Screening Methods
Lung cancer is the second most common cancer in the United States and the leading cause of death. Tobacco smoking is a crucial risk factor. The recommended screening test is a low-dose CT scan that uses low radiation to create detailed lung images, taking only a few minutes (CDC, 2024).
Diagnosis and Staging
The numerical method classifies tumors in Stages 0 through IV, from no cancer to metastatic disease (Langmaid, 2023). The TNM method classifies by Tumor size (T0-T4), Node involvement (N0-N3), and Metastasis (M0-M1) (Rosen & Sapra, 2023).
Complications and Side Effects
Three major complications include hair loss (mitigated by cooling caps), nausea and vomiting (managed with prescription medicines, relaxation techniques, and acupuncture), and neutropenia (mitigated by hand hygiene and prompt infection treatment) (National Institutes of Health, n.d.).
American Cancer Society Resources
ACS provides quit-smoking programs, free rides to cancer treatment, lodging programs for away-from-home treatment, and a cancer survivors' peer support network (ACS, 2024).
The Nursing Process in Cancer Care
The five steps include assessment (understanding cancer type and stage), diagnosis (identifying associated health issues), planning (setting achievable goals), implementation (administering treatments and emotional support), and evaluation (reassessing health and coping skills) (Toney-Butler & Thayer, 2023).
References
- ACS. (2024). Lung cancer. https://www.cancer.org/cancer/types/lung-cancer.html
- CDC. (2024). Screening for lung cancer. https://www.cdc.gov/lung-cancer/screening/
- Langmaid, S. (2023). Stages of cancer. WebMD. https://www.webmd.com/cancer/cancer-stages
- National Institutes of Health. (n.d.). Side effects of cancer treatment. https://www.cancer.gov/about-cancer/treatment/side-effects
- Rosen, R. D., & Sapra, A. (2023). TNM classification. StatPearls. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK553187/
- Toney-Butler, T. J., & Thayer, J. M. (2023). Nursing process. StatPearls. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK499937/
- Zhang, J., et al. (2022). Lung cancer statistics in the United States. Annals of Cancer Epidemiology, 6. https://ace.amegroups.org/article/view/6862/html
Related: See our hypersensitivity and anaphylaxis or immune dysfunction.