Prostate Cancer : The Most Prevalent Nonskin Cancer

Personal experiences are the most suitable for finding the implications that people place on the occasions, procedures, and structures of their lives and their discernments, presuppositions, and assumptions. There are various conditions necessary for a qualitative study. These include the questions about individuals' encounters and an investigation into the implications people make of their encounters. The contemplations of a man with regards to their social or interpersonal environment is also an important condition. Lastly, it needs an examination where it is hard to build up a traditional instrument because of the lack of understanding of the phenomenon.

Less than a third of men diagnosed with prostate cancer are still alive after five years

The main objective is to strengthen the existing Prostate Cancer Support Group to encompass a broader community involvement. This will be achieved with the participation of professional speakers and a multidisciplinary team approach currently utilised in caring and supporting people with a life limiting illness.

Maxwell (2005) also notes that qualitative research can be used to address various issues and is not restricted to one ontological stance. The method also involves developing a relationship with the people one is studying, an aspect that is important in defining the authenticity of the data and determining the course of action.

TREATMENT of localized prostate cancer usually includes prostatectomy and radiation therapy, occasionally augmented with hormonal therapies. However, Fu et al., (2012) have noted that recurrence of prostate cancer occurs in about 15% of patients within 5 years after prostatectomy and in about 40% patients within 10 years. Although, more than 70% of patients are expected to survive for more than 10 years after prostatectomy, radiation or hormone therapy, Cooperberg et al.,(2010) argued that localized prostate cancer patients with intermediate or high risk scores have higher mortality rate after these treatments. With chemotherapies as the existing treatment options for metastatic prostate cancers, patients are expected to have only a median survival of 12-15 months. Bono et al.,(2006). However, most of these traditional treatments are invasive and riddled with adverse side effects. Therefore, novel therapies are on high demand for the treatment of the malignant and recurrent forms of prostate cancer after these

During the digital rectal examination (DRE) evaluation of the prostate size and contour are assessed. Normal prostate volume in a young man is approximately 20 g which is about one fingerbreadth on examination. Most asymptomatic men have glands of 2 fingerbreadths or less (Deters, 2015). Decreased anal sphincter tone or lack of bulbocavernosus muscle reflex can signify an underlying neurological disorder. A urinalysis and urine culture along with a prostate-specific antigen (PSA) test will also be done to confirm diagnosis. If the symptoms are moderate to severe then a blood creatinine may be down to see how well the kidneys are functioning. A post-void residual urine test measures the amount of urine left in the bladder after urinating. Pressure flow studies measure the pressure in the bladder wall while urinating. A cystometrogram measures the bladder’s pressure, complaince, and capacity to store urine. Other tests maybe warranted if there are further complications with BPH or if other causes may be present. An ultrasound may be ordered to check the size and structure of the kidneys, bladder, and prostate. A cystoscopy allows a doctor to look inside the urethra and bladder to see just how much of the prostate is blocking the urethra. An intravenous pyelogram uses X-rays to show the function of the kidneys and the flow of the bladder from the kidneys to the bladder. A spiral computed tomography uses X-rays to

This report provides a holistic scope of prostate cancer (PCa) from prevention, pathology, diagnostic screening, pharmacology, and treatment methods. It also incorporates statistical data, and provides a case study that helps the prospective nursing student to analyze its implications for their practice. The current methods for PCa diagnostics is often times not conclusive, and this causes a controversial decision to be made by the patient and the healthcare provider to either perform a surgery to remove the prostate, or a wait-and-see method of progression. The gold standard for diagnostic screening for PCa has long been prostate specific antigen (PSA); however newer methods are coming to light that enhance the PCA screening by adding additional biomarkers and advanced algorithms that help to reduce over-diagnosis of PCa. The bright side to this disease is two-fold: it mainly effects those in older age, and early detection can account for a 95% success rate up to 15 years after detection.

Although the researchers reviewed the various literature to develop practice guidelines, draw conclusions, create the research question, develop a study design, and find ways to control bias. In fact, it presented key terms, such as hermeneutics, phenomenology, and interview methods (Dainty et al., 2014). Descriptive style helps to ‘bracket’ any preconceptions, since hermeneutic methods acknowledge that an experience could influence its interpretation. The hermeneutic phenomenological design linked to the study question, which based on the experience of multiple realities (Dainty et al., 2014). Overall, the literature reviews adequately linked the interview question and design through interpretative phenomenology theory.

Qualitative research is conducted in a natural setting and attempts to understand a human problem by developing a holistic narrative and reporting detailed views of informants about the culture of a problem. It forms a report with pictures and words. One of the most important distinctions that sets qualitative research apart from more traditional types of research is that qualitative research is holistic in that researchers study phenomena in their entirety rather than narrowing the focus to specific defined variables” (p. 93). Similarly, Cresswell (1984) indicated that qualitative research “is defined as an inquiry process of understanding a social or human problem, based on building a holistic picture, formed with words, reporting detailed views of informants, and conducted in a natural setting” (p. 2). Cresswell’s definition clearly delineates the major characteristics of qualitative research. Pg. 50 (Smith & Davis, 2010).

In the case with over diagnosing, the screening process for determining if a person has prostate cancer. The US Preventive Service Task Force (USPSTF) states, “the potential benefit of testing does not outweigh the expected harms” meaning there can be more harm than good. The controversy fixed whether prostate-specific antigen (PSA) testing being suitable and helpful when diagnosing prostate cancer. It is recommended that the doctor talks to the patient about how they are feeling and listen to them if they are having difficulties urinating. The doctor can also examine the prostate itself by performing a Digital rectal exam (DRE). The other controversy is over-treatment of prostate cancer. Its controversial due to the medication the person and haw potently they are, ““infection or inflammation of the prostate (prostatitis) may increase the chance for prostate cancer while another study shows infection may help prevent prostate cancer by increasing blood to the area.” Every man’s body is different and is going to react differently to

Today, many psychologists feel that psychological therapy can give cancer patients’ a longer life. The first to take this stance was Psychiatrist David Spiegel M.D., of Stanford University School of Medicine, in a 1989 study Spiegel gathered patients once a week to discuss there feelings about the cancer and here they received support from other cancer sufferers. “When Spiegel followed up a decade later, he discovered that patients who had participated in the sessions had survived an average of 18 months longer than those in the control group” (Clay,2000). It is felt that if you can tap into a patients mind and help them deal with the cancer by dealing in the mental aspect of it that it will be

The Ministry of Health (2013) launched a four year programme to improve health outcomes for men with prostate cancer called The Prostate Cancer Awareness and Quality Improvement Programme. The expected outcomes for this programme are: improved access to health care services, informed decisions, support for early detection and treatment, shorter waiting lists, appropriate referrals, more accurate diagnosis and staging, and improved quality of care among others. Despite these outcomes no DHB has met the 85% target for the faster cancer treatment yet (Ministry of Health [MOH], 2015a) but has achieved the shorter waiting lists for cancer treatment (MOH, 2015b).

When utilizing a qualitative approach, the task becomes one of determining the qualitative method to be used. Additionally, Stake (2010) used purpose, research design, and methodical data techniques as a way of classifying types of qualitative research. Similarly, Cresswell & Cresswell (2007) spoke of five practices of qualitative research. These five practices consist of biography, phenomenological study, grounded theory study, ethnography, and case study. This researcher chose a phenomenological study for this research project.

Davison et al., (2009) discussed that fewer than 10 % of men in North America choose active surveillance, in which is a viable alternative treatment. In doing so, men delay active treatment, therefore delaying the side effects associated with treatment that effect quality of life for men with prostate cancer. Furthermore, the authors discussed that current literature is unclear regarding the definitions of active surveillance, conservative

Interpretative phenomenology is a method of reviewing how participants lived experiences help to understand a phenomenon in a study (Willig, 2001). The structural findings that emerged from the protégés lived experiences are discussed along with their relationship to relevant literature