Pediatric oncology treatment principles — MCQs

A 25-year-old college student is diagnosed with acute myelogenous leukemia after presenting with a 3-week history of fever, malaise, and fatigue. He has a history of type 1 diabetes mellitus, multiple middle ear infections as a child, and infectious mononucleosis in high school. He currently smokes 1 pack of cigarettes per day, drinks a glass of wine per day, and denies any illicit drug use. The vital signs include: temperature 36.7°C (98.0°F), blood pressure 126/74 mm Hg, heart rate 87/min, and respiratory rate 17/min. On physical examination, his pulses are bounding; his complexion is pale, but breath sounds remain clear. A rapidly progressive form of leukemia is identified, and the patient is scheduled to start intravenous chemotherapy. Which of the following treatments should be given to this patient to prevent or decrease the likelihood of developing acute renal failure during treatment?

An 18-year-old man comes to the physician with his parents for a routine health maintenance examination. He noticed a swelling on his back 7 months ago. He has a history of using intravenous heroin but has not used illicit drugs for the past 2 months. There is no personal or family history of serious illness. Vital signs are within normal limits. Examination shows a 2-cm soft, lobulated, mobile swelling on the right side of his upper back. The mass slips away from the fingers when its edges are palpated. Healed track marks are present in the bilateral cubital fossae. The patient is told that the mass on his back is most likely a lipoma, a benign mass consisting of fat tissue that does not require any further treatment. He is aware of the diagnosis and informs you that he wants it removed for cosmetic reasons. Four months ago, he had asked another physician to remove it but the physician refused to perform the procedure since he did not consider it necessary. The patient is counseled regarding the potential benefits and risks of the excision and that there is a chance of recurrence. His parents ask the physician not to perform the excision. However, the patient insists on undergoing the procedure. Which of the following is the most appropriate next step in management?

A 60-year-old female presents to her primary care physician complaining of bloating and fatigue over the past year. On examination, she has abdominal distension and ascites. Abdominal imaging reveals a mass-like lesion affecting the left ovary. A biopsy of the lesion demonstrates serous cystadenocarcinoma. She is subsequently started on a chemotherapeutic medication known to stabilize polymerized microtubules. Which of the following complications should this patient be monitored for following initiation of this medication?

After hospitalization for urgent chemotherapy to treat Burkitt’s lymphoma, a 7-year-old boy developed paresthesias of the fingers, toes, and face. Vital signs are taken. When inflating the blood pressure cuff, the patient reports numbness and tingling of the fingers. His blood pressure is 100/65 mm Hg. Respirations are 28/min, pulse is 100/min, and temperature is 36.2℃ (97.2℉). He has excreted 20 mL of urine in the last 6 hours. Laboratory studies show the following: Hemoglobin 15 g/dL Leukocyte count 6000/mm3 with a normal differential serum K+ 6.5 mEq/L Ca+ 6.6 mg/dL Phosphorus 5.4 mg/dL HCO3− 15 mEq/L Uric acid 12 mg/dL Urea nitrogen 54 mg/dL Creatinine 3.4 mg/dL Arterial blood gas analysis on room air: pH 7.30 PCO2 30 mm Hg O2 saturation 95% Which of the following is the most likely cause of this patient’s renal condition?

A 1-year-old boy is brought to the physician for a well-child examination. He has no history of serious illness. His older sister had an eye disease that required removal of one eye at the age of 3 years. Examination shows inward deviation of the right eye. Indirect ophthalmoscopy shows a white reflex in the right eye and a red reflex in the left eye. The patient is at increased risk for which of the following conditions?

A 5-year-old African-American boy is brought to the physician because of fatigue and night sweats for the past month. During this time, he has also lost 3 kg (6.6 lbs). Before the onset of symptoms, he had been healthy except for a febrile seizure as an infant. His brother had chickenpox 2 months ago. He is at the 75th percentile for height and 50th percentile for weight. He appears markedly fatigued. His temperature is 38°C (100.4°F), pulse is 95/min, respirations are 19/min, and blood pressure is 100/60 mm Hg. Lung and cardiac examination is normal. There are enlarged, nontender lymph nodes bilaterally in the neck. The abdomen is soft and nontender. A complete blood count shows: Leukocyte count 8,000/mm³ Hemoglobin 9.1 g/dL Hematocrit 26.9% Platelet count 34,000/mm³ Serum Na+ 135 mEq/L K+ 4.5 mEq/L Cl- 101 mEq/L HCO3- 27 mEq/L Urea nitrogen 9 mg/dL Creatinine 0.7 mg/dL Ca2+ 8.8 mg/dL PCR testing demonstrates a 9:22 chromosomal translocation. The patient is diagnosed with Philadelphia chromosome-positive acute lymphoblastic leukemia. Which of the following is the most appropriate targeted therapy component?

A 55-year-old male with a 60 pack-year smoking history presents to his oncologist for ongoing management of his recently diagnosed small cell lung cancer. His oncologist discusses several options and decides to start the chemotherapeutic medication, etoposide. The patient is warned that one side effect of this drug is myelosuppression so he should be vigilant for development of any infectious symptoms. The beneficial effect of this drug in treating cancer is most likely due to which of the following effects?

Two days after hospitalization for urgent chemotherapy to treat Burkitt’s lymphoma, a 7-year-old boy develops dyspnea and reduced urine output. He also feels a tingling sensation in his fingers and toes. Blood pressure is 100/65 mm Hg, respirations are 28/min, pulse is 100/min, and temperature is 36.2°C (97.2°F). The lungs are clear to auscultation. He has excreted 20 mL of urine in the last 6 hours. Laboratory studies show: Hemoglobin 15 g/dL Leukocyte count 6,000/mm3 with a normal differential serum K+ 6.5 mEq/L Ca+ 7.6 mg/dL Phosphorus 5.4 mg/dL HCO3− 15 mEq/L Uric acid 12 mg/dL Urea nitrogen 44 mg/dL Creatinine 2.4 mg/dL Arterial blood gas analysis on room air: pH 7.30 PCO2 30 mm Hg O2 saturation 95% Which of the following is most likely to have prevented this patient’s condition?

A 7-year-old boy is brought to the physician because his parents are concerned about his early sexual development. He has no history of serious illness and takes no medications. His brother was diagnosed with testicular cancer 5 years ago and underwent a radical orchiectomy. The patient is at the 85th percentile for height and 70th percentile for weight. Examination shows greasy facial skin. There is coarse axillary hair. Pubic hair development is at Tanner stage 3 and testicular development is at Tanner stage 2. The remainder of the examination shows no abnormalities. An x-ray of the wrist shows a bone age of 10 years. Basal serum luteinizing hormone and follicle-stimulating hormone are elevated. An MRI of the brain shows no abnormalities. Which of the following is the most appropriate next step in management?

A 13-year-old male is admitted to the hospital for treatment of acute lymphoblastic leukemia. During his hospital course, he develops a fever of 39.0 degrees Celsius. A CBC demonstrates a leukocyte count of <500 /mm^3. Which of the following is the most appropriate initial management of this patient?