Cancer and Nursing Process Approach to Care

Nursing Process Approach to Care
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Nursing Process Approach to Care
Diagnostic Methods and TNM Staging of Cancer
Cancer diagnosis is critical, and it is a challenging journey. There is a need to ensure that initial and vital steps in cancer diagnosis are followed to provide appropriate care for affected individuals. Diagnostic methods are needed to ascertain the presence of cancer in an individual, and these diagnostic methods are at the disposal of healthcare professionals. Among the methods that healthcare professionals can use include X-rays, CT scans, PET scans, and MRI scans. There are more direct approaches that can also be used, which include conducting biopsies and engaging in genetic testing as well as blood tests.
Conducting imaging is important in determining cancer in a patient. The reason is it allows clinicians to assess and have a visualization of any potential abnormalities that are in the body. An example is X-rays, which provide two-dimensional images of the area examined or affected. It is important as it helps determine bone-related cancers and can show the presence of tumors in the body. More advanced imaging methods, such as computerized tomography (CT) and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), are vital because of the three-dimensional images they provide (Di Maio et al., 2022). The three dimensional are for the internal body structures. These advanced technologies identify the tumors at the exact position and help determine the tumor size and location.
Another diagnostic method is positron emission tomography (PET) scans are vital because they help in providing an extra layer of detail because the outcome shows metabolic activity of the tissues in the body. For example, when these scans are used, they can detect the regions that have an increase in glucose metabolism, which helps characterize different cancer types (Di Maio et al., 2022). As these scans are used, there are scenarios when suspicions can arise, and in such cases, the next course of action of to use more direct diagnostic methods to investigate the cancer.
Cancer diagnostics can also involve biopsies, which are removing and examining small tissue samples extracted from the cancerous sites. The sample collected is analyzed in detail through a microscope to determine whether cancer cells are present (Di Maio et al., 2022). The detailed analysis can also help classify the type of cancer the individual is suffering from in general. Biopsies sample tissues can be obtained through different techniques, such as needle biopsies and surgical processes. These methods are done depending on the location of the tumor.
Blood tests and genetic testing are also done to determine cancer in individuals. These represent the non-invasive diagnostic tools. Applying these techniques, like blood tests, helps to identify diverse specific markers in the blood that indicate the presence of cancer. Blood tests can show elevated protein levels, which increases cancer determination. Genetic testing assesses an individual's genetic makeup to...