Essential Knowledge for Nurses About Cancer

Cancer is a group of diseases characterized by the uncontrolled growth and spread of abnormal cells.

Omdraaien

The most common types of cancer include breast cancer, lung cancer, prostate cancer, colorectal cancer, and skin cancer.

Omdraaien

Primary risk factors include smoking, excessive alcohol consumption, poor diet, lack of physical activity, exposure to certain chemicals and radiation, and genetic predisposition.

Omdraaien

Cancer is typically diagnosed through a combination of physical examinations, imaging tests (such as X-rays, CT scans, and MRIs), laboratory tests (including blood and urine tests), and biopsies.

Omdraaien

A biopsy is a medical procedure in which a small sample of tissue is removed from the body for examination under a microscope to determine the presence of cancer cells.

Omdraaien

Staging describes the extent of cancer in the body, including the size of the tumor, and whether it has spread to nearby lymph nodes or other organs.

Omdraaien

The most common staging systems are the TNM system (Tumor, Node, Metastasis) and the number staging system (stages I-IV).

Omdraaien

The TNM system classifies cancer based on the size and extent of the primary tumor (T), whether cancer has spread to nearby lymph nodes (N), and whether there are distant metastases (M).

Omdraaien