Free AOCNP Exam Flashcards

Risk assessment estimates a person's likelihood of cancer from factors such as history and exposures. Screening tests people without symptoms to detect disease early.

A marker that helps estimate whether a treatment is likely to benefit a particular tumor. It guides therapy selection rather than simply describing outcome risk.

A marker associated with a likely disease outcome regardless of which treatment is given. It informs prognosis, not necessarily treatment benefit.

It estimates functional ability and helps balance treatment intensity, expected benefit, toxicity risk, and supportive-care needs.

M describes distant metastasis. It is distinct from the primary tumor category (T) and regional lymph-node category (N).

A germline variant is inherited and may affect relatives. A somatic variant is acquired in tumor cells and may guide tumor treatment without implying inherited risk.

Before treatment begins whenever possible. Discussing reproductive goals early allows time for referral and preservation options before gonadotoxic therapy.

A plan that integrates the patient's history, goals, functional status, pathology and biomarkers, laboratory findings, imaging, and clinical stage.

Proactive coordination that helps patients and caregivers move through screening, diagnosis, treatment, and follow-up while addressing barriers to care.

A patient-centered summary of treatment and follow-up needs that supports surveillance, late-effect management, health promotion, and coordination with other clinicians.

Planned monitoring for recurrence or subsequent malignancy using guideline-based visits, symptom review, examination, and indicated testing—not testing without a clinical purpose.

Care coordinated among relevant disciplines, such as oncology, surgery, radiation oncology, nursing, pharmacy, rehabilitation, and supportive services, around shared goals.

A discussion of what matters most to the patient, the expected benefits and burdens of options, and how care should align with those priorities as illness changes.

Refer for genetics expertise when personal or family history suggests an inherited cancer predisposition; results can affect the patient and biologic relatives.

It supports a voluntary, informed decision by explaining the study's purpose, procedures, alternatives, potential benefits, risks, and right to withdraw.

Systemic treatment that damages rapidly dividing cells. It can affect tumor cells and normal proliferating tissues, so monitoring for organ and marrow toxicity is essential.

Treatment directed at a specific molecular target or pathway involved in a cancer. Appropriate use commonly depends on tumor biomarker results.

It can activate antitumor immunity but may also cause immune-mediated inflammation in normal organs. New symptoms require prompt assessment for an immune-related adverse event.

Systemic therapy that blocks hormone production or hormone signaling to slow cancers driven by those signals. It is different from cytotoxic chemotherapy.

Treatment delivered into cerebrospinal fluid. It is a localized route used when therapy must reach the central nervous system compartment.

No tumor is identified at the edge of the removed specimen. Margin interpretation is procedure- and disease-specific and should be integrated with the full pathology report.

Toxicities depend on the tissue within the treatment field and may be acute, late, or long term. Teaching should match the site, technique, dose plan, and symptoms needing prompt review.

Conditioning and transplant-related immune suppression can leave patients highly vulnerable to infection. Prevention, symptom reporting, and timely evaluation are core supportive care.

A planned combination or sequence of treatment modalities, such as surgery, radiation, and systemic therapy, chosen to improve disease control while managing cumulative toxicity.

Ask specifically what the patient uses, assess potential interactions and harms, and integrate only approaches that do not delay or undermine evidence-based cancer care.

Nausea or vomiting triggered before treatment by learned cues from prior poorly controlled symptoms. Prevention depends on effective control during earlier cycles.

Interpret imaging, biomarkers, symptoms, examination findings, and toxicity together in the context of the treatment goal. A single data point may not represent the whole response.

Specialized care that improves quality of life by addressing symptoms, stress, and goals. It can be provided alongside disease-directed treatment and is not limited to the final days of life.

A transient pain flare despite otherwise controlled persistent pain. Assessment should identify timing, trigger, severity, and whether the baseline regimen needs adjustment.

Burning, tingling, electric, or shooting pain suggests nerve involvement. It may need a different multimodal strategy than nociceptive pain.

Assess oral intake, pain, hydration, infection risk, and ability to take essential medicines. Encourage gentle oral care and escalate severe symptoms promptly.

Stop the infusion immediately while leaving the access device in place for aspiration or protocol-directed treatment. Follow the agent-specific extravasation protocol without delay.

Reduced bone-marrow production that can cause neutropenia, anemia, and thrombocytopenia. Monitoring and precautions are tailored to the affected cell lines and clinical risk.

Review organ function, current medicines, interactions, and baseline disease control before and during therapy. Comorbid conditions can change both treatment choice and toxicity risk.

Use a clear treatment plan, assess benefit and harm, review interacting sedatives and misuse risk, educate on safe storage, and follow applicable law and institutional policy.

Fever during profound neutropenia is an oncologic emergency. Obtain prompt evaluation and start empiric antimicrobial treatment according to urgent institutional protocol; do not wait for culture results.

New or worsening back pain with neurologic symptoms, weakness, sensory change, or bowel/bladder dysfunction requires urgent assessment because delay can cause permanent loss of function.

Obstruction of venous return from the upper body can cause facial or upper-extremity swelling, dyspnea, and venous distention. Assess airway and severity urgently.

Rapid tumor-cell breakdown can produce hyperkalemia, hyperphosphatemia, hyperuricemia, hypocalcemia, and acute kidney injury. Identify high-risk patients and monitor closely around therapy.

Possible findings include thirst, constipation, weakness, confusion, and dehydration. It requires prompt assessment of severity, hydration status, renal function, and treatment needs.

Widespread coagulation activation can consume platelets and clotting factors, causing both thrombosis and bleeding. New bleeding, thrombosis, or shock warrants urgent evaluation.

A structured check for emotional, practical, social, and spiritual concerns. A positive screen should lead to assessment, triage, and connection with appropriate support.

Ask directly about thoughts of self-harm, intent, plan, and immediate safety. Do not leave a patient at imminent risk alone; activate urgent mental-health and emergency supports.

Caregivers may experience physical, emotional, financial, and role-related burden. Assess their needs directly and connect them with respite, education, and community resources.

Financial hardship caused or worsened by cancer care can affect adherence, housing, food, and emotional health. Screen early and refer to financial-navigation and community resources.

Explore each patient's values, language needs, decision-making preferences, and support system without assumptions. Use a qualified medical interpreter when needed.

Informed consent requires a capable patient to receive and understand material information, have questions answered, and choose voluntarily. Capacity is decision-specific and may need assessment.

A quality-improvement method: plan a change, test it on a small scale, study the results, and act on what is learned before adapting, adopting, or abandoning the change.

Use a qualified medical interpreter for meaningful treatment communication, including consent, self-care teaching, and symptom assessment. Do not rely on relatives for complex interpretation.

Cognitive symptoms can affect self-management, safety, and treatment adherence. Assess function and supports, then tailor education, medication review, and referrals.