(^512) Medical-Surgical Nursing Demystified
- Decisional conflict
- Personal identity disturbance
NURSING INTERVENTIONS
- Explain to the patient:
- Bodily changes.
- Effects of HRT and ERT.
Ovarian Cancer
Ovarian cancer is the deadliest gynecological cancer because it is usually ad-
vanced before it is detected. There is no proven screening test for ovarian
cancer. There are no definitive early signs. Some women experience vague abdom-
inal discomfort and bloating.
WHAT WENT WRONG?
A woman who has never had a child or who has had only one or two children, is
at higher risk for ovarian cancer. Women with a history of breast cancer, colon
cancer, or a family history of these are at a higher risk of ovarian cancer. There is
an association between endometriosis and ovarian cancer.
PROGNOSIS
Unfortunately, prognosis for ovarian cancer is poor. Over 75 percent of women
are diagnosed at an advanced stage. The prognosis is more grim if the CA-125
level is elevated, and if the disease has spread. The higher the staging, the worse
the prognosis. Of stage IV patients, 5 percent survive five years.
HALLMARK SIGNS AND SYMPTOMS
- Bloating from the enlarging tumor
- Pelvic mass
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