Nokea
A patient is receiving her third course of 5-fluorouracil therapy and knows that stomatitis is a potential adverse effect of antineoplastic therapy. What will the nurse teach her about managing this problem?
- A. You can take aspirin to prevent stomatitis.
- B. Be sure to watch for and report black, tarry stools immediately.
- C. You need to increase your intake of foods containing fiber and citric acid.
- D. Be sure to examine your mouth daily for bleeding, painful areas, and ulcerations.
Correct Answer: D
Rationale: The symptoms of stomatitis consist of pain or burning in the mouth, difficulty swallowing, taste changes, viscous saliva, dryness, cracking, and fissures, with or without bleeding mucosa. Teach patients to avoid consuming foods containing citric acid and foods that are hot or spicy or high in fiber. Assessing stools is important but is not related to stomatitis, and aspirin must not be used during this therapy.
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The nurse is monitoring a patient who has severe bone marrow suppression following antineoplastic drug therapy. Which is considered a principal early sign of infection?
- A. Fever
- B. Diaphoresis
- C. Tachycardia
- D. Elevated white blood cell count
Correct Answer: A
Rationale: Fever and/or chills may be the first sign of an oncoming infection. Elevated white blood cell count will not occur because of the bone marrow suppression. The other options are incorrect.
One patient has cancer of the bone; another has cancer in the connective tissues of the thigh muscles; a third patient has cancer in the vascular tissues. Which of these is the correct term for these tumors?
- A. Sarcoma
- B. Leukemia
- C. Carcinoma
- D. Lymphoma
Correct Answer: A
Rationale: Sarcomas are malignant tumors that arise from connective tissues. These tissues can be found in bone, cartilage, muscle, blood, lymphatic, and vascular tissues. The other options are incorrect.
A patient, diagnosed with lymphoma, has an allergy to one of the proposed chemotherapy drugs. The tumor has not responded to other types of treatment. The nurse expects the oncologist to follow which course of treatment?
- A. The physician will choose another drug to use.
- B. The chemotherapy will be given along with supportive measures to treat a possible allergic reaction.
- C. The patient will receive reduced doses of chemotherapy for a longer period of time.
- D. The chemotherapy cannot be given because of the patient's allergy.
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: Even if a patient has a known allergic reaction to a given antineoplastic medication, the urgency of treating the patient's cancer may still necessitate administering the medication and then treating any allergic symptoms with supportive medications, such as antihistamines, corticosteroids, and acetaminophen.
During treatment of a patient who has breast cancer, the nurse hears the oncologist mention that the patient has reached the 'nadir.' The nurse knows that this term means which of these?
- A. The lowest level of neutrophils reached during therapy.
- B. The highest level of neutrophils reached during therapy.
- C. The point at which the adverse effects of chemotherapy will stop.
- D. The point at which the cytotoxic action against cancer cells is the highest.
Correct Answer: A
Rationale: The lowest neutrophil count reached after a course of chemotherapy is known as the nadir. The other options are incorrect.
A patient is receiving high doses of methotrexate and is experiencing severe bone marrow suppression. The nurse expects which intervention to be ordered with this drug to reduce this problem?
- A. A transfusion of whole blood
- B. Leucovorin rescue
- C. Ther9601Therapy with filgrastim
- D. Administration of allopurinol
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: High-dose methotrexate is associated with bone marrow suppression, and it is always given in conjunction with the rescue drug leucovorin, which is an antidote for folic acid antagonists. Basically, leucovorin rescues the healthy cells from methotrexate. The other options are incorrect.