Introduction
Lung cancer is one of the most common types of disease in the world. In the US alone, over 541,000 patients have been diagnosed with lung cancer (Torre, Siegel, & Jemal, 2016). This mirrors the situation in the world, where about 2.3 million new cases are developed each year, while patient deaths from the disease amount to 2.0 million (Torre et al., 2016). Lung carcinoma presents itself as a malignant tumor in the lungs, which causes uncontrolled cell growth and metastasis in the area around it, before spreading to other areas of the body (Torre et al., 2016). The development of the disease is strongly associated with a predisposition towards lung afflictions caused by smoking, hazardous breathing environments, and pollution (Torre et al., 2016). The purpose of this paper is to describe the diagnosis and staging of cancer, outline its complications, identify the support available to patients, and explain how a background in science and liberal arts is contributing to the foundation of nursing knowledge necessary to deal with the disease.
Diagnosis and Staging of Cancer
Typical symptoms of lung cancer include coughing (often with blood), chest pains, chest tightness, energy, and weight loss (Carter & Erasmus, 2019). However, in many individuals, these symptoms do not manifest until in the later stages of the disease, making diagnosing lung cancer difficult. Individuals who smoke or are otherwise at an increased risk of developing carcinoma due to their choice of profession or livelihood choices have to undergo yearly diagnostics in order to spot the development of the disease early on (Carter & Erasmus, 2019). CT scans are used on healthy individuals in order to detect any abnormalities in their lungs to justify further investigation (Carter & Erasmus, 2019). Should something of note be found, further tests to diagnose lung carcinoma would include X-ray imaging tests, sputum cytology, and tissue biopsy to confirm the presence or absence of carcinoma.
Once the presence of cancer is established, the doctors need to determine the stage the cancer is at. To achieve such goals, they typically implement CT scans, MRI, positron emission tomography (PET), and bone scans in order to find any metastases spreading from lungs into other areas of the body (Carter & Erasmus, 2019). Based on the information gathered from these tests, the doctors would be able to estimate the scope of treatment and determine what measures and procedures could be taken to stem the disease.
There are two types of lung cancer, one being called the small-cell lung cancer, and the other – non-small-cell lung cancer. They have different mechanisms of affliction, as well as different stages. For NSCLC, there are 4 main stages of lung cancer (Carter & Erasmus, 2019). The first stage indicates the presence of cancer in the lung, but without spreading. During the second stage, cancer spreads towards the nearby lymph nodes. During the third stage, cancer is found in the lung, chest, and lymph nodes. Finally, the fourth stage has the disease spread to both lungs, distant organs, bones, and areas around the lungs. Small-cell lung cancer is comprised only out of two stages (Carter & Erasmus, 2019). In the first stage, cancer can be found only in one lung and nearby lymph nodes, similar to stage two of NSCLC. The second stage is characterized by spreading through one lung, to the opposite lung, distant organs, and bone marrow, similar to stages 3-4 of NSCLC.
Complications of Lung Cancer, Side-Effects of Treatment, and Methods of Coping with Physical and Physiological Effects
Lung cancer complications include metastases, pneumonia, and reduced immune response, among other issues. Metastases represent chaotic cell overgrowth spreading to other parts of the body, affecting organs and systems in the human body, with a high chance of causing more damage and even result in death (Hirsch et al., 2017). Pneumonia triggered by lung cancer may cause inflammation, fever, the gathering of phlegm and mucus, and contribute to bacteria spreading throughout the lungs. As a result, the patient’s health is likely to be compromised. In the US, over 50,000 people die of pneumonia each year (Hirsch et al., 2017). Finally, the reduced immune response caused by cancer affecting the lymph nodes and hormonal systems may make the patient susceptible to other diseases, creating additional complications to one’s own health year.
Chemotherapy, surgery, and medicinal treatments remain the primary means of combating lung cancer. Each of these procedures is invasive and have a multitude of side-effects to the procedure (Hirsch et al., 2017). The most common side-effects of chemotherapy include stomach problems, fatigue, loss of hair, and appearance changes. Surgery, if performed carelessly, can cause infection, bleeding, and anemia, as well as pain and discomfort after the fact (Hirsch et al., 2017). Medicinal treatment is associated with fatigue, breathing problems, and changes in sexual functioning and effects on fertility, as the drugs used against cancer, are very strong and have a plethora of side-effects on other systems.
The primary means of coping with physical and psychological effects involves close cooperation with one’s treating specialists. Spotting the side-effects early on is necessary to alter the treatment to avoid future complications (Hirsch et al., 2017). Proper pre-operation and post-operation procedures could help avoid the majority of complications associated with surgical involvement. Chemotherapy effects can be reduced by healthy eating, proper activity regimen, and supportive drugs to help counteract the effects of radiation (Hirsch et al., 2017). Medical side-effects typically come from personal reactions to drugs and polypharmacy. Choosing the appropriate medications and avoiding drugs interacting with one another would improve the situation (Hirsch et al., 2017). Finally, the psychological effects of the long-term battle against the disease could be lessened by implementing methods of cognitive-behavioral therapy.
Factors Contributing to the Yearly Incidence and Mortality Rates of Lung Cancer in the US
The primary factor contributing to the yearly incidence of lung cancer in the US is the population’s predisposition to smoking. Tobacco was first discovered in North America, and smoking is a popular habit among the people. According to the statistics, over 34.2 million individuals in the US are regular smoking, and over 100 million are considered passive smokers, inhaling the fumes from the air (Torre et al., 2016). As a result, nearly a third of the population is exposed to the cancerogenic effects of the smoke (Torre et al., 2016). A vulnerable population subgroup includes coal mines and chemical plant workers, who are notorious for having higher percentages of cancer affecting them. Domestic pollution and smog are also among the factors contributing to the yearly incidence of the disease in the US (Torre et al., 2016). The relatively high mortality rates (19% chance of survival in a 5-year period) are associated with the difficulty of diagnosing lung cancer, as well as the population’s relative ignorance of the disease and the factors contributing to it.
What Can the American Cancer Society (ASC) Do?
American Cancer Society (ACS) is one of the primary stakeholders in providing education and support to the population of the US. As such, they engage in numerous ways of doing so. The primary means of offering guidance and help to the population is an online activity (ACS, n.d.). ACS sites could offer comprehensive and easy-to-access information available to patients and doctors alike. This information would offer the means of diagnosing cancer, recommend yearly treatments, and cover all questions related to various ways of treatment (ACS, n.d.). School-based and family-based educational interventions could help increase the awareness of the problem in children and adults alike. This method is proactive, thus potentially more effective when compared to the passive online provision of information (ACS, n.d.). Finally, ASC could use its political pull to advocate for benefits of cancer screenings and treatments for all people, especially those living in hazardous areas and working dangerous jobs.
Lung Cancer Patient Caring and the Nursing Process
The five phases of patient caring include assessment, diagnosing, planning, implementation, and evaluation. Assessment is the primary stage, during which the nurse has to assess not only the objective symptoms a patient might or might not have, but also the overall state of health of the patient, and the chances of them developing cancer-based on habits, work, and the environment (Hirsh et al., 2017). Doing so would ensure a higher potential for preventing and spotting the disease early on.
Once the presence of the disease is confirmed, it is important to diagnose the incidence and identify the stage of its development. The nurse should utilize the full range of available methods, including MRI, CT, biopsy, and other tests to find any complications and metastases in the body (Hirsh et al., 2017). The planning phase includes involving the patient in the decision-making process about the treatment and pre-treatment operations. Doing so would create a greater sense of participation and improve the overall results (Hirsh et al., 2017). The implementation of the chosen treatment plan should include not only the prescribed procedures, surgery, and medications, but also a patient education framework and psychological assistance in order to deal with the consequences of the long-term side-effects associated with cancer (Hirsh et al., 2017). Finally, the evaluation plan should include the assessment of the disease after the treatment, the evaluation of any potential physical and psychological shortcomings, and a concise way of maintaining current progress (Hirsh et al., 2017). Together, these measures are to result in safe, effective, holistic, and patient-focused care.
Undergraduate Education and Nursing Knowledge
Nurses are likely to encounter cancer patients at some point in their career. Because of the relative commonality of the diagnosis, all educational programs provide information on how to treat cancer patients (Phillips & Stalter, 2016). Undergraduate education in liberal arts and science studies contributes to the foundation of nursing knowledge, as outlined in the process above. Mathematics are necessary to perform and understand nursing research, in order to incorporate it into the existing framework of operation (Phillips & Stalter, 2016). Social and physical sciences are necessary to study the social and psychological effects of treatment and recuperation, as outlined by stages 4 and 5 of the nursing processes (Phillips & Stalter, 2016). Finally, science studies enable a student to become more acquainted with tests being performed to assess and diagnose cancer (stages 1 and 2) (Phillips & Stalter, 2016). Without undergraduate education in these two fields, a nurse would have to receive them elsewhere or face great difficulties understanding the related material.
In addition to the wealth of knowledge that could be directly applied to nursing studies, liberal arts and sciences offer the development of critical thinking in an individual, which is necessary for future work (Carvalho et al., 2017). Nurses are expected not only to apply the knowledge received during training but also to expand their own capabilities using the concept of life-long learning. Critical thinking and the application of evidence-based practice would enable them to choose the information adequately and synthesize it into personal guidelines applicable to individual practice (Carvalho et al., 2017). Finally, critical thinking and writing skills would be useful in performing research associated with cancer treatments. Every nurse is expected to further the knowledge in the medical field; thus, it is likely for some to organize or participate in qualitative and quantitative research (Carvalho et al., 2017). Therefore, science and liberal arts undergrad students are preferable for the position.
Conclusions
Lung cancer is a dangerous disease that takes the lives of over 2 million people worldwide. Lung cancer exists in two forms, including SCLC and NSCLC. The types of cancer have different stages, with SCLC arguably progressing much quicker. Symptoms of lung cancer usually do not show up immediately, making the disease harder to diagnose. To treat patients and ensure the safety and quality of the provided services, nurses should adhere to the 5-phase nursing process. The American Cancer Society provides many useful tools for treatment, diagnosis, and patient education, making it one of the primary stakeholders in the area. Nurses play an important part in helping reduce the incidence and severity of the disease. Students with backgrounds in liberal arts and sciences have much better chances of succeeding in the endeavor.
References
American Cancer Society (ACS). (n.d.). Lung cancer. Web.
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Hirsch, F. R., Scagliotti, G. V., Mulshine, J. L., Kwon, R., Curran Jr, W. J., Wu, Y. L., & Paz-Ares, L. (2017). Lung cancer: Current therapies and new targeted treatments. The Lancet, 389(10066), 299-311.
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Torre, L. A., Siegel, R. L., & Jemal, A. (2016). Lung cancer and personalized medicine. Switzerland, Cham: Springer.