Stages of Cancer, Treatment, and Side Effects
Introduction
The modern healthcare sector faces numerous challenges, including diverse diseases that reduce the nation’s quality of life and result in complex problems among the population. Furthermore, the sophistication of these issues grows with each passing year due to the trend toward further deterioration of the environment, poor living conditions, and a lack of access to health care in some parts of the world (“Worldwide cancer statistics,” n.d.). Given that one of the essential tasks of the healthcare sector is to gradually improve people’s quality of life, its ability to diagnose, manage, and treat the most pressing issues takes precedence. Currently, the most severe issues are HIV, tuberculosis, and all types of cancer. With current statistics showing an increase in cancer cases, it becomes a central challenge for all health units (“Worldwide cancer statistics,” n.d.). As a result, the paper delves into the complexities of cancer diagnosis, management, complications, and side effects.
Background
According to recent statistics, approximately 15 million new cases of cancer are diagnosed worldwide each year (Siegel, Miller, & Jemal, 2017). Furthermore, by the end of 2030, approximately 23,6 million patients will have been diagnosed with the disease (Worldwide Cancer Statistics, “n.d.). Every year, 8,2 people die from this disease (“Worldwide cancer statistics,” n.d.). These alarming statistics highlight the need for increased attention to the issue and the implementation of advanced methods of diagnosing, treating, and monitoring patients with this disease. Furthermore, different cancer cases require different approaches to care and to work with patients. As a result, there is a current trend toward developing new methods for detecting cases of illness and assisting patients in their recovery.
Diagnosing
When working with a patient who exhibits cancer symptoms, a therapist or oncologist must initiate a diagnostic procedure with several steps. To begin, lab and blood tests should be used to determine whether or not there are any signs of cancer. However, in most cases, these are insufficient to form a complete picture and diagnose the type of cancer and its essential characteristics. As a result, imaging procedures are recommended to obtain detailed images of areas inside a patient’s body and determine the presence of tumours (“Understanding Cancer-Diagnosis and Treatment,” n.d.). To investigate a case, an oncologist may use a CT Scan, nuclear scan, ultrasound, MRI, PET Scan, or X-ray as diagnostic procedures (Harvey & DeSouza, 2016). All these methods aid in discovering a tumour, its size, location, and type of cancer.
Furthermore, in most cases, oncologists recommend a biopsy to obtain a sample of damaged tissue and analyze its characteristics (Harvey & DeSouza, 2016). A specialist removes damaged cells from tissue or fluid using a needle, an endoscope, or a specific surgery. It aids in the formulation of the final diagnosis and the prescription of appropriate treatment.
Stages
Efficient diagnosis is critical because it can help detect cancer early and improve outcomes. As a result, different staging systems are used for most cancer types. In general, staging is based on information about a patient’s tumour’s location in the body, cell type (adenocarcinoma, squamous cell carcinoma, etc.), tumour size, grade, whether cancer has affected nearby lymph nodes, and whether it has spread to another part of the body (Harvey & DeSouza, 2016). This data is critical for treatment and outcome. According to the data presented above, there are five stages of cancer. Stage 0 cancer means that abnormal cells have been discovered in the body but have not spread to nearby tissue (“Cancer Stages,” 2015). It is also known as carcinoma in situ (CIS). Cancer may develop from CIS over time. Cancer has been discovered in stages I, II, and III. The difference in numbers represents the tumour’s size and spread into nearby tissues (“Cancer Stages,” 2015). Finally, stage IV indicates that the disease is severe and has spread to distant body parts (“Cancer Stages,” 2015). The given staging is introduced to structure the treatment approach and describe the disease in the most efficient way possible.
Complications
When discussing cancer, it is also essential to mention the complications that may arise among cancer patients. Nonetheless, neurological ones are common in patients with the illness because it frequently affects the nervous system and may predispose to neurologic morbidity and mortality (Schmidt, 2014). These effects could be caused by a brain tumour (direct effects) or indirectly, as in paraneoplastic neurologic syndromes (Schmidt, 2014). Furthermore, cancer treatment may be too dangerous, resulting in the appearance of side effects that harm the central nervous system and promote the emergence of numerous complications. It is a serious issue regardless of the type of cancer or its stage. As a result, monitoring a patient’s neurological state and mental abilities is critical for positive outcomes and significant improvement in a patient’s state of health.
Another complication is the recovery period after surgery to remove a tumour and prevent cancer from spreading. For example, survivors of Hodgkin lymphoma may be at a higher risk of infection due to their spleen removal (Warren, Melrose, Brooker, & Burney, 2016). Furthermore, in some complicated cases, patients may lose limbs, parts, lymph nodes, etc. As a result, patients suffering from various types of cancer may experience phantom limb pain, lymphedema, reproductive system problems, and other symptoms (Warren et al., 2016). The severity of these issues varies according to a person’s stage and unique characteristics. Cancer, however, becomes a difficult challenge for all patients who suffer from it. As a result, it is critical to select the least risky treatment options and work with a patient to ensure that his or her condition remains satisfactory.
Finally, cancer may result in the development of various psychological issues. At the moment, people believe that the disease is still incurable. As a result, it is associated with death or significant changes in one’s way of life. According to the most recent statistics, 70% of cancer patients exhibit the first signs of clinical depression due to their fear of death and pain (Warren et al., 2016). Furthermore, the current approach to treatment includes painful chemotherapy or radiotherapy, which alters a patient’s image and significantly impacts his or her health. As a result, the emergence and progression of psychological problems are frequently linked to cancer. In this manner, they monitor the patient’s behaviour, and actions regarding the diagnosis and plans are critical. It may help to prevent the emergence of more serious psychological problems in the future.
Treatment Side Effects
Nonetheless, as previously stated, the current approach to treatment includes severe side effects that can be difficult for a patient. These may occur when treatment affects healthy tissues or organs, unavoidable when attempting to shrink a tumour or prevent its growth (Warren et al., 2016). Radiation used during radiotherapy or specific substances may precondition the appearance of skin and hair problems, appetite loss, anemia, bleeding, delirium, diarrhea, alopecia, edema, fatigue, vomiting, fertility problems, and so on (Warren et al., 2016). The severity of these issues depends on the patient’s health and response to different types of treatment.
Methods for Reducing the Impact
In this way, the variety of side effects demonstrates the need to implement some measures to reduce physical and psychological effects and improve the quality of patients’ lives. Most current studies show that a positive attitude prior to treatment can help reduce adverse effects and overcome any difficulties that may arise when dealing with cancer (Schmidt, 2014). Psychologists also acknowledge that an appropriate mood can have a significant positive impact on results and the reduction of psychological side effects (Schmidt, 2014). It is critical to communicate with an oncologist to minimize their impact on a patient when it comes to physical ones.
Conclusion
Cancer is one of the most severe issues confronting modern society. The healthcare system implements specific measures to diagnose the disease early on and ensure the patient’s recovery. Furthermore, five stages are introduced to describe a patient’s state and provide an appropriate approach to providing care. Finally, numerous complications and side effects may occur during treatment and should be addressed to ensure better outcomes.
References
H. Harvey & M. DeSouza (2016). Imaging’s role in the diagnosis of primary prostate cancer. 11–17 in Journal of Clinical Urology, 9(2). Web.
B. Schmidt (2014). Cancer pain’s neurobiology. 546–562 in The Neuroscientist. Web.
R. Siegel, K. Miller, and A. Jemal. (2017). Two thousand seventeen cancer statistics Cancer Clinicians, 67(1), pp. 7-30. doi:10.3322/caac.21387.