Hair loss can be alarming if large amounts of hair are seen in linens. Shampooing, brushing, heat tools, and hair dyes can increase fallout. The nurse should welcome healthy discussion about self esteem if appropriate. 

Thrombocytopenia occurs when the blood does not have a high enough platelet count. Slow clotting blood, increased bruising, or petechiae can all point to thrombocytopenia.  

Anemia is a condition caused the the deficiency of healthy red blood cells in the blood stream. This results in lack of sufficient oxygen delivery to tissues. 

Carcinogens cause cancer by making changes to the host's DNA. They can be chemical (ex. pharmaceutical drugs), or viral (ex. Epstein-Barr). Additionally, exposure to radiation has also been known to damage DNA and is another form of a carcinogen. 

Chemotherapeutic agents are often very irritating to the tissue if they unintentionally travel to areas outside the vein. They can cause severe tissue loss and degradation. Patients receiving chemotherapy need to be monitored closely for signs of infiltration.

People receiving chemotherapy should flush the toilet twice after use for at least 48 hours to avoid exposing anybody else to the byproducts of the chemotherapy drugs. Wearing gloves when preparing foods, throwing away linens, using excessive bleach, and drinking bottled water are not necessary and do not significantly reduce risk to others. 

Methotrexate is a chemotherapeutic agent. Levofloxacin is an antibiotic, lamotrigine is a mood stabilizer, gabapentin is an anti-epileptic agent, and furosemide is a diuretic. 

When caring for a patient receiving internal radiation, the length of exposure to the radiation is a high priority for the nurse. It is important to rotate staff who care for the patient, limiting close contact to 30 minutes per 8 hour shift. Additionally, it is important to organize tasks so limited time is spent in the client’s room. Visitors must also be limited. Pregnant women should not be assigned to work with this client. The patient must be on bedrest while sealed sources of radiation are placed. It is also important not to stand close to the radioactive source.

All of the above are proven risk factors with the exception of mouthwash use. Poor dental care, prolonged present irritation (such as excessive flossing), tobacco and alcohol use, infection with certain strains of HPV, and an unbalanced diet can increase the risk of oral cancer. 

The Philadelphia chromosome, which is an abnormality in chromosome 22, is most often found in bone marrow cells of patients with chronic myelogenous leukemia. It may also occasionally be found in acute lymphocytic leukemia, though this is rare.