Introduction
Such a severe disease as cancer often appears unexpectedly in a person’s life. Cancer treatment consumes significant biological and financial resources of a person. There is no universal cure for cancer, and cancer tends to recur. In this situation, the task of nurses is to make life easier for patients and contribute to their recovery. That is why a competent specialist needs to understand the nursing process and personalized care fundamentals and nuances. This paper aims to explore the topic of cancer patients’ care and nursing by answering several questions.
Description, Diagnosis, and Staging of Cancer
The Description of Cancer
While there are different types of cancer, they have a similar process of genesis. According to Roots Analysis (2018), “fundamentally, cancer is the result of the accumulation of a number of harmful mutations in the genetic code of cells, leading to the formation of abnormal cells” (p. 35). These abnormal cells, which may contain about sixty different mutations, divide uncontrollably, and create tumors. The researchers note that about five hundred cancer cells are permanently present in the human body (Roots Analysis, 2018). The immune system controls the number of existing cancer cells and their proliferation by detecting and eliminating them. However, specific accumulated mutations allow cancer cells to avoid immune system detection mechanisms.
The Diagnosis of Cancer
Cancer diagnosis includes many different screening methods nowadays. Diagnostic methods include lab tests, imaging tests, and biopsy. Lab testing is a procedure during which a specialist takes a sample of bodily fluids or tissue to find tumor markers that are indicatives of the condition (“How cancer is diagnosed,” 2019). Specialists determine a tumor’s presence and where it is located through imaging testing (“How cancer is diagnosed,” 2019). There are a number of different methods for scanning the human internal organs, such as x-rays, MRI, and ultrasound. A biopsy is one of the most often-applied testing approaches for cancer cases. It is important to note that “a biopsy is a procedure in which the doctor removes a sample of tissue” for further microscopy analysis and pathology report (“How cancer is diagnosed,” 2019, para. 23). The doctors use these diagnostic methods depending on the patient’s condition and type of cancer.
Staging of Cancer
The conventional cancer tumor staging system is called The TNM Classification. T stands for tumor; this parameter is used to describe the original tumor’s size and the adjacent tissue affected. N stands for lymph node and is “used to describe regional lymph node involvement of the tumor” (Rosen & Sapra, 2020, para. 4). M means metastases and is applied by doctors to indicate metastases presence outside the original tumor. These three parameters form a five-stage descriptive model, where Stage 0 is the possibility of cancer, and Stage IV is metastatic cancer.
Cancer Complications, Treatment Side Effects, and Methods to Lessen Them
Complications of Cancer
Cancer is an ordeal for any human body, and therefore such a condition creates various complications. According to Frowen et al. (2020), at least half of all cancer patients state that the most common complication they experienced is dysphagia for both liquids and solids. It is also worth mentioning such sequela as taste changes, xerostomia, also known as dry mouth, vocal changes, and thick mucus (Frowen et al., 2020). These problems are associated with psychological and biological factors such as severe stress and anxiety, a damaged immune system, and internal organs.
Side Effects of Cancer Treatment
Doctors use methods such as chemotherapy and radiation to treat cancer. These approaches directly affect patients’ DNA, which can cause side effects. According to Cameron et al. (2016), Modern chemotherapy can cause complications in patients such as “hypertension, thrombosis, heart failure, cardiomyopathy, and arrhythmias” (p. 852). It is due to the fact that both older drugs and new antiangiogenic components cause cardiovascular toxicities (Cameron et al., 2016). However, the very mechanisms causing such kind of complications have not yet been investigated.
Methods to Lessen Physical and Psychological Effects
As it was noted above, cancer patients experience significant physical stress and psychological discomfort. Medical professionals have developed a number of measures that can improve the condition of patients. Pudkasam et al. (2018) state that regular fitness may improve people’s mental and physical health with breast cancer. It is worth mentioning that dance movement therapy improves patients’ self-esteem and physical symptoms (Ho et al., 2016). Psychosocial interventions such as cognitive behavioral therapy, counseling-based therapy, narrative therapy, and music therapy also positively affect the mental well-being of patients (Teo et al., 2019). Further research in this area is needed because such measures influence the successful treatment of patients.
Cancer Yearly Incidence and Mortality in the US
Lung and Bronchus Cancer
Cancer is one of the leading lethal diseases in the United States. According to Richardson and Dowling (2020), the deadliest type of condition is lung and bronchial cancer. The primary causes of such a phenomenon are social and environmental factors. According to de Grubb et al. (2009), they are poverty, smoking, and air pollution. It is important to note that the latter factor is more prevalent in urban areas.
Female Breast Cancer
Another factor affecting US cancer mortality rates is female breast cancer. Female breast cancer is the second leading type of lethal condition of all cancer patients in the United States (Richardson & Dowling, 2020). According to Rojas and Stuckey (2016), “breast cancer is more commonly associated with environmental, reproductive, and lifestyle factors, some of which are potentially modifiable” (para. 651). Heredity is another common cause of female breast cancer.
Prostate Cancer
Prostate cancer tumor is the third most dangerous and fatal cancer in the United States. According to Pernar et al. (2018), prostate cancer genesis influencers include such variables as “genetics, obesity and weight change, physical activity, smoking, lycopene and tomatoes, fish, vitamin D and calcium, and statins” (p. 1). Another important mention is that prostate cancer is the second most common type of cancer condition globally.
American Cancer Society Education, Support and Services
American Cancer Society Education and Support
The American Cancer Society (ACS) is an organization that provides support for people dealing with cancer. Interested people can find the necessary information and many scientific publications related to cancer issues on their official website (“How we’re providing support,” n.d.). It is also worth noting that Cancer Information Specialists are available day and night via telephone lines (“How we’re providing support,” n.d.). They have knowledge of all cancer types, treatment methods, possible side effects, and legal aspects of various healthcare programs. ACS specialists also provide financial, transporting, housing, social, and equipment support to all those in need through multiple services and programs.
American Cancer Society Services
ACS has a large staff of highly qualified specialists that provides many services available. One of the most important services is legal support regarding conventional and alternative treatment methods and their payment (“Finding and paying for treatment,” n.d.). Another important service is Online Communities, which provide patients with psychological support and constant communication (“Finding and paying for treatment,” n.d.). They are significant because they help frightened people calm down and begin the initial stages of treatment.
Nursing Care for Cancer Patients through the Five Phases of Life
Infancy, Childhood, and Adolescence
A practical nursing care process for infants, children, and teenage cancer patients involves many tasks. Qualified nurses check vital signs, perform physical assessments and lab tests, and prepare patients for treatment procedures (“Nursing and patient care,” 2018). Nurses also should feed and provide hygiene to infants and children both at home and in the healthcare facilities (“Nursing and patient care,” 2018). Another duty of nurses is prescribing the necessary medications. Caring for teenage cancer patients is slightly different in that nurses are required to organize social events that include presentations, therapies, and communication.
Adulthood and Old Age
Nurses should inform and educate adults and the elderly about cancer and related topics, thereby conducting prevention practices. Nurses provide screening and direct patient care routine (“Oncology nurse,” n.d.). Nurses also work in different healthcare settings depending on the patient’s financial and physical characteristics (“Oncology nurse,” n.d.). It is essential to mention that the nurses should always be prepared for the palliative care that may be required for a cancer patient of any age. However, it is most common for old age and adult patients groups.
Education in Liberal Arts, Science Studies and Nursing Knowledge
Liberal Arts and Science Studies
Education in liberal arts brings valuable elements of various humanitarian disciplines to nursing knowledge. According to Kooken and Kerr (2018), “liberal arts improve their skills to communicate, think globally, navigate diversity, make decisions, and improve their human selves” (p. 60). Humanities, especially philosophy and sociology, develop critical personal qualities such as empathy and compassion. Science studies provide nurses with an opportunity to review and reimagine the current nursing paradigm and caring approaches to improve their professional performance.
Mathematics and Physical Sciences
Knowledge of mathematics and physical sciences is essential for a wide range of professions, including nursing. As the researchers say, “… practicing RNs place high value on various science topics and the teaching of biological sciences generally” (Birks et al., 2018, p. 209). Mathematics also plays an important role, which significantly develops general mental abilities and professional ones such as numeracy (Gregory et al., 2019). Nurses apply biology and mathematics knowledge very often in diagnostics, lab testing, patient care, and prescribing.
Conclusion
This work explores the topic of oncology and nursing care for cancer patients. The author of this essay has comprehensively researched the issues of oncology, the nursing profession, cancer treatment, and patients’ life cycle. Cancer patients are among the most affected populations under pressure from biological, social, and environmental factors. They need personalized, financial, and legal support. It is also was discovered that disciplines such as humanities, physics, mathematics, and science studies significantly complement and improve nursing knowledge and skills. These types of research show new perspectives for medical professionals. It is important to note that various scholarly articles and other sources support the essay’s thesis and discussion.
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