Complications of Chemotherapy

1. Complications of Chemotherapy Discuss post-chemotherapy complications and their management Chemotherapy can have wide-ranging effects on patients Human body amazing at what it can tolerate

2. What is chemotherapy? Treatment with drugs that kill cancer cells (or make them less active) Interfering with tumour cells ability to grow and proliferate Adjuvant chemotherapy ie localized breast cancer Induction chemotherapy ie AML Curative chemotherapy ie Diffuse Large B Cell Lymphoma Palliative chemotherapy

3. Categories of Chemotherapy Antibiotic derived�anthracyclines, bleomycin Plant Alkaloids�periwinkle plant--vincristine, paclitaxel Alkylators�cylcophosphamide Antimetabolites�interfere with synthesis of nucleic acids-5FU, Methotrexate Epipodophyllotoxins�inhibit topoisomerase 2--etoposide Anti-hormonal�tamoxifen, coritcosteroids TYROSINE KINASE INHIBITORS--GLEEVEC MONOCLONAL ANTIBODIES�TARGETED therapy

4. Complications of Chemotherapy SHORT TERM Fever Nausea Infusional reactions Oral complications Diarrhea Anemia Neuropathy Alopecia Rash, Extravasation Emotional

5. FEBRILE NEUTROPENIA On Chemotherapy, 7 to 14 days post chemo WBC nadir, NEUTROPHILS are 1st line of DEFENCE Temperature great than or equal to 38.3 degrees centigrade Absolute Neutrophil count (ANC) less than 1.0 One of the few Oncologic EMERGENCIES

6. FEBRILE NEUTROPENIA History, Physical Focus on possible source of infection Respiratory tract, urine, skin, gi tract CBC, LFT,CR CXR

7. FEBRILE NEUTROPENIA Draw cultures from 2 different sites, urine C/S 50% of cultures positive 65% positive cultures are gram positive organisms Broad Spectrum antibiotics If well, hemodynamically stable CIPRO and CLAVULIN PO and home

8. FEBRILE NEUTROPENIA IF UNWELL ADMIT WITH BROAD SPECTRUM IV ANTIOBIOTICS IE TAZOCIN OR IMIPENEM OR AMP AND GENT WITH NEUPOGEN SUPPORT( 300mcg sc daily until anc >1.0), IV FLUIDS ETC.

9. FEBRILE NEUTROPENIA Usually fever lasts less than 48 hours If fever longer than 48 hrs, patient needs IV antibiotics, consider antifungals Usually bacterial or viral infections but fungal infections becoming more of an issue As WBC and ANC recover, patient usually improves NB special situation for Acute Leukemics, PICC lines

10. FEBRILE NEUTROPENIA Clinical consideration and follow-up very important, especially if patient discharged home

11. NAUSEA Most chemotherapeutic agents cause nausea Why? systemically as drug makes it�s way to nausea centre of brain (chemotherapeutic trigger zone) Sight and smell of drug

13. NAUSEA Types of Nausea Anticipatory�conditioned reflex to sight and smell of chemotherapy area Acute�within 24hrs and related to chemotherapeutic agents Delayed�more than 24 hrs. post chemotherapy--specific agents�cisplatin, cyclophosphamide, adriamycin

14. NAUSEA Worst offenders: Cisplatin High dose cyclophosphamide Doxorubicin, eprirubicin, carboplatin also have a high incidence of nausea

15. NAUSEA TREATMENT Medications: Prochlorperazine (stemetil) Metoclopramide (maxeran) Ondansetron (Zofran)�5HT3 antagonists Dexamethasone Lorazepam, Haloperidol Aprepitant

16. Drug treatment of chemotherapy- and radiotherapy-induced nausea and vomiting

17. NAUSEA TREATMENT Relaxation Varying foods, meals

18. INFUSIONAL REACTIONS Very common with new MONOCLONAL ANTIBODY agents ie RITUXIMAB Infusion of these agents may take several hours Fever, hypotension, asthmatic like reactions, pain Premedicate or treat with Dexamthasone, Benadryl, Tylenol May have to stop infusion temporarily If serious, may have to discontinue agent

19. Oral Complications Occurs in approx 40% of patients receiving chemotherapy Very common Team approach using nutritionist, nursing, dentist, pain management team Oral hygiene important-soft tooth brushes, floss? Source of bacteremia

20. Oral Complications loss of taste Affects appetite, nutrition Which in turn affects healing In this situation, we advise patients to think of eating as a job Sometimes, oral complications require nutrition supplements or alternatives

21. MUCOSITIS Chemotherapy is intended to injure rapidly dividing cells such as the MUCOSA Presents with mouth sores, inflammation, sometimes sloughing of mucosa anywhere in the GASTROINTESTINAL TRACT, RESP TRACT � Usually occurs in the mouth

22. MUCOSITIS SIMPLE ORAL MUCOSITIS TREATED WITH MOUTH RINSE MAGIC MOUTHWASH SALT WATER GARGLES TOPICAL ANALGESIA ie Xylocaine viscous, tantum Systemic analgesia NYSTATIN

23. MUCOSITIS Upper gi tract Heartburn Very common Antacid, Ranitidine, Pantoloc

24. MUCOSITIS SEVERE MUCOSITIS GI TRACT DIARRHEA, SLOUGHING OF MUCOSA, ESOPHAGITIS ADMISSION, TNA, BOWEL REST, OTHER SUPPORTIVE MEASURES 5FU ONE OF THE MAIN CULPRITS

25. DIARRHEA VERY COMMON, approx 45%. USUALLY A FEW DAYS AND SELF-LIMITING

26. DIARRHEA Risk factors Elderly Known colitis GI tumour 5FU, irinotecan Concomitant irradiation

27. DIARRHEA Infection�CDIFF or other Laxatives, other medications (stool softeners) Of course, usually the chemotherapy is the culprit.

28. DIARRHEA Usually self-limiting Hydration�po, IV if more SERIOUS Diet�fluids, BRAT (Bananas, Rice, Apples, Toast) Loperamide (immediately if on Irinotecan) 4mg followed by 2mg Q4H or until formed stool. Up to 16 mg per day Usually rule out CDIFF first

29. DIARRHEA If severe, Ocreotide (Sandostatin) Decreases fluid output from bowel 100mcg sc TID Growth hormone analogue-decreases all salivary gland secretions And Antibiotics may be considered espec if CDIFF positive oral metronidazole or oral vancomycin oral CIPRO

30. ANEMIA Bone marrow suppression from chemotherapeutic agents Secondary to malignancy Anemia work-up

31. ANEMIA Chemotherapy induced anemia Erythropoietin, Aranesp Stimulate marrow to produce RBC�s Used while on chemotherapy only Additional iron: po vs. iv Sc injection

32. ANEMIA Adverse effects of Erythropoietin Flu-like illness Rashes Diarrhea Headache Bone pain Liver, kidney Vascular event: FOLLOW HEMOGLOBIN

33. ANEMIA Dosage: Eprex 40,000 units sc qweekly Aranesp: 150mcg sc qweeklyto 7 days)

34. NEUROPATHY Very common with vincristine, vinblastine, cisplatin Usually temporary. Sometimes leads to dose alterations or stopping of some drugs

35. NEUROPATHY Most commonly, we see numbness and tingling in fingers and toes Can you do up your buttons? Is numbness becoming more proximal? May need to alter chemotherapeutic agents or doses thereof

36. Emotional effects of chemotherapy Malignant diagnosis can be overwhelming The discussion of treatments and adverse effects can also be overwhelming Anxiety, depression, fatigue related to diagnosis and treatments LOTS of information regarding treatments

37. Emotional effects of chemotherapy �Gaining Control by giving up control�. Dr. B. Rotella daily routine goes upside down Changing work routine�missing work for weeks, months Income changes

38. Emotional effects of chemotherapy �The inability to forget is infinitely more devastating than the inability to remember�. Mark Twain Hard to forget some of the stressful times one goes through Battle fatigue

39. Emotional effects of chemotherapy �It always seems impossible until it�s done�. Nelson Mandela Getting through months of chemotherapy is very, very difficult People are amazing though. The human condition is to battle

40. Emotional effects of chemotherapy �Things to do today: Exhale, Inhale, Exhale�. Buddha Just surviving each day step by step Team approach: social worker, supportive care coordinators, pastoral care, pharmacy

41. Complications of Chemotherapy Longterm Cardiac Secondary Malignancies Fatigue Neuropathy Arthropathy

42. Cardiac Complications Adriamycin or other anthracyclines 450mg per m2 dose lifetime Strong treatment for breast cancer and hematologic malignancies Affects myocardium longterm above maximum dose

43. Secondary Malignancies Skin cancers Breast cancers Hematologic Malignancies

44. Fatigue Thorough history, physical exam and ancillary tests Fatigue workshop

45. Arthropathy Post monoclonal antibodies Treated in usual fashion with NSAIDs, prednisone

46. GLEEVEC Oral �chemotherapy� for Chronic Myeloid Leukemia Molecular model of chemotherapeutic treatments, tyrosine kinase inhibitor Philadelphia Chromosome produces abnormal protein, BCR-ABL Gleevec stops the signal of the BCR-ABL protein, therefore halting Leukemogenesis Fluid retention, diarrhea, nausea, fatigue, abdo pain, muscle cramps, bone pain