Cancer Diagnosis and Treatment (Essay Sample)

Cancer Diagnosis and Treatment
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Cancer Diagnosis and Treatment of the Physical and Psychological Side Effects
The health care industry is very sensitive primarily because the lives of individuals are at stake. In that regard, health care practitioners worldwide are mandated and obligated to provide the best possible care to their patients and without any form of discrimination or favoritism. These medical professionals are supposed to use their skills and expertise to improve patient outcomes and ensure the safety of their patients while at their facilities. Over the years, the health care industry in efforts to ensure quality services that guarantee complete patient recovery and also address some complicated conditions and procedure, there have been several technological enhancements that have been incorporated and embraced. On the same breadth, medical scientists are continuously involved in clinical trials and similar activities to identify ways that will not only improve the provision of care but that will also address some of the conditions that remain untreatable such as HIV/AIDS and Cancer. These initiatives come at the backdrop of rising cases of patient mortality from the various forms of cancer and its devastating effects. The essay paper seeks to examine the diagnosis and staging of cancer, the complications and side effects of treatment and some of the methods that help to alleviate the physical and psychological effects.
An In-depth Analysis of Cancer, Diagnosis and Staging
The human body usually thrives and grows because cells are able to not only divide but also replace themselves in an orderly manner. Cancer therefore arises when there is an alteration to that order and cells start to multiply haphazardly in various parts of the body. The cells in an individual’s body serve specific functions and have fixed lifespans. Unfortunately, the cancerous cells lack those components and as a result they continue to grow using the oxygen and nutrients that would have been used to develop other cells (Skouras & Parks, 2015). In so doing, they not only diminish the body’s immune system but also cause changes that limit its proper and regular functioning. These cancer cells are also capable of disintegrating from the original mass of cells, spread through the lymph system and settle in other organs in the process termed as metastasis. According to reports, there were over 2 million new cancer diagnosis in 2018 and about 600,000 cancer deaths in America and overall accounted for close to 10 million deaths worldwide (Fletcher, Wilson, Hutchinson & Grunfeld, 2018).
There are several factors that have been attributed to cause cancer and what the majority of them have in common is the fact that they result from poor living habits and choices. Some of these factors include heavy smoking, excessive alcohol consumption, poor nutrition, physical inactivity and excess body weight among others (Skouras & Parks, 2015). Also, the other unpreventable risk factor that has been identified is age with reports indicating that more than 87% of the cases diagnosed in the US occur in people above the age of 50 years (Skouras & Parks, 2015). Cancer has also been attributed to be caused by genetic factors when there are changes in the genes that result in faulty instructions. For instance, if there are changes to the genes tasked with production of proteins then some of the functions such as repair of damaged cells will also be impacted and eventually lead to one of the types of cancer. According to reports, there are over 100 forms of cancer including bladder, colon and rectal, endometrial, kidney, leukemia, liver, melanoma, pancreatic and thyroid cancer among others (Skouras & Parks, 2015). As it was mentioned above, cancer cells tend to spread to various organs with ineffective treatment and therefore result in the various forms.
Medical experts suggest that the earlier cancer is detected and diagnosed the better are the chances of curing it and ensuring complete recovery for the patient. Through the routine and regular physical self-examinations, medical practitioners are able to diagnose some of the cancer forms including skin, rectum, breast and prostate cancers (Skouras & Parks, 2015). However, majority of the different types of cancer tend to be diagnosed when tumors are felt or when symptoms have already began to develop. In some cases, the various forms of cancer are diagnosed during the treatment of other medical conditions.
Nonetheless, it is very important to have a complete diagnosis to ascertain the presence of cancerous cells and the extent of the condition in an individual’s body. To do, it is vital to complete a physical examination and have an understanding of the patient’s medical history. In that regard, laboratory tests of the blood, urine and stool have to be conducted to determine any abnormalities in the patient’s cells that may lead to cancer (Skouras & Parks, 2015). In cases where tumors have been detected, imaging tests such as CT, MRI and fiber optic endoscopy should be carried out to identify their exact locations in the body. Furthermore, biopsies are also conducted where tissue samples are removed from the tumor region and scrutinized in detail through a microscope for the cancer cells. With positive cancer diagnosis, a follow-up phase termed as staging ensues to ascertain specific information about the cancer.
Cancer staging is a crucial phase in the treatment process and helps to determine the extent of the cancerous cells in the body and where they are located. Through staging, doctors are able to establish a prognosis an effective treatment plan for the patient (Nayak & Goel, 2011). There are four distinct types of staging. The first type is clinical staging which determines the extent of the cancer based on the physical examinations and imaging tests on the affected areas. The second type is the pathologic staging which identifies the exploration of the cancer after surgical procedures to remove the tumors. The third type is post-therapy staging which explores the extent of the cancer after chemo or hormone therapy and before any surgical procedures are performed (Nayak & Goel, 2011). The fourth type is restaging which relates to an examination of the cancer that has reoccurred after successful treatment. Overall, staging involves location of the tumors and their extent in the body, lymph node involvement and whether the cancer is capable of spreading to other organs. Majority of the different types of cancer are divided into four stages depending on their severity. Stage is four is the deadliest and usually means that the cancer has not responded to the various forms of treatment that have been administered and has spread to other organs (Nayak & Goel, 2011). Patients with stage four cancers usually have few months to live and are mostly put on medications