Effective Care for Cancer Patients Across the Life Span

Effective Care for Cancer Patients Across the Life Span
Cancer has gradually become a significant healthcare burden across the globe. DeVita et al. (2019) indicate that scientists have concluded that this disease is genetic and that its progression arises from continued molecular alterations in the somatic cell’s genome. As a result, this aspect makes cancer an unpredictable disease that can affect any part of the human body because the cancerous cells can percolate all biological elements. The complicated nature of this condition has made its prevention and treatment even more sophisticated, making the disease a leading cause of global morbidity and mortality. American Cancer Society (2018) supports this observation and underscores the disease’s burden on the healthcare system and the patient’s lives. Although healthcare providers have found it challenging to care for and treat cancer patients, DeVita et al. (2019) indicate that effective screening, consistent pharmacological, and surgery developments have significantly improved the quality of outcomes. In this context, exploring the diagnosis and staging, cancer-related complications, available care services, and emerging nursing practice will demonstrate the progress in combating this disease within the healthcare systems.
Diagnosis and Staging
Diagnosing cancer is a sophisticated process because it requires combining different methods before arriving at a conclusive diagnosis. The screening processes outlined by the American Cancer Society (2018) reveal that no singular test exists for carrying out this process. As a result, healthcare providers exploit different strategies and collate them to ensure they have a correct diagnosis and avert misdiagnosis, leading to wrong treatment options. The challenge associated with a diagnosis is that other diseases can present symptoms resembling those typical in different cancers. In this context, conducting a thorough assessment that comprises historical, physical, and laboratory elements become fundamental. Healthcare providers recommend various tests depending on the clinical manifestations in a patient to determine the presence or absence of cancers. They also call for successive laboratory tests to confirm true positives. According to the American Cancer Society (2018), different screening tests exist for diverse cancers, including mammography for breast cancer. As a result, identifying the applicability of a test is critical for correct diagnosis.
Clinicians use different techniques to diagnose cancers. Some of these comprise laboratory tests for tumor markers specific to various cancers, including fecal occult blood tests for colorectal cancers (American Cancer Society, 2018). Other options include imaging tests for identifying the localization of a tumor. Approaches in this category comprise CT scans, MRIs, nuclear scans, PET scans, Ultrasound, X-rays, and bone scans. They can also conduct a biopsy test that involves microscopic analysis of a cancer sample (DeVita et al., 2019). A combination of these approaches ensures that healthcare providers reach a conclusive diagnosis.
Staging in cancer care and treatment is critical because it uncovers progression information to inform the healthcare providers about the aggressiveness of the treatment process required to improve the quality of life of a patient. The strategy highlights the severity of the disease. Since cancer progresses in phases, examining its manifestations informs the staging process. One of the widely used approaches is the TNM system which identifies the tumor location, cell types, and cancer grade. According to the American Cancer Society (2018), the T in this staging system represents the size of the tumor, N represents the lymph nodes affected by cancer, and M identifies metastasizing cancer. This approach has remained crucial in informing healthcare providers about how to approach different patients in cancer management.
Complications of Cancer, Treatment Side Effects, and Mechanism of Lessening Physical and Psychological Effects
Cancer triggers a wide range of clinical manifestations with diverse complications. American Cancer Society (2018) indicates that cancer-related difficulties vary from one patient to another and depend on the type of cancer. Some common issues that patients grapple with include sudden skin changes, including persistent sores, skin redness, or darkening. Other patients suffer from lumps, while others experience unintended and unexplained sudden weight gain or loss. The disease also interferes with normal bladder and bowel habits and causes difficulty swallowing or breathing. American Cancer Society (2018) also indicates that persistent night seats and fatigue are commonplace among cancer patients. Individuals also report the presence of unexplained joint or muscle pain, which may arise from the illness or emerge as a consequence of the treatment process. These challenges affect patients in diverse ways.
The different treatment processes for cancer, including the invasive and non-invasive ones or the alternative options, significantly impact the patient. Cancer is a life-limiting disease that requires aggressive approaches to eradicate the disease in its early stages and improve outcomes (DeVita et al., 2019). Unfortunately, these treatment strategies lead to side effects that interfere with a patient’s aesthetic appeal in processes such as mastectomy. Other side effects include hair loss, discoloration, and nail and skin changes. The pharmacological, surgery and radiotherapy treatments may also trigger vomiting, nausea, sleep disruptions, sexual health issues, nerve-related problems, pain, appetite loss, throat and mouth problems, and anemia (American Cancer Society, 2018). Healthcare providers should remain aware of these effects and initiate appropriate mechanisms for alleviating or preventing them.
Nurses should recommend and implement appropriate techniques to assist cancer patients in overcoming the life-limiting physical and psychological effects of cancer treatment. For instance, they can emphasize the importance of nutritional therapies for improving the overall health status of a patient. This approach is fundamental in treating anemia, controlling weight to the desired levels, and improving skin and hair appearance (DeVita et al., 2019). They can also combine this approach with exercise to boost the mobility and bone strength of the patients. This option also significantly improves an individual’s psychological health, primarily when supported by other stress management tactics. Conducting expert-controlled and regulated social support groups in health facility settings may also equip the patients with mental health-promoting skills. In some contexts, healthcare providers may recommend cognitive therapies or pharmacological interventions for the patients.
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