Introduction
Cancer is not just a single disease and cancer prognosis gives the affected individuals as well as its families what is likely the course and the expected outcome. Cancer prognosis can tell individuals as well as its families what percentage the client will recover from the disease condition.
History
Cancer develops when cells in a part of the body begin to grow out of control. Cancer cells continue to grow and divide even when there is no need to do so. Instead of dying, they outlive normal cells and continue to form new abnormal cells. They compete with normal cells for the blood supply and nutrients that normal cells need. When cancer cells travel through the blood or lymph system and invade other tissues and organs to form a secondary tumor, the process is called metastasis.
Factors
There are many factors that affect a client’s cancer prognosis. Below is a list of factors.
Type and location of the cancer:
Medical professionals base cancer prognosis on the information collated by the researchers or the results of the research conducted to people affected with cancer. Different types of cancer may lead to different cancer prognosis. Breast and colon cancer may not have the same prognosis or survival rates.
Stage of the disease:
Stage 1 and stage 2 disease condition may have a good cancer prognosis with a 5-year survival rate. Hormonal and other therapies may improve symptoms. Stage 3 involves lymph nodes and the number of lymph nodes affected determines the prognosis. Stage 4 may have the worst prognosis. Not all stage 4 cases can survive the condition.
Grade of the disease:
It helps to determine how abnormal the cancer cells look and how the malignant cells are likely to invade other areas or targets. The TNM tumor system is utilized for classifying tumors, the extent to which the cancer has spread as well as it helps determine the cancer prognosis. T indicates the extent of the tumors. N indicates lymph node involvement. M indicates distant metastasis.
Age and general health of the individual:
Older individuals as well as children may have low cancer prognosis since their immune system cannot handle the demands of the disease. The immune system plays a vital role in the development and spread of cancer. When the immune system is compromised or impaired as with older adults, people with organ transplants or individuals who are receiving immunosuppressant drugs, the cancer prognosis may be bad.
Chromosomal abnormalities and blood abnormalities:
These may greatly affect individuals who have cancers of the blood or bone marrow.
Tips and comments
Having cancer prognosis is a big help not just to the client but as well as to its family. It enables them to be prepared regarding the disease and condition. They are told in advance what to expect so that they can plan ahead of time on what is the right thing to do. The prognosis may change depending upon the course of treatment the patient takes. The decision whether to know the cancer prognosis is solely dependent on the client.
