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Effects of Cancer – Part 2 Video

ACLS Certification Association videos have been peer-reviewed for medical accuracy by the ACA medical review board.

Video at a Glance

  • An effect of cancer is an increased metabolism due to the cancer cells’ unregulated cell division caused by DNA mutations.
  • Cancer cells also have unregulated protein production, which requires a lot of energy, increasing metabolic rate.
  • Increased metabolism causes weight loss and fatigue.
  • The body’s immune reaction is another effect of cancer. The body’s immune system detects a tumor via T-cells and produces cytokines. Elevated cytokine levels cause a hyperinflammatory state presenting with fevers, night sweats, weight loss, and infection.
  • Another cancer effect is mass effect, which may occur from the tumor or fluid/bleeding caused by the tumor.
  • Mass effect in the lungs may cause hypoxemia, while mass effect in the skull may cause a midline shift affecting brain function.
  • Cancer treatment, such as chemotherapy, is another effect of cancer.
  • Chemotherapy is aimed at targeting rapidly dividing cells, which kills the tumor but also attacks other rapidly dividing cells, such as the cells in bone marrow, skin, and the mucosal epithelium.
  • Side effects of chemotherapy include neutropenia and pancytopenia, leaving patients open to infection.

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ACLS Certification Association (ACA) uses only high-quality medical resources and peer-reviewed studies to support the facts within our articles. Explore our editorial process to learn how our content reflects clinical accuracy and the latest best practices in medicine. As an ACA Authorized Training Center, all content is reviewed for medical accuracy by the ACA Medical Review Board.

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