Chemotherapy-Induced Cancer

Carr, B. (2013). Psychological aspects of cancer: A guide to emotional and psychological consequences of cancer, their causes and their management. New York: Springer.

Women may experience a range of emotions with the diagnosis as well as throughout the treatment as a result of breast cancer, such as: sadness, anger, fear and guilt. Therefore, it is essential to closely monitor the client for their psychosocial adjustment to the diagnosis and treatment, and identifying those that need further psychological interventions (Boehmke & Dickerson, 2006). This includes being aware of the impact the diagnosis will have on the family members and loved ones; as their support is warranted as possible caregivers during the process. Appropriate nursing diagnoses for a woman with a new verdict of breast cancer may include (but not limited to): disturbed body image related to loss of hair due to chemotherapy; fear related to the diagnosis and prognosis of the disease; and knowledge deficit of cancer treatment options and reconstructive surgery. Other diagnosis will be added and removed as the patient decides if she wants treatment; and the psychological, psychosocial, and physical changes that may affect her quality of life. For instance, after a mastectomy the patient may have a nursing diagnosis of: risk for disturbed body

Most chemotherapy drugs are given as a course of up to ten sessions (cycles) of treatment. This will depend on the type of drug you are having. At each treatment session you will be given the chemotherapy drug through a drip (infusion). This involves running a liquid containing the drug through a fine tube (cannula) into a vein in your arm. This allows the drug to enter the bloodstream and travel throughout the body.

Another cause of osteomalacia, although very uncommon, is tumor induced, also know as oncogenic osteomalacia (Kaul et al., 2007). The most common tumor form is phosphaturic mesenchymal and this tumor releases excess fibroblast growth factor-23 (FGF23). The release of FGF23 results in hypophosphatemia, or low phosphate levels in the body by decreasing small intestine and renal resorption of phosphate (William et al., 2011). FGF23 also inhibits 1α-hydroxylase which prevents the formation of the active form of vitamin D. In normal conditions, the bones increase the release of FGF23 when phosphate levels are high, so one can imagine how severe osteomalacia can result from the body being told it has too much phosphate when

Many humans in the world suffer from cancer. This disease has caused many people to lose their life or even their loved one’s life. Researchers have done many studies to try and tackle this deadly infection, but everything they have tried has either caused cancer to progress or come

Exposure to chemotherapy as the single treatment and medical risk variable might relate to the seriousness of personal illness experiences related to intensive chemotherapy. For example, reduced absolute neutrophil counts can increase risk for sepsis or typhlitis, which in turn would necessitate hospitalizations, possibly even in the intensive care unit. Similarly, high-dose steroids can increase risk for aseptic vascular necrosis of the hip, associated with pain and requiring hospitalization. Thus, intensive chemotherapy tends to be more potentially life-threatening than the experience with radiotherapy, and the possibility that long-term physical effects attributable to chemotherapy create distress increases with

Cancer also affects the lives of the caregivers/family members about a little bit different. Family members don’t experience the physical pain but they do encounter the emotional pain. Whenever family member experience a traumatic event it brings a great deal of worry, fear, and even depression throughout the family. Some family member may even isolate themselves because the stress can be overwhelming and hard to deal with.

In 2010, Elshamy, El-Hadidi, El-Roby, & Fouda have completed a study to determine the health hazards exposed to chemotherapy drugs among nurses, identify potential risk factors that may predispose nurses to chemotherapy hazards; and evaluate the availability and us of protective measures in clinical practice. Based on the research, abortions, infertility, premature labor, and developmental and behavioral abnormalities among the children of the nurses are the most common adverse effects of chemotherapy to the nurses administering chemotherapy. Soft tissue injuries were also reported from spills and splashes. Urine samples of the nurses were mutagenic which could cause genetic changes to their off springs. Furthermore, the study stated that risky

Cancer strikes 12000 kids & teenagers a year that is not including adults, Roughly 2000 of those die from it, with adults it is 1,685,210 diagnosed just in the U.S. (McCollum). Other than the obvious physical repercussions that come with this genetic disorder, there are mental aspects that can destroy the life of the patient and their loved ones. These come with the insecurities that are brought on by physical appearance, feeling different are like a burden, among other things. “Besides the physical hardship, teens with cancer face emotional and social hurdles as well. Appearance is a huge issue among all teens, but particularly so for teens afflicted with cancer.” (McCollum). Professor David Christie, who was involved in and worked with the Psychological Aspects of Breast and Prostate Cancer study, said he was astonished there were still so many cancer patients who were depressed but neglected when it came to psychological help. ``These serious psychological issues often go undetected because doctors are rightly focused on the patient's physical health and many patients are not comfortable raising the issue,'' (Lanai). The bottom line is that cancer is something that needs to be treated, both mentally and

Katherine goes to the hospital every other day to receive exhausting chemotherapy treatments. Last week she was too weak to drive. She had already vomited twice that morning because of the chemo. She asked her husband to take her to her sessions that week since she was too tired to take herself. He can see that the chemo is weakening her as well and he cannot do anything about it. Katherine's body is weakening with every treatment and she is losing the life she once had.

The idea of stigma and what it is like to be a stigmatized person was conducted by sociologist Erving Goffman. He analyzed how stigmatized individuals feel about themselves and their relationships with people that are considered “normal”. Stigmatized individuals are people who are not socially accepted and are constantly eager to alter their social identifies: physically deformed people, mentally ill patients, drug addicts, homosexuals, etc.

Remembering so vividly, my Mom exclaims, “You have a bald spot.” I was shocked, thinking is this a dream? As time went on it got worse with more bald spots appearing. Thinking back I begin to reflect on what my life truly means to me as a person. And every trace of my mind leads to the word, Alopecia. A word that contains so many meanings. What is Alopecia? Alopecia is an autoimmune disorder in which your body attacks hair-follicles and can cause noticeable baldness. It also affects you psychologically. Being introduced to Alopecia at a young age I didn’t know what to think of myself. We all have times in our lives when we ask ourselves, “Why me?” Walking down the hallways in school I looked around seeing everyone else and I began to tell

There are hundreds of types of cancers that are known of; anyone can get any kind of cancer. Cancer is an illness in where cells multiply nonstop. This multiplication of cells may lead to death (Insel and Roth 279). Ewing 's Sarcoma is a cancer that occurs in the bones which usually happens to younger people, but can still affect anyone. Tumors- an unusual growth in the body that can be cancerous- form on the bone. This is one of the most common bone cancers; however, not the most common cancer overall. It can occur in any bones in the human body- arms, legs, the spinal cord, chest bones. This cancer is no hereditary; it does not occur while in the womb and it is detectable after birth. Again, it usually affects children and teens but not when they are born (WebMD). A mutation on the twenty-second and eleventh chromosomes occurs; the genes on these chromosomes fuse together causing a mutation. This, again, is not hereditary. This cancer can be diagnosed through a physical examination- to check any prominent symptoms, blood test- to check the blood cell count, x-rays, or a biopsy. Testing for changes in the actual DNA makeup are also done to be sure that the cancer is present (Genetics Home Reference). This cancer usually happens more to white people than African American people, or any Pacific Islander. The risk factors are not exact but children ten or older and teenagers usually are most likely to get Ewing’s Sarcoma. Furthermore, this cancer is more prominent in males

Chemotherapy can cause side effects. Chemotherapy not only kills, abnormal cells that multiply without control but also kills or slows the growth of healthy cells, which grow and divide quickly. Damage to the healthy cells can cause side effects such as mouth sores, nausea and hair loss. (ej.)Side effects often happen after a chemotherapy session.

"Most cancer patients in this country die from chemotherapy. Chemotherapy does not eliminate breast, colon, or lung cancers. This fact has been documented for over a decade, yet doctors still use chemotherapy for these tumors. As someone who has been through cancer this information is startling because chemotherapy is being used on things is cannot cure." (Ransom, 2016, p.1). Therefore, chemo has more of a negative effect on the body as a whole. Chemotherapy is the treatment of disease by the use of chemical substances, especially the treatment of cancer by toxins and other drugs. With chemotherapy there are many cognitive effects which negatively effect the process of perception, memory, judgement, reasoning, and often times the emotional