Running head: BENCHMARK: APPROACH TO CARE CANCER 1
NRS 410V BenchmarkNursingProcessApproachtoCareforCancer
Benchmark: Approach to Care Cancer
Stephanie Green
Grand Canyon University
Pathophysiology and Nursing Management of Client Health
NRS 410V
July 29, 2019
, BENCHMARK: APPROACH TO CARE CANCER 2
Benchmark: Approach to Care Cancer
Cancer is a group of related diseases. With cancer, cells within the body begin dividing
and do not stop, spreading to surrounding tissues and may form growths called tumors. This
continual dividing causes confusion within the body’s cells where older cells typically die and
become replaced with new cells. When these cells survive, they become abnormal as new
unneeded cells continue forming and develop into cancer cells. These abnormal cells can break
free of the original tumor and travel or metastasize through the lymph or blood system and attach
to another area of the body forming new tumors with the same cellular pattern of the original
tumor site (National Cancer Institute, 2015a). The patient with a cancer diagnosis may become
overwhelmed and devastated by hearing the word cancer. Treatments are individualized to the
patient, cancer type, and cancer staging or advancement. This paper will explore cancer
diagnosis and staging, complications of treatments along with the physical and psychological
effects, contributing factors to mortality rates, nursing care and educational resources and
programs through the American Cancer Society (ACS). The paper will conclude with how
nursing education in liberal arts and sciences prepare nurses to care for patients utilizing the
nursing process.
Cancer Diagnosis and Staging
Each cancer type will present with different symptoms and are often difficult to diagnose.
Prevention and screenings for cancers are of high importance, as early detection of cancer is
imperative to the prognosis. Self-examination of the breasts, genitalia, and skin are the most
effective means to identifying tissue changes. Several scans are available to detect cancer as
well; mammograms are used to detect thickening of breast tissue while an endoscopic exam of
the colon can visualize polyps in the colon that could become cancerous. The patient’s history
NRS 410V BenchmarkNursingProcessApproachtoCareforCancer
Benchmark: Approach to Care Cancer
Stephanie Green
Grand Canyon University
Pathophysiology and Nursing Management of Client Health
NRS 410V
July 29, 2019
, BENCHMARK: APPROACH TO CARE CANCER 2
Benchmark: Approach to Care Cancer
Cancer is a group of related diseases. With cancer, cells within the body begin dividing
and do not stop, spreading to surrounding tissues and may form growths called tumors. This
continual dividing causes confusion within the body’s cells where older cells typically die and
become replaced with new cells. When these cells survive, they become abnormal as new
unneeded cells continue forming and develop into cancer cells. These abnormal cells can break
free of the original tumor and travel or metastasize through the lymph or blood system and attach
to another area of the body forming new tumors with the same cellular pattern of the original
tumor site (National Cancer Institute, 2015a). The patient with a cancer diagnosis may become
overwhelmed and devastated by hearing the word cancer. Treatments are individualized to the
patient, cancer type, and cancer staging or advancement. This paper will explore cancer
diagnosis and staging, complications of treatments along with the physical and psychological
effects, contributing factors to mortality rates, nursing care and educational resources and
programs through the American Cancer Society (ACS). The paper will conclude with how
nursing education in liberal arts and sciences prepare nurses to care for patients utilizing the
nursing process.
Cancer Diagnosis and Staging
Each cancer type will present with different symptoms and are often difficult to diagnose.
Prevention and screenings for cancers are of high importance, as early detection of cancer is
imperative to the prognosis. Self-examination of the breasts, genitalia, and skin are the most
effective means to identifying tissue changes. Several scans are available to detect cancer as
well; mammograms are used to detect thickening of breast tissue while an endoscopic exam of
the colon can visualize polyps in the colon that could become cancerous. The patient’s history
