Physical Assessment
Warning signs of Cancer
- Change in bowel or bladder habits→ ex) blood in stool
- a sore that does not heal
- unusual bleeding/discharge
- thickening/lump in breast/elsewhere
- indigestion/difficulty swallowing
- change in a wart/mole
- nagging cough/hoarseness
Anemia
- Insufficent intake/use of chemicals required to produce new RBCs
- Reduction of RBCs
- Decreased O2-carrying capability of RBCs
Teaching: Complementary health practices to prevent alterations in cellular regulation
- Encourage pt to increase intake of fruits & veggies to at least 5 servings/day
- Protect skin w/ sunscreen
- Discourage smoking
- Have homes tested for hazardous sub.
- Screenings/ Self examinations for HPV, breast, & testicular cancers
- Hx of cancer in the family
Lysosomes
“the stomach”
- vesicles w/ powerful enzymes that clean up cellular debris
- eat unwanted bacteria
- digestive cells have more lysosomes
Atrophy
What is it?
-decrease in cell size
Hypertrophy
-Increase in cell size
Ribosomes
-help in the production of enzymes & other proteins needed for cell repair & reproduction
Mitochondria
- “power plant”
- provides 95% of the body’s energy for cell repair, movement, and reproduction
- Enzymes within break down O2 and convert it into ATP (energy)
Leukemia
-Form of cancer causing excessive & rapid formation of immature WBCs that don’t function as well as mature WBCs would
Hyperplasia
- increase in cell number/ density of normal cells
- due to: response to stress, increased metabolic demands, or elevated hormone levels (e.g. myocardial cells, uterine cells)
- cells are under “normal” DNA control
Sickle Cell Anemia
RBCs are formed in a sickle shape, increaasing the risk for clumping in small capillaries & resulting in reduced blood flow to the tissues
Diagnostic tests
When checking for cancer
- biopsy
- bone marrow
- CT
- MRI
- PET
- X-Ray
- Ultrasound
- CBC
- Serum chem panel
- tumor markers
- urinalysis
- lumbar puncture
Nucleous & Nucleolus
- the “brain of the cell”
- regulates the activities of the organelles
- have chromosomes which contain DNA in them
- Nucleolus makes RNA which form ribosomoses
Anaplasia
- Regression of a cell to a immature or unddifferentiated cell type
- Damage/transformation takes place in division of undiff. cell
- Leading to loss of useful function
- No DNA control
- Not reversible
Endoplasmic Reticulum (2)
- Rough ER: synthesis of proteins
- Smooth ER: synthesis of lipids & steroids
The Cell Cycle
- 4 phases of cell growth & development
- Cells divide through Mitosis and Meiosis
- Cell cycle is controlled by cyclin-dependent kinases
(cyclins combined w/ enzymes)
Metaplasia
- reversible replacement of one mature cell type by another less mature cell type
- cells differentiate into cells not normally found @ that location in the body (e.g. columnar ciliated epithelium are replaced by squamous stratified epithelium in the lungs of smokers)
- cells under normal DNA control & are reversible when stressor/disruptive condition stops
Cancer Care Interventions
Nurses should teach clients:
- Increase intake of fruits and veggies (at least 5 servings/day)
- protect skin w/ sunscreen
- discourage smoking
- have home tested for radon/any potential hazardous substances
- know their family Hx r/t cancer
- appropriate screening exams (pap smear, breast self exams, & testicular examination)
Leukemia (Treatment)
- Chemotherapy
- Radiation therapy
- Bone marrow transplant
- Complementary (Same as Cancer)
Dysplasia
- deranged cell growth
- cells show abnormal variations in size, shape, appearance, & arrangement
- loss of DNA control over differentiation
- Usually deal w/ irritation (Cervix –> HPV, Leukoplakia in the mouth due to smoking)
Sickle Cell Anemia (Treatment)
- Chemotherapy
- Hydration
- Pain management
- Blood transfusions
Cancer: Breast, Prostate, Lung, Colon
Can be either benign/ metastatic; depends on the location & ability to spread to other areas of the body
metastatic cancers tend to reproduce much faster, because of increased vascularity & nutritional support
Cell Membrane
- Protective covering; holds the cell’s shape & contents together
- Carries antigens
- allows materials in & out of the cell
Anemia (Treatment)
- Aimed at increasing intake of the missing nutrient/chemical that promotes RBCs production
- May need meds to stimulate RBC production in marrow (epoetin)
- Blood Transfusions
