Final answer:
Fertility problems are a long-term adverse reaction to antineoplastic medications like methotrexate due to their impact on rapidly dividing cells, including those involved in reproduction. Other options presented represent short-term side effects of chemotherapy, which are mostly reversible.
Step-by-step explanation:
The question asks which of the following is an example of a long-term adverse reaction to antineoplastic medications like methotrexate. Among the options provided, fertility problems represent a long-term adverse reaction to these medications. Antineoplastic drugs, which include methotrexate, fluorouracil, hydroxyurea, mercaptopurine, and thioguanine, interfere with cell division and can cause a range of side effects due to their non-specific action. This can lead to damage to rapidly dividing cells, including those involved in reproduction. Hence, fertility issues, such as temporary or permanent sterility, can be a severe and irreversible adverse reaction to these drugs.
The other options (hypertension, alopecia, and nausea) are typically considered short-term or acute side effects. Alopecia (hair loss) and nausea can occur because chemotherapy targets not only cancer cells but also other rapidly dividing cells like those in hair follicles and the gastrointestinal tract, leading to these immediate effects. However, they are generally reversible upon the cessation of treatment. Therefore, the correct answer to the question is B. Fertility problems.