(neo) Genesis
This type of neoplasm does not invade nearby body tissues.
What is a benign neoplasm?
The nurse understands that these are considered dietary risks for cancer development (name two).
High saturated fats (animal fats, red meat)
Processed meats (nitrates)
Low Fiber
These are the three major treatments for cancer.
What are surgery, chemotherapy, and radiation?
This is the interpretation of T3 N1 M0
There is a large primary tumor that is significantly invading the tissue.
At least 1 regional lymph node is affected
There is no evidence of metastasis
A patient presents to the ER reporting pain of 8/10 in the right leg after bumping into some furniture at home. The nurse notes that the patient is being treated with chemotherapy for Stage III breast cancer and suspects this as a possible cause of the pain.
What is a pathological fracture?
or, What is bony metastasis?
These tools are the only definitive means to diagnose cancer.
What are biopsy and cytology? (will accept histology too)
This factor is considered most closely correlated with increased cancer risk.
What is advanced age?
A nurse in an Accountable Care Organization (ACO) is reaching out to patients who are due for their routine colonoscopy. The nurse's actions are contributing to this level of prevention.
What is secondary prevention?
The nurse works to assist with these two goals of cancer treatment.
What are complete remission and/or prolonging survival (with improved quality of life)?
Which consults would the nurse consider for a patient with stage IV lung cancer with brain metastasis who is experiencing dyspnea, chronic intractable pain, and anorexia. (name at least 2)
What are palliative care, hospice, spiritual services, nutrition, etc.
The nurse includes this priority NANDA approved diagnosis in the care plan for a patient with cancer in left main-stem bronchus and the following assessment findings:
RR 28, O2 Sat 89% on RA, rhonchi noted in L lung
What is "Impaired gas exchange"
The nurse screens the patient for these integumentary changes to screen for possible malignancies.
Asymmetry, Border Irregularities, Color changes, Diameter > 6mm, Evolving shape
This process occurs when cancer "seeds" obtain access to circulatory or lymphatic channels within the body.
What is metastasis?
The nurse teaches that this vaccine has been shown to reduce the risk of various cancers for both males and females.
What is the HPV vaccine?
This surgery is considered a primary prevention strategy when significant cancer risk is identified.
What is prophylactic surgery?
The nurse is reviewing the pathology report for a patient who had a biopsy of a lung nodule. The report states the patient has Grade IV squamous cell carcinoma. The nurse interprets this to mean what?
The tissue does not resemble parent lung tissue (poorly differentiated) and has no normal characteristics
The nurse educates the patient with cachexia secondary to metastatic cancer on these dietary strategies. (name at least 2)
Eating high calorie meals, encouraging favorite foods, adding meal supplements
This symptom, specific to biological females, is always considered a warning sign for cancer that requires follow up with a healthcare provider.
What is post-menopausal bleeding?
This is the process by which cancer cells obtain access to the body's nutrients in order to grow.
What is angiogenesis?
The nurse is reviewing a patient's chart and notices tamoxifen (Soltamox) on the patient's home medication list but has no active diagnosis of cancer. The nurse considers the use of this medication as:
a chemopreventative agent
A woman with breast cancer is considered to have a difficult chemotherapeutic treatment regimen with these lab results.
What are PR negative, ER negative, HER2 negative (Triple negative)?
The TNM system is not useful for these types of cancers.
What are hematologic and lymphatic cancers?
The nurse encourages these activities for the patient with chronic cancer related fatigue. (List at least 3)
What are: daily light physical activity, adequate rest, cognitive behavior therapy, alternative therapies
This lab is often trended to determine effectiveness of certain ovarian cancer treatments and/or monitoring for recurrence.
What is CA 125? (Carbohydrate Antigen 125)
This describes when a divided cell does not have a dedicated useful function.
What is poor differentiation?
The nurse in the primary care setting is de-escalating and educating a patient on cancer risk reduction. The patient is upset because her provider did not order a chest CT the patient requested for symptoms of a productive cough with a low grade fever (99.9) x 3 days. The nurse's response includes information that:
Unnecessary radiation is a carcinogen.
The nurse is caring for a a patient with a diagnosis terminal lung cancer that has a life expectancy of over six months. The patient's cardiac output has been impaired from an adjacent tumor. The tumor is not able to be irradiated and has not responded to chemotherapy. What possible treatment does the nurse anticipate?
Palliative surgery
The nurse is reviewing the results of a young woman's cervical biopsy. The report reads "carcinoma in situ." (Tis). Subsequent scans have shown no other abnormalities. The nurse anticipates what goal of therapy for this patient?
What is remission or curing?
The nurse advocates for this priority action when reviewing the following labs of a cancer patient undergoing chemotherapy:
Platelets 200,000
RBC 4.0
WBC 0.4
What are reverse precautions? (or neutropenic precautions)
What is the American Cancer Society's recommendations for prostate cancer screening?
There are no recommendations. The patient and the healthcare provider should determine together.
Bonus: what is watchful waiting?