Nursing Process: Approach to Care - Managing Cancer Cases

Benchmark - Nursing Process: Approach to Care
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Benchmark - Nursing Process: Approach to Care
Over the years, cancer has been one of the leading causes of the deaths that we are currently experiencing. This condition has been so serious that cancer is one of the few diseases declared a global pandemic. Even though cancer is a serious condition, a group of individuals has less information regarding it. This instance makes it hard for individuals to know the measures they can employ to reduce instances of cancer. Furthermore, most people do not know the symptoms that can help them to identify cancer at its early stages. This instance makes them identify it at a late stage when it has already worsened and is hard to treat. In managing the current cancer cases, it is critical to understand all the critical information regarding cancer to enlighten people to embrace the right measures to manage this condition.
Over the years, different methods have been developed to diagnose cancer. One of the methods is X-rays. In most instances, X-rays are used to conduct mammograms, and chest radiographs, usually applied during the early stages of cancer detection. Furthermore, they are also applied to find out whether cancer has spread to other areas, such as the lungs or chest. There are other instances where the specialist can use laboratory tests. The specialist can use blood or urine tests to identify an abnormality that cancer could have triggered (Kwong et al., 2021). In some instances, the specialist can conduct a blood test known as the blood count, which could help to identify the unusual white blood cell types for people suspected to have leukemia. Moreover, there are other instances where the specialists perform imaging tests. In this instance, the specialist will examine the individual's internal organs and bones through a non-invasive process. Common diagnostic tests for cancer include bone scans, computerized tomography (CT) scans, ultrasound, and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI).
In other instances, the doctor may require the individual to undergo a biopsy. When conducting this process, the doctor will collect some cells for tests in the laboratory. There are varying ways in which the specialist can collect the sample. In most instances, the right biopsy for the individual will depend on the type of cancer the person has and the area where this cancer is located. Doctors can check the cell samples under the microscope when in the laboratory. All the normal cells are supposed to be uniform, have similar sizes, and be arranged in an orderly organization. Most cancer cells will have different sizes, look less orderly, and lack an apparent organization. Furthermore, there are other instances where the specialist can use a physical exam. During this instance, the specialist may check the areas in your body with lumps for cancer. Moreover, during this process, the doctor will likely look for other abnormalities, such as organ enlargement and skin color changes.
After a confirmed diagnosis, the next step is usually cancer staging. The common types of staging cancer include numeric staging and Tumor, Node, Metastasized (TNM) method. In the numeric method, cancer is divided into five stages. In stage 0, cancer has not yet started to spread. On the other hand, in stage 1, the cancer is small but has not yet spread to another place. In stage 2, cancer has grown but has not spread to other regions. However, in stage 3, the cancer is large and has spread to the surrounding lymph nodes and tissues. Finally, on stage 4, cancer has already spread from its original point to at least other body organs. This cancer is usually referred to as metastatic or secondary cancer. On the other hand, TNM staging divides cancer into three stages. The first category is T, representing the original or primary tumor (Feng & Yang, 2019). On the other hand, N tells where the specialist checks whether cancer has spread to nearby lymph nodes. The M is a category that tells whether cancer has been spread or metastasized to far-apart regions.
In most instances, cancer is composed of varying complications. One of the common complications that cancer causes is weight loss. Most scientists believe the main reason for the weight loss is because cancer releases some chemicals into the blood which cause loss of fat and muscle. The are other instances where cancer causes difficulty in breathing. The main reason is that it can cause inflammation or fluid trapped in the lungs, which could interfere with the airway. Furthermore, cancer can cause nausea. The main reason is that brain tumors exert pressure on the brain. Other tumors exert pressure on the gastrointestinal tract.
On the other hand, cancer treatments also have some side effects. For instance, the treatments usually cause fatigue. The main reason is they change the normal hormonal and protein levels. Furthermore, since the treatment kills both cancerous and normal cells, the body would use more energy to clean up and repair the affected tissue. Cancer treatments also cause hair loss (Kang et al., 2019). For instance, chemotherapy usually targets the cells which are growing rapidly. This instance will therefore affect the hair follicles. Moreover, cancer treatments increase the risk of blood clots. The main reason is cancer usually thickens the blood, releasing some substances which make the blood stickier, increasing the risk of blood clots.
Since these side effects can negatively impact an individual's life, embracing measures to manage them is important. One of the processes is engaging in regular exercises. This process could help to manage the fatigue induced by the process. The individual can also take medication to manage nausea and vomiting. Moreover, you should use cooling caps to reduce hair loss. Since this process also affects the person psychologically, the patient should meditate to gain mental toughness.
There have been various factors that have been affecting the mortality rates of cancer within the U.S.A. One of the factors that have been affecting the mortality rates is family history. For instance, if one of your parents had cancer, you are likely to be at a high...