Response 1 on colorectal cancer

Thank you for the post on preventative guidelines for colorectal cancer screening and how they can be applied to the two patients in the scenario. I would like to bring to attention two patient education resources that the patients can use to understand colorectal cancer. One is from the National Cancer Institute (2021). The resources provide an overview of colorectal cancer and provide patients information on causes and prevention, screening, treatment, research, statistics, and ways to cope with cancer. For instance, the section on coping with cancer addresses the many issues and concerns that occur when a patient has cancer. Marvin, the 67-year-old male who is concerned about colon cancer returning can be referred to the guidelines by the National Cancer Institute on survivorship. The section provides information on follow-up medical care and the late effects of cancer treatment which the patient might be interested in (National Cancer Institute, 2021). ​Another important resource would be the educational information for colorectal cancer patients from the Colorectal Cancer Alliance (CCA) (2021). CCA is an organization that raises awareness, provides support to patients, and inspires efforts to fund research to end colorectal cancer. The organization provides resources on the state of diagnosis, treatment, side effects, managing the disease, personalized treatment programs, and getting support (Colorectal Cancer Alliance, 2021). The Personalized treatment section would be particularly useful in the case of Jimmy since he is mentally challenged and would need care tailored to his condition. The resource would be shared with his caretaker. References Colorectal Cancer Alliance (2021). Critical resources and information about colon and rectal cancer. https://www.ccalliance.org/colorectal-cancer-information/resources-for-patients National Cancer Institute (2021). Colorectal cancer – Patient version. https://www.cancer.gov/types/colorectal

Response 2 on Prostarte cancer

You did a great job on your post this week. According to the American Cancer Society, the process of a man being screened for prostate cancer should first be discussed with the individual’s health care provider. The health care provider should review the person’s risk factors before further advising them about screening. Generally, it is recommended that men with an average risk for prostate cancer start screening with a digital rectal exam and PSA blood-level exam when they hit the age of 50. If the man is of the age of 40 and has a first degree relative who had prostate cancer, he should be screened immediately (2020). It is also important to note if a patient has a PSA level that is 2.5 ng/ml or higher, they should have their screening done yearly. If the PSA is less than 2.5 ng/ml, the man only needs to get retested every two years (2020). A helpful link for you is the from the American Cancer society where I found further information on this topic- https://www.cancer.org/cancer/prostate-cancer/detection-diagnosis-staging/acs-recommendations.html An additional resource that had useful information regarding prostate cancer screening and guidelines was from the CDC. According to the CDC, men who are over the age of seventy do not need to be screened for prostate cancer routinely. An individual should talk to their doctor early for prostate cancer screening if they have a history of this cancer or are African American. The major benefit to screening for prostate cancer is the possibility of finding the cancer early so there is a lower risk of it spreading. When the cancer is controlled and treated in the earlier stages, the patient has a better prognosis (2021). A possible harm of prostate cancer screening is false positive results. This can occur when a man has an abnormal PSA test but does not have prostate cancer. False positive tests lead to further unnecessary testing such as a biopsy of the prostate. A prostate biopsy can cause pain, blood in semen or in some cases infection (2021). References American Cancer Society recommendations for Prostate Cancer Early Detection. American Cancer Society. (2021). Retrieved November 30, 2021, from https://www.cancer.org/cancer/prostate-cancer/detection-diagnosis-staging/acs-recommendations.html. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2021, August 23). What are the benefits and harms of screening for prostate cancer? Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Retrieved November 30, 2021, from https://www.cdc.gov/cancer/prostate/basic_info/benefits-harms.htm.