Symptom Management Flashcards

A patient reports a pain level of 8/10 on opioid therapy. Which principle guides reassessment timing after a dose change?

Answer: Reassess within 1 hour for IV opioids and 2 hours for oral opioids

Reassessment after opioid dose adjustments should occur within 1 hour for IV and within 2 hours for oral routes to evaluate effectiveness.

Which antiemetic class is considered first-line for chemotherapy-induced nausea and vomiting (CINV)?

Answer: 5-HT3 receptor antagonists (e.g., ondansetron)

5-HT3 receptor antagonists are the cornerstone of CINV prophylaxis, especially for highly emetogenic chemotherapy regimens.

Mucositis in oncology patients most commonly occurs in which setting?

Answer: After head and neck radiation or high-dose chemotherapy

Mucositis—inflammation of the oral and GI mucosa—is most severe after head and neck radiation and high-dose chemotherapy with stem cell transplant.

What is the first-line treatment for opioid-induced constipation in oncology patients?

Answer: Stimulant laxative (e.g., senna) with or without a stool softener

A stimulant laxative such as senna should be started prophylactically with opioid therapy because opioids suppress bowel motility.

Cancer-related fatigue (CRF) differs from normal fatigue in which key way?

Answer: CRF is not relieved by rest or sleep

Cancer-related fatigue is uniquely persistent and is not relieved by rest, distinguishing it from normal activity-related fatigue.

Which non-pharmacological intervention has the strongest evidence for reducing cancer-related fatigue?

Answer: Moderate aerobic exercise

Multiple systematic reviews show that moderate aerobic exercise is the most evidence-based non-pharmacological intervention for cancer-related fatigue.