Breast Cancer

Paper Summary:

This paper begins with the pathological classification of breast cancer and a description of its various types and stages. The author explains that the type of treatment and prognosis of the disease varies with the staging of breast cancer, and that in general, the treatment may include: mastectomy, radiotherapy, chemotherapy and endocrine therapy. The author discusses several of the side effects of breast cancer treatment, including postoperative infection, lymphedema, hair loss, fatigue, and nausea and vomiting. Adequate patient education and psychosocial support are vital components of nursing care, although the nursing assessment may vary according to the different phases of treatment and depending on individual criteria. The paper concludes that alternative medicine is also increasingly being considered in the management of breast cancer.

From the Paper:

"Intraductal carcinoma represents about 5% of breast carcinomas. The neoplastic cells either assume a glandular pattern or piles up within the ducts as irregular excrescences. Continued proliferation eventually fills the ducts with compressed tumor cells. Clinically, they present as a palpable mass or as ropy cords within the breast. Eventually, the ducts are filled with cheesy necrotic tumor tissue. This cheesy necrotic tissue can be extruded with slight pressure when the ducts are transected (therefore called comedocarcinoma) About 70 % of these tumors become invasive."

Sample of Sources Used:

• Alexander, MF, Fawcett, JN, & Runciman, PJ 2000. Nursing Practice: Hospital and Home-The Adult. Nursing Practice. pp. 289-291.
• Aitken, RJ 1989. Arm morbidity within a trial of mastectomy and either nodal sample with selective radiotherapy or axillary clearance. Br J Surg, vol.76,pp.568-71.
• Batchelor, D. 2001. Hair and cancer chemotherapy: consequences and nursing care-a literature study. Eur J Cancer Care (Engl), vol.10, no.3, pp.147-63.
• Baum, M, 1991. The Breast. Bailey& Love's Short Practice of Surgery, 21st edition, ELBS, London, pp.806-808.
• Bhatt, AM. 2004. Breast cancer. Women's Health Issues. Bristol-Myers Squibb Company.

More papers on Breast Cancer:

• Research Paper # 95130 : "Breast Cancer and African-American Women"
• Essay # 66957 : "Breast Cancer Prevention and Education"
• Research Paper # 129482 : "Benefits of Nursing Breast Cancer Knowledge"
• Article Review # 70389 : "Breast Cancer"

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