Type of Cancer

What are the primary prevention/lifestyle strategies that are associated with lower rates of this type of cancer?

What are the common elements in this list that you would recommend to your patients when teaching about healthy lifestyles? Some of the prevention strategies for breast cancer can be holistically applied to the general teaching of healthy lifestyles. Limiting alcohol intake, weight control and healthy diets can benefit all people. These lifestyle changes have multiple beneficial health impacts. These would be the most necessary to explain to a patient when conducting a lesson about healthy lifestyle choices.

What are the currently identified secondary prevention strategies that are important to early detection of these individual cancers?

Why do individuals seek screening or why not? What could nurses do to increase the appropriate levels of screening?

Breast Cancer

There are some prevention strategies that may decrease the risk of breast cancer. They include exercise, limitation of alcohol consumption, weight control, breast feeding infants, discontinue hormone therapy, and avoid exposure to environmental pollution. Diets high in fiber, low in fat and limiting intake of foods cooked in high heat can also prevent breast cancer.

Early detection is key when discussing breast cancer. It is suggested to perform a breast selfexam once per month a few days after menstruation has ended. Mammograms are recommended for women over 40 every year. If there is an indication of breast cancer in the family, physicians may suggest earlier mammograms. Clinical breast exams are also recommended for women 18-30 every 3 years, and every year for women 40+.

Individuals that seek screening do so because they have felt a lump, or are following precautionary guidelines. Some individuals seek screenings due to family history of breast cancer. Those whom decide not to get screened can have their own reasons. One of the major reasons is because they may be scared. Some people may also think that it could never happen to them. Overall, nurses can really stress the benefit of early detection and explain to patients the need for caution. Overall, nurses and other medical professionals have the authority to suggest these exams.

Lung Cancer (Bronchogenic Carcinoma)

-Smoking is the number one preventable cause of lung disease. Lung cancer is 10 times more likely in patients that smoke. - never chew tobacco - try to avoid second

-Damage that smoking brings on to lungs and cardiovascular system (both when you physically smoke it and when you inhale it from second-hand)

- get tested early and regularly if you have a family history because that can make you up to 3 times more likely than the general population regardless of smoking - get tested/screened if you have an extensive

- chronic cough is a symptom and should get checked out quickly if one develops (if sputum production it is more serious) -dyspnea is also a sign of lung cancer

hand smoke. - stay safe if working with exposure to industrial carcinogens (arsenic, asbestos, mustard gas, chromates, coal, nickel, oil, and radiation) - air pollutions can cause harm to lungs and lead to lung cancer (motor vehicle emissions and pollutants from refineries and manufacturing plants) Prostate Cancer -Checking family history, including the pts genogram is an important part of prevention. Frequent full health checks is also important. n -If the PSA (prostate specific antigen) and DRE (digital rectal examination) are positive the pt needs follow-up which might include a more specific biopsy -Low fat, high fiber diets and limiting food cooked in high heat are primary prevention strategies -New - cancer vaccine sipuleucel-T (Provenge) was approved for metastatic hormonerefractory prostate cancer

- ware proper masks and selfprotection if their line of work includes being exposed to carcinogens - be careful of exposure that your surrounds force you to encounter; be careful in big cities

smoking history

and should get screened. - family history is a major reason to get screened sooner rather than later - nurses need to educate patients more on symptoms and dangers of certain lifestyles to increase testing and screening

It is recommended that people maintain a normal weight by limiting consumption of energy dense foods and sugary drinks, eat plant based food, limit red and processed meat, and limit alcohol. Some evidence supports a vegetarian or vegan diet. Consuming fish appears to lower prostate cancer deaths but not the occurrence of prostate cancer. Omega-3 fatty acids are unlikely to prevent prostate cancer.

Getting screened beginning at age 40, if pt is at high risk is a secondary prevention mechanism. At risk pts are African Americans and pts with a first degree relative in their history. If the pt is not at high risk, PSA and DRE begins at age 50 once a year.

African American males and pts who have had a family history of prostate cancer usually choose to begin screening as early as 45. All others begin screening at 50 and get it done yearly. Prostate cancer often doesnt have many symptoms associated with it. Only about of people suffer from symptoms which can include problems with urination (nocturia, hematuria, etc) and sexual dysfunction. Nurses and health care professionals can really help with explaining the importance of getting screened since prostate cancer is the leading cancer in men. Individuals seek screening mainly if there is a family

Ovarian

-Ovarian cancer cannot be prevented, often times it is related to

-Maintaining a healthy diet and active lifestyle is

-Annual pelvic exams are recommended for any first degree relatives of

genetics or your family history. -Eating a healthy diet and staying active are good ways to try and stay healthy and lower your risk of cancer or other diseases.

important for not only the prevention of cancer but other diseases too. -Birth control pills can also help with preventing unwanted pregnancies.

an ovarian cancer patient -Gene testing for the BRCA1 and BRCA2 gene -pelvic ultrasounds and CA-125 levels every 6 months -Taking birth control pills for at least 5 years has been shown to reduce risk by 50%

history. In most cases, it is very difficult to detect in the early stages. Some may not get screened because they are scared and dont want to know or think that since there are no symptoms there is no need to be screened. Nurses can try and educate them about how screening is important regardless if there are symptoms or not and make people aware of the severity of ovarian cancer. Individuals may choose to get screened for cervical cancer when they experience abnormal bleeding from the vagina or a menstrual cycle that they cannot explain. Pain during sex is also associated with cervical cancer. Some individuals may choose not to get screened because they think it it is just an unusual menstrual cycle or it will regulate itself. Another reason against getting screened for any type of cancer is lack of insurance. Going to a specialist such as a gynecologist for an exam can be expensive without insurance and people may find that there

Cervical Cancer

-Limiting number of sexual partners, abstaining from smoking, and avoiding sexual activity at an early age are all primary prevention strategies associated with lower rates of cervical cancer and the human papillomavirus (HPV). -Eating a diet low in fat and exercising 3 or more times a week is also associated with prevention of any kind of cancer.

-Some recommendations that should be made while teaching a patient about healthy lifestyles include limiting ones number of sexual partners and if sexually active use a condom. Having unprotected sex increases ones risk for HIV and other STDs which can increase the risk factor for developing cervical cancer. -Other healthy lifestyle recommendations include not smoking, exercising regularly and eating a low fat diet.

Early detection is the key factor in dealing with cervical cancer. Some secondary prevention strategies that are very important in detecting cervical cancer include the HPV vaccine (commonly known as Gardasil), gynecologic exams and PAP smears annually when sexually active or when female reaches age 21 and following up with ones gynecologist is PAP smear results are abnormal.

are other things that they need to spend their money on than a medical exam. The primary action that nurses can take to increase levels of screening is education. If patients have a better knowledge of how important early detection and treatment of cervical cancer is, they may be more likely to get screened regularly.

Group: Katie Larivee, Jennifer Paffmann, Rebecca Horton, Colleen Connor and Maddi Wechsler.