylating agents work by changing the structure of DNA and preventing the cancer cells from duplicating during cell division. This ultimately leads to the death of the cancer cells.

Question 16

When discussing the outcome of treatment with a client, how does a nurse describe theoretically when a cancer is considered cured?

Accepted Answer

A cancer is theoretically considered cured when every single cancer cell has been eliminated, meaning there are no remaining cancer cells that can grow or spread.

Question 17

Which statement is not a reason that clients undergoing chemotherapy usually receive several rounds of treatment spaced over time?

Accepted Answer

The statement that chemotherapy treatments are spaced over time due to the high cost is not accurate. While cost is a factor for many clients, it is not the primary reason why treatments are given in several rounds with breaks in between. The other statements provide valid reasons for this treatment approach.

Question 18

A client receiving antineoplastic agents in the treatment of lung cancer has been told that treatment options are limited. What is the reason that lung cancer cells have a decreased sensitivity to antineoplastic drugs?

Accepted Answer

Lung cancer cells have a low growth fraction, meaning that there is little difference between the number of replicating and resting cells. This makes them less sensitive to antineoplastic agents which target rapidly dividing cells.

Question 19

The nurse is describing the mechanism of action of antimetabolites to a client with cancer. Which statement best describes how the antimetabolites kill cancer cells?

Accepted Answer

Antimetabolites are a type of chemotherapy drug that disrupt metabolic pathways in cancer cells, specifically by inhibiting DNA and RNA synthesis. By doing so, they slow or stop the growth of cancer cells, ultimately leading to their death. They do not use the body's immune system, contain bacterial substances, or directly change the shape of DNA.

Question 20

The nurse is preparing to administer methotrexate by mouth to a client with cancer. For what reasons would the nurse use the PO route rather than the other routes of administration? Note: Credit will be given only if all correct choices and no incorrect choices are selected.
Standard Text: Select all that apply.

Accepted Answer

The PO (oral) route is often more acceptable to clients because it is less invasive than injections or IV administration, reducing discomfort and inconvenience. It also decreases the risk for phlebitis, which is inflammation of a vein often associated with IV therapy, and decreases the risk for tissue necrosis, which can occur with extravasation of certain medications during IV administration.

Quiz 12: Pharmacology of Anti-Neoplastic Diseases