Medical Pharmacology: Cancer Chemotherapy Drug Practice Questions

This nitrogen mustard may be useful in treating Hodgkin's lymphoma.
1. Melphalan (L phenylalanine mustard)
2. Mechlorethamine
3. Chlorambucil
4. Cyclophosphamide
This nitrogen mustard is clinically useful in managing chronic lymphocytic leukemia.
1. Cyclophosphamide (Cytoxan)
2. Chlorambucil (Leukeran)
3. Melphalan (Alkeran)
4. None of the above
This triazene drug belonging to the alkylating group of anticancer agents may be used for treating malignant melanoma as well as Hodgkin lymphoma.
1. Dacarbazine (DTIC)
2. Streptozotocin a.k.a. streptozocin (Zanosar)
3. Carmustine (BiCNU)
Toxicities or side effects associated with cyclophosphamide (Cytoxan):
1. Skin or nail darkening
2. diarrhea
3. nausea/vomiting
4. hemorrhagic cystitis
5. hair loss (alopecia)
6. bone marrow suppression
7. A & B
8. A, B & C
9. All of the above options are correct (A-F)
Concerning the cytotoxic activity of alkylating, anticancer drugs, which one(s) of the following statements is/are correct?
1. Acute cellular toxicity by alkylating agents is noted mainly in rapidly dividing tissues.
2. Some alkylating anti-cancer drugs may be effective in damaging normal tissue that exhibit low mitotic indices including kidney and liver.
3. Both
4. Neither
Lethal, anticancer actions of DNA alkylation depends on:
1. Adduct recognition
2. DNA strand breaks due to repair enzymes
3. An initial apototic response
4. A & B
5. B & C
6. A & C
7. A, B & C
For non-dividing, malignant cells whose DNA is damaged by alkylating drugs, these cells exhibit drug resistance if the p53 gene is either missing or damaged since the cells do not undergo apoptosis (programmed cell death)
1. True
2. False
Which one(s) of the following statement(s) concerning monofunctional and bifunctional alkylating agents is/are correct?
1. The bifunctional drugs exhibit predominantly cytotoxic actions.
2. The monofunctional methylating drugs such as temozolomide or procarbazine tend to be more likely to cause mutagenesis and carcinogenesis.
3. Both
4. Neither
Resistance mechanism(s) to the anticancer effects of alkylating agents:
1. Reduced membrane translocation of drugs normally actively transported (examples include melphalan and mechlorethamine)
2. Increase intracellular levels of agents that can detoxify alkylating agent intermediates.
3. Activation of DNA repair pathways.
4. A & B
5. B & C
6. A, B & C
Typically alkylating drugs are reasonably likely to induce an acute myelosuppression after about a week of administration.
1. True