A nurse is caring for a client who has colon cancer and is receiving dactinomycin, an antineoplastic antibiotic, as part of chemotherapy. The nurse should identify that dactinomycin can cause which of the following adverse effects? (Select all that apply.)

Choice A reason:

These are signs of cardiotoxicity from doxorubicin, which is a potent anthracycline chemotherapy drug that can cause damage to the heart muscle or valves. Cardiotoxicity is one of the most serious and doselimiting adverse effects of doxorubicin, which can affect up to 20% of patients. Cardiotoxicity can manifest as acute or chronic heart failure, arrhythmias, or myocardial infarction. The nurse should monitor the client for chest pain, dyspnea, palpitations, and edema, which indicate reduced cardiac function and fluid overload. The nurse should also measure the client's blood pressure, heart rate, oxygen saturation, and electrocardiogram (ECG) regularly³.

Choice B reason:

These are common side effects of chemotherapy, but they are not directly related to cardiotoxicity from doxorubicin. Nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, and abdominal pain can occur due to the effects of chemotherapy on the digestive system or the brain. They can also cause dehydration and electrolyte imbalance, which can affect the heart function. The nurse should assess the client for nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, and abdominal pain and provide antiemetics, fluids, and electrolytes as ordered.

Choice C reason:

These are not common signs of cardiotoxicity from doxorubicin, but rather of peripheral neuropathy from paclitaxel, which is another chemotherapy drug that is used in combination with doxorubicin and cyclophosphamide for breast cancer. Peripheral neuropathy is the damage to the nerves in the hands and feet, which can cause numbness, tingling, burning, or pain. Peripheral neuropathy can affect the client's quality of life and ability to perform daily activities. The nurse should assess the client for peripheral neuropathy and provide pain relief and supportive care as needed.

Choice D reason:

These are not common signs of cardiotoxicity from doxorubicin, but rather of infection from bone marrow suppression caused by chemotherapy. Bone marrow suppression is the decrease in the production of blood cells, such as red blood cells, white blood cells, and platelets. This can cause anemia, increased risk of infection, and bleeding problems. Infection can occur when the white blood cell count is low and the immune system is weakened. The nurse should monitor the client for fever, chills, sore throat, and mouth ulcers, which indicate infection and report them to the provider immediately.

Choice C reason:

This is the laboratory test that the nurse should monitor for adverse effects of cytarabine, which is an antimetabolite chemotherapy drug that works by slowing or stopping the growth of cancer cells. The main adverse effect of cytarabine is bone marrow suppression, which is the decrease in the production of blood cells, such as red blood cells, white blood cells, and platelets. This can cause anemia, increased risk of infection, and bleeding problems. The nurse should monitor the complete blood count and differential, which measure the number and type of blood cells in a sample of blood. The nurse should report any abnormal results to the provider and provide supportive care as ordered³.

Choice A reason:

These are not the laboratory tests that the nurse should monitor for adverse effects of cytarabine, but rather of cisplatin, which is another chemotherapy drug that can cause kidney damage or failure. Cisplatin can accumulate in the kidney cells and cause oxidative stress and cell death. The nurse should monitor the serum creatinine and blood urea nitrogen levels, which are markers of kidney function that reflect the glomerular filtration rate (GFR). An increase in these levels indicates a decrease in GFR and a loss of kidney function. The nurse should report any abnormal results to the provider and provide fluids and electrolytes as ordered⁴.

Choice B reason:

These are not the laboratory tests that the nurse should monitor for adverse effects of cytarabine, but rather of amphotericin B, which is an antifungal drug that can cause electrolyte imbalance. Amphotericin B can affect the transport of sodium and potassium across cell membranes and cause renal tubular acidosis. The nurse should monitor the serum potassium and magnesium levels, which are important electrolytes for nerve and muscle function. A decrease in these levels can cause muscle weakness, cramps, arrhythmias, and seizures. The nurse should report any abnormal results to the provider and provide supplements as ordered .

Choice D reason:

These are not the laboratory tests that the nurse should monitor for adverse effects of cytarabine, but rather of methotrexate, which is another antimetabolite chemotherapy drug that can cause liver damage or failure. Methotrexate can interfere with the metabolism of folate and cause accumulation of toxic metabolites in the liver cells. The nurse should monitor the serum bilirubin and liver enzyme levels, which are markers of liver function that reflect the liver's ability to process bilirubin and other substances. An increase in these levels indicates liver injury or inflammation. The nurse should report any abnormal results to the provider and provide folinic acid as ordered .