A patient, diagnosed with cancer, has been receiving radiation ...

[charchew]

A patient, diagnosed with cancer, has been receiving radiation treatments to shrink the tumor. After several weeks, the patient tells the nurse that he does not need as much pain medication as before.
 
  What would explain the reduction of pain for this patient?
 
  1. The radiation treatments reduced the size of the tumor and pressure on adjacent tissues.
  2. The tumor is secreting pain-control chemicals initiated by the radiation.
  3. The patient is getting used to having pain.
  4. The patient's pain receptors have been affected by the cancer.

Question 2

The nurse is preparing to assess a patient who is newly diagnosed with cancer. What should the nurse include in this assessment?
 
  1. body image concerns
  2. increased leukocytes
  3. bone pain
  4. increased hunger

[Kedrick2014]

Answer to Question 1

Correct Answer: 1
Direct tumor involvement is the primary cause of the pain experienced by people with cancer. The pain from tumor involvement is believed to be mechanical, resulting from stretching of tissues and compression. Radiation treatments that are successfully shrinking a tumor would reduce the amount of tissue compression by the tumor and reduce the pain. The tumor is not secreting pain-control chemicals initiated by the radiation. The patient is not getting used to having pain. The patient's pain receptors have not been affected by the cancer.

Answer to Question 2

Correct Answer: 1
There are several physical and psychologic effects that occur in a patient diagnosed with cancer. One of these effects is body image concerns. The patient's leukocytes are usually decreased, not increased. Bone pain will depend upon the type of cancer. A change in appetite can occur, although is it usually a loss of appetite.