Adult Final Study Guide: Cancer Overview

Adult Final Study Guide

Cancer:
- Classification: Determined by origin (epithelial cells most common, followed by connective tissues, blood vessels, nerves, etc) and whether benign or malignant. Histology grades the degree of cell resemblance to normal tissue; Stage 0 is in situ, Stage IV is metastasis.
- Site: Anatomic location where cancer originated.
- Cancer Prevention: Limit alcohol, avoid tobacco and tanning beds, get adequate rest, manage stress, eat a balanced diet, maintain weight, get regular physicals, and screens.
- Warning Signs: Changes in bowel/bladder habits, sores that don't heal, unusual bleeding/discharge, lumps, indigestion, difficulty swallowing, or changes in moles and warts.
Cancer Treatment:
- Goals of CA Treatment: Cure, control (prolong life, improve quality of life), palliative (relief of symptoms)
- Cure vs. Control: Surgery (preventative, curative, palliative), chemotherapy (chemicals to kill dividing cells), radiation (energy to kill cells), immunotherapy/ targeted therapy (using body's immune system).
- Side Effects: Bone marrow suppression (WBC, PLT, RBC decline; increased infection risk), alopecia, stomatitis/oral issues, neutropenia, thrombocytopenia, anemia.
- NI for CA: Administer chemo according to protocol, assess for adverse effects, provide comfort measures, manage risk for infection.
Cancer Types:
- Carcinoma: Skin and internal organs, epithelial tissue.
- Sarcoma: Connective tissue, bones, fat, muscles, blood vessels, nerves.
- Leukemia: Bone marrow, affects WBCs.
- Lymphoma: Lymphatic system, affects lymphocytes.
- Important Considerations: Teach patients about cancer, chemo, and the risks properly
Other Relevant Topics:
- HIV: Assess for symptoms, monitor CD4 count and viral load, educate on prevention, and treatment.
- Breast Cancer: Risk factors include family history (BRCA genes), late menopause, early menarche, hormone use, obesity, and lack of physical activity. Prevention includes breastfeeding, regular activity, and healthy weight. Clinical presentation can be a lump/thickening. Treatment includes lumpectomy, sentinel node dissection, mastectomy, chemo, and hormone therapy.
- Multiple Sclerosis (MS), Myasthenia Gravis (MG), and Spinal Cord Injury (SCI): chronic neurological conditions with assessment of symptoms.
- Acute Coronary Syndrome (ACS)/Myocardial Infarction (MI): Focused assessment for chest pain (quality, radiation, and triggers). Emergency response and treatment strategies.
- Hypertension (HTN): Understand pathway and cost. Management and treatment include lifestyle modifications and medications (diuretics, beta-blockers, ACE inhibitors).
- Liver Disease: Liver scarring from damage(cirrhosis). Causes such as alcohol, viral hepatitis, autoimmune disorders, and long-term exposure to certain medications. Treat complications (ascites, hepatic encephalopathy).
- Gastritis/Peptic Ulcer Disease (PUD): Inflammation of the stomach lining. Risk Factors include infections (i.e. bacteria). Diagnosis using tests like X-Rays, CT scans, and endoscopic procedures. Complications include perforation, hemorrhage, and obstruction.
- Hernia, Gastritis, PUD: Potential symptoms such as pain and its characteristic descriptions, diagnostic factors.
- Endocarditis: Inflammatory disease of the heart's inner lining and valves. Causes may include infective ones and non-infective factors.
- Pericarditis: Inflammation of the pericardium. Symptoms include: chest pain, worse when lying down, improves with sitting leaning forward and pericardial friction rub.
- Pneumonia: Infectious infection of the lungs, characterized by inflammation, fever, cough, and chest pain. Diagnostics include CXR, sputum cultures, and blood cultures.
Important Nursing Considerations: Prioritize patient safety and comfort, including airway management, pain management, fluid management, infection control, and monitoring for complications. Educating the patient and their family or caregivers for compliance is essential.