Oncology & End of Life (ch 16 & 17)

Question 0

Agents and factors that have been found to be carcinogenic

Answer 0

-viruses and bacteria
-physical agents (exposure to sunlight, radiation, chronic irritation or inflammation, and tobacco use)
-chemical agents (75% of all cancers thought to be related to environment)
-genetic or familial agents (almost every cancer type has been shown to run in families-genetics, shared environments, cultural
or lifestyle factors, or chance)
-dietary factors (fats, alcohol, salt-cured or smoke meats, nitrate-containing foods, and red and processed meats.
-hormonal agents

Question 1

Benign Tumor

Answer 1

Noncancerous

Question 2

Primary Preventions of Cancer

Answer 2

• reducing the risks of disease through health promotion strategies
• estimated that 1/3 of all cancers worldwide could be prevented through primary prevention efforts.
• help patients avoid known carcinogens
• encourage patient’s to make dietary and lifestyle changes

Question 3

Secondary Preventions of Cancer

Answer 3

-programs that promote screening and early detection activities such as breast and gesticulating self-examination and Papanicolaou (Pap) tests.

Question 4

3 treatment options for cancer patients

Answer 4

• cure: complete eradication of malignant disease
• control: prolonged survival and containment of cancer cell growth
• palliation: relief of symptoms associated with the disease

Question 5

Glaser & Strauss’ 4 “awareness contexts”

Answer 5

• closed awareness: the patient is unaware of his/her terminal state, others are aware.
• suspected awareness: patient suspects what others know and attempts to find out details about his/her condition,
• mutual pretense awareness: patient, family, and health care professionals are all aware patient is dying but pretend otherwise.
• open awareness: patient, family, health care professionals all aware patient is dying and openly acknowledge that reality.

Question 6

Palliative cease

Answer 6

• emphasizes management of psychological, social, and spiritual problems in addition to control of pain and other physical symptoms.
• goal is to improve patient/family’s quality of life
• comprehensive, comfort-focused approach to care are applicable earlier in the process of life-threatening disease and in conjunction with cure-focused treatment,

Question 7

Skills for Communicating with the Seriously Ill

Answer 7

• develop skill and comfort in assessing patients’ and families’ responses to serious illness and planning interventions that support their values and choices
• patience
• empathy
• honesty
• communication tailored to their particular level of understanding
• effective listening

Question 8

Signs of Approaching Death

Answer 8

• person shows less interest in eating and drinking
• urinary output may decrease in amount and frequency
• as body weakens, patient will sleep more and begin to detach from environment
• mental confusion may become apparent.
• vision and hearing may become somewhat impaired, speech may be difficult to understand
• secretions may collect in the back of the throat and rattle or gurgle as patient breathes through mouth
• breathing may become irregular with periods of apnea
• as oxygen supply to brain decreases, patient may become restless
• patient may feel hot one moment and cold the next as body loses ability to contort temperature
• loss of bladder and bowel control