Antineoplastic and Biologic Therapies Flashcards
7 cards from real CRNI practice questions. Tap to flip, then mark Knew It or Still Learning — missed cards come back until you master them.
Read the first 7 Antineoplastic and Biologic Therapies flashcards as text
A patient receiving intrathecal methotrexate develops arachnoiditis. Which symptom cluster is most consistent with this complication?
Answer: Headache, nuchal rigidity, and back pain
Intrathecal methotrexate-induced arachnoiditis presents with meningeal irritation signs including headache, nuchal rigidity, and back pain.
When preparing to administer rituximab, the CRNI knows to premedicate with which combination to reduce infusion-related reactions?
Answer: Acetaminophen and diphenhydramine
Standard premedication before rituximab includes acetaminophen and diphenhydramine to blunt cytokine-mediated infusion reactions.
A patient on capecitabine (Xeloda) reports painful redness and swelling of the palms and soles. The nurse identifies this as:
Answer: Hand-foot syndrome (palmar-plantar erythrodysesthesia)
Hand-foot syndrome (palmar-plantar erythrodysesthesia) is a hallmark toxicity of capecitabine characterized by painful erythema and swelling of palms and soles.
Which laboratory value is the most critical to assess before administering a dose of methotrexate?
Answer: Serum creatinine
Renal function (serum creatinine) must be assessed before methotrexate because the drug is renally eliminated and impaired clearance leads to severe toxicity.
A nurse is caring for a patient who received high-dose cisplatin 48 hours ago. Which electrolyte imbalance requires the most vigilant monitoring?
Answer: Hypomagnesemia
Cisplatin causes renal tubular damage leading to significant magnesium wasting; hypomagnesemia is the most common and clinically significant electrolyte disturbance.
Bevacizumab (Avastin) is contraindicated within how many weeks of major surgery due to impaired wound healing?
Answer: 4 weeks
Bevacizumab should not be administered within 4 weeks of major surgery because its anti-VEGF mechanism impairs wound healing and increases bleeding risk.
A patient receiving blinatumomab develops confusion, tremors, and difficulty speaking on day 3 of infusion. The nurse's priority action is:
Answer: Stop the infusion and notify the physician immediately
Neurologic toxicity (cytokine release syndrome-related CNS effects) from blinatumomab requires immediate infusion cessation and physician notification.