Patient Education and Survivorship Flashcards

Secondary malignancies are a long-term risk for cancer survivors primarily because of:

Answer: Chemotherapy and radiation damage to normal DNA in healthy tissues

Alkylating agents and radiation are directly mutagenic to normal cells and increase lifetime risk of secondary malignancies such as therapy-related AML.

Late cardiovascular effects of cancer treatment are most associated with which therapies?

Answer: Anthracyclines, trastuzumab, and chest radiation

Anthracyclines and trastuzumab cause cardiomyopathy, while chest radiation causes pericarditis, coronary artery disease, and valvular damage as late effects.

Which statement best reflects the nurse's role in informed consent for cancer treatment?

Answer: The nurse witnesses the signature, reinforces information, and ensures the patient's questions are answered

Informed consent is obtained by the physician; the nurse's role is to witness, reinforce information, and act as an advocate ensuring the patient's questions are addressed.

Advance care planning discussions should occur at which point in the cancer care trajectory?

Answer: Early in diagnosis, not only at end of life

Evidence supports early advance care planning at diagnosis to allow patients time to reflect on values and make informed decisions without crisis pressure.

A survivor completing treatment should receive a survivorship care plan from which care setting?

Answer: The treating oncology team at the end of active treatment

The Commission on Cancer requires that oncology programs provide a comprehensive survivorship care plan to patients completing active treatment.

Which factor most commonly triggers a cancer survivor's distress around surveillance imaging?

Answer: Scanxiety — fear of recurrence around scheduled scans or test results

Scanxiety is the well-recognized pattern of heightened anxiety around surveillance imaging that many cancer survivors experience throughout their follow-up.