Cancer Screening
Screening commonly done for breast cancer
What are the 4 main different methods used to treat cancer?
Surgical therapy, Radiation therapy, Chemotherapy, Biological therapy
In breast cancer assessment, this finding is described as a hard, irregular, nonmobile breast lump, often located in the upper outer sector, and may be fixated to fascia or the chest wall.
What is a suspicious breast mass (hard, irregular, nonmobile lump)?
The age at which Ontario Breast Screening Program recommends starting to get mammograms every 2 years?
What is: age 50
False- Patients may withdraw at any time of clinical trials without affecting their care
Question: Which intervention should the nurse avoid in a patient who has undergone Axillary Lymph Node Dissection (ALND)?
a. Encouraging arm elevation during sleep
b. Measuring blood pressure on the affected arm
c. Teaching meticulous skin care and trauma prevention
d. Educating the patient about long-term lymphedema risk
b. Measuring blood pressure on the affected arm.
Do we know why?
This breast skin change is described as edema with an “orange-peel” appearance, which can be seen in later stages.
What is peau d’orange?
In high risk patients, what other imaging may be done?
What is: MRI and ultrasound
What is the most effective therapy for cancers with slow cell growth?
Surgical therapy- removing the tumour and surrounding normal tissues
Question: Which nursing intervention is most appropriate when a newly diagnosed breast cancer patient appears overwhelmed and indecisive?
a. Providing standardized written information to ensure consistency
b. Encouraging the patient to defer decisions to family members
c. Exploring the patient’s usual decision-making style and values
d. Limiting information to reduce anxiety
c. Exploring the patient’s usual decision-making style and values
Why is this important?
These are possible indicators of metastasis mentioned in assessment: cognitive changes or headache, and bone pain.
What are symptoms suggesting metastatic spread?
A biomarker specific to breast cancer
What is: HER-2
What tissues are most affected from chemotherapy? Provide 3 examples
Normal tissues with rapid cell turnover
Bone marrow, GI tract lining, skin/hair/nails
Question: Which nurse’s response best demonstrates therapeutic, evidence-based sexual health teaching?
a. “Most women experience permanent loss of sexual satisfaction after mastectomy.”
b. “Hormonal therapy does not affect sexual function.”
c. “There are no physical reasons a mastectomy prevents sexual satisfaction.”
d. “Sexual concerns usually resolve without discussion.”
c. “There are no physical reasons a mastectomy prevents sexual satisfaction.”
After axillary lymph node dissection (ALND), this lifelong complication risk requires teaching, including avoiding blood pressure readings, venipunctures, and injections on the affected arm.
What is lymphedema?
ER positive cancer means..
What is: estrogen-receptors present on the cancer cells, the cancer is responsive to estrogen and duplicates more when present
What is the purpose of intraventricular chemotherapy?
Used for cancers that spread to/affect the central nervous system.
The drug bypasses the blood brain barrier and delivered directly into the cerebrospinal fluid
Question: Which nursing action is the most appropriate initial intervention in the immediate postoperative period?
a. Initiating full shoulder range-of-motion exercises on postoperative day one
b. Positioning the patient supine with the affected arm dependent
c. Encouraging finger flexion and extension with the affected arm elevated
d. Applying elastic compression bandages to reduce swelling
c. Encouraging finger flexion and extension with the affected arm elevated
This is extremely important. Why?
This is the classic seven-warning-signs mnemonic listed in the cancer chapter that includes items like “thickening or a lump” and “unusual bleeding or discharge.”
What is CAUTION?