Hesi med-surg Cancer Nursing Management

Epidemiology Overall, the incidence of cancer is higher in men than in women and higher in industrialized sectors and nations.  More than 1.4 million Americans are diagnosed each year with cancer, affecting one of various body sites.  Cancer is second only to cardiovascular disease as a leading cause of death in the United States.  Although the number of cancer deaths has decreased slightly, more than 560, 000 Americans were expected to die from a malignant process in 2008. The leading causes of cancer deaths in the United States, in order of frequency, are lung, prostate, and colorectal cancer in men and lung, breast, and colorectal cancer women.  For all cancer sites combined, African American men have a 15% higher incidence rate and a 38% higher death rate than Caucasian men. African-American women have a 9% lower incidence rate, but an 18% higher death rate than Caucasian women for all cancer sites combined. Pathophysiology Cancer is a disease process that begins when an abnormal cell is transformed by the genetic mutation of the cellular DNA.  Proliferative patterns. Cancerous cells are described as malignant neoplasms because they demonstrate uncontrolled cellular growth that follows no physiologic demand (neoplasia).  Characteristics of malignant cells. Cells are undifferentiated and often bear little resemblance to the normal cells; they grow at the periphery and sends out processes that infiltrate and destroy the surrounding tissues; the rate of their growth is variable and depends on level of differentiation; they can gain access to the blood and lymphatic channels and metastasizes to other areas of the body; they often cause generali