Breast Cancer Pathophysiology Breast Cancer Thesis

While the incidence of carcinoma in situ has been increasing, the incidence of invasive breast cancer has remained fairly steady or even decreased slightly in the past 25 years, and the mortality rate has declined (Common types of invasive breast cancer, 2008, Eli Lilly). The earlier the detection of breast cancer, in its first stage, rather than the subsequent second, third, or fourth stages, the better the prognosis, regardless of its type or the age of the woman.

Nursing interventions

Nurses have an extremely important role to play as educators regarding breast cancer. First of all, they can help women have a realistic appraisal of their risk for the disease, based upon their family background, age, and lifestyle. Nurses can play a role in health promotion throughout a patient's life by encouraging women to minimize or manage high-risk behaviors that contribute to the likelihood of contracting the disease, such as alcohol use, obesity, and hormone therapy (Breast cancer risk factors, 2008, Eli Lilly). They can give women a clear and non-alarmist picture of the common types of breast cancer, and how to conduct self-examinations. Self-examinations for breast cancer, it is important to remember, are not an absolute panacea for the disease, but done properly, they can be an important factor in promoting early detection (although a minority healthcare providers have argued that they can have the unfortunate tendency of encouraging women to become alarmed about masses that are not in fact cancerous). Nurses should point out that while it is certainly important to report any unusual breast alterations, "80% of all biopsied breast lumps are not cancerous" (Mending the myths about breast cancer, 2008, Eli Lilly).

As well as educating patients about breast cancer self-detection, nurses must act as educators regarding mammograms. Again, women tend to be either overly alarmist, or to underestimate the need for mammograms.The advantage of getting a mammogram is that detects breast cancer at an early stage and identifies small cancerous lumps that are not detectable through manual exams. However, unless there is a strong heritable tendency to contract breast cancer, the American Cancer Society recommends that all women start having yearly screening mammograms beginning when they reach the age of forty (Mending the myths about breast cancer, 2008, Eli Lilly).

Implications for nursing practice

Breast cancer is an illness that requires the nurse to truly treat the whole patient. There is no 'cookie cutter' formula for monitoring, detection, or treatment, as the relative aggressiveness of all will depend on age, fertility, genetics, lifestyle, and patient psychology and physiology. A nurse and a patient must work together to establish the right course of treatment. This is true regardless of whether the patient is at high or low risk for the disorder, if the nurse is a specialist in the field of oncology, or simply a nurse providing care in the context of a more general healthcare situation.

Works Cited

Breast cancer risk factors. (2008). Eli Lilly. Strength in knowing. Retrieved 8 Oct 2008 https://www.strengthinknowing.com/bc_risk/knowing_more/lifestyle_factors.jsp

Common types of invasive breast cancer. (2008). Eli Lilly. Strength in knowing. Retrieved 8 Oct 2008 https://www.strengthinknowing.com/hcp/types_of_invasive_bc.jsp

Genetics of breast cancer. (2008). Eli Lilly. Strength in knowing. Retrieved 8 Oct 2008 https://www.strengthinknowing.com/hcp/genetics_of_breast_cancer.jsp

Hormone-Receptor Status and Breast Cancer. (2008). Eli Lilly. Strength in knowing. Retrieved 8 Oct 2008 https://www.strengthinknowing.com/hcp/hormone_receptor_status.jsp

Huether, Sue & Katherine McCance. Understanding pathophysiology. 4th edition. Mosby, 2007.

Mending the myths about breast cancer (2008) Eli Lilly. Strength in knowing. Retrieved 8 Oct 2008 https://www.strengthinknowing.com/breast_cancer_facts/mending_myths.jsp

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