cancer Flashcards
cancer cells
can invade surrounding tissues and spread to other areas of the body through lymph and blood vessels (metastasis).
cancer of epthelial tissue
carcinomas
mesenchymal tissue
sarcomas
blood forming cells
leukemias
lympth tissue
lymphomas
plasma cells
myelomas
cancer warning signs
C: Change in bowel or bladder habits
A: A sore that doesn’t heal
U: Unusual bleeding or discharge
T: Thickening or lump in the breast or elsewhere
I: Indigestion or difficulty swallowing
O: Obvious change in warts or moles
N: Nagging cough or hoarseness
risk factors
- age
- immune function
- chronic irritation and tissue trama
- race
- genetic predisposition
- exposure to chemicals, tobacco, alcohol, exposure to viruses and bacteria
- diet
- sun, uv light, radiation: Ionizing (radon, x‑ray) and UV (sun, tanning beds)
- sex: Multiple sexual partners or STIs
- Poverty
- Obesity
- Chronic GERD
- Air pollution
age
- Highest incidence of cancer occurs in older adults.
- Older adult women most commonly develop skin, colorectal, breast, lung, pancreatic, and ovarian cancers.
- Older adult men most commonly develop skin, lung, colorectal, prostate, pancreatic, and gastric cancers.
immune function
Cancer incidence increases among clients who are immunosuppressed
chronic irritation and tissue trauma
Incidence of skin cancer is higher in people who have burn scars or other types of severe skin injury.
- burns, scars, chronic sunburn
afrian americans more likely to get
prostate
white more likely to get
testiculr
Liver cancer can develop after many years of infection with
- hepatitis B or hepatitis C.
Infection with Epstein‑Barr virus has been linked to an increased risk of
- lymphoma.
HPV infection is the main cause of
- cervical cancer.
HIV increases the risk of
- lymphoma and
- Kaposi’s sarcoma.
Helicobacter pylori can increase the risk of
- stomach cancer and lymphoma of the stomach lining.
diet
A diet high in fat, red meat, processed meat, preservatives, and additives, and low in fiber
mammogram
Annually for women older than 40
Clinical breast exam:
Annually for women older than 40 (every 3 years for women 20 to 39 years old)
Colonoscopy
At age 50 and then every 10 years Fecal occult blood ( done every year)
Screening for gene mutations
For clients who have a strong family history of breast or colon cancer
imaging
CT scan
MRI
PET scan
Ultrasound
X‑ray
Findings that indicate or increase suspicion of cancer must be further evaluated.
A variety of imaging and laboratory tests can be used to detect the following:
- Degree of tumor involvement
- Type of tumor
- Areas of metastasis
- Complications of cancer
