Diagnosis and Treatment of Cancer - Research Paper Example

Key Words: Cancer, Medical Practitioner/Personnel, developing s/countries, Thesis: Undeniably, despite medical fieldpresently boasting of advanced knowhow on how to treat and diagnose cancer, the condition continues to present varied challenges to the affected parties mostly intensified by ignorance, gender, ethnicity, and unstable economy statuses. Introduction Cancer despite being a menace in the current world, its impacts have challenged the medical field besides the involved parties. The latter comprise of relatives and caregivers who due to ignorance fail to understand the victims’ condition and how to handle them effectively. Other issues contributing to the worsening of cancer’s challenges encompass gender and unstable economic statuses mostly affecting the ailing besides close people. This is especially in the developing states or in regions where culture esteems the male gender to the extent of some experiencing fecal embarrassment when undergoing medical checkups (Consedine et al E410). Unstable economic statuses mainly characterize the developing states whereby numerous states are unable to avail necessary cancer awareness facilities to the natives (Ryder et al 3627). Hence, this leads to severe suffering to the citizens who to some point few cite to have attended cancer screening tests, for instance, women’s Pap smear test (Agunwah et al 364). This is because of utter ignorance that augments cancer severity among numerous citizens though limited by both their individual and states’ unstable economies (Ryder et al 3627). Scholarly studies contacted so far cite ignorance (knowledge deficits) as one of the challenges hindering effective management of cancer (Van der Rijt et al 1370). Hence, this poses a formidable challenge to the patients, professionals and caregivers whereby the latter two ends up not being of any help to the victims despite their will to offer required assistance (Van der Rijt et al 1371). This is via alleviating their pain and aiding them in undertaking certain personal tasks, which due to their condition they are unable to handle them effectively. Van der Rijt et al in their study cites categorically knowledge deficit as the key aspect that characterizes numerous patients and medical practitioners. This is because of the latter’s knowledge deficit regarding pain assessment, which could have been leant early via multidisciplinary studies (Van der Rijt et al 1370). Hence, in turn fail to educate patients on how to manage their varied cancer predicaments, which results to painful experiences while away from their respective medical institutions. This is because at home neither the patient nor the caregivers know exactly what to do in alleviating or assessing pain that will alert them to seek timely medical intervention (Van der Rijt et al 1375). According to Van der Rijt et al study, multidisciplinary interventions considerably reduce pain. However, respective authorities ought to ensure adequate imparting of the medical practitioners with this knowledge. Since, they will also inform caregivers who will accordingly apply the knowhow while handling their ailing relatives in the absence of medical personnel. Inadequate level of education is also another aspect worsening ignorance especially in the developing states, for instance, Enugu in Nigeria (Agunwah et al 362). This is especially among the female gender where most of them due to illiteracy do not see the essence of going for Pap smear tests. Hence, contribute to high mortality rates because only 4.2% of the women’s population in this region contends to have attended cancer screening tests in their lifetime (Agunwah et al 361). However, this percentage does not indicate the attending consistency, which one ought to keep on cancer screening at certain intervals. This leads to people who have gotten cancer resurfacing when the condition is at an advanced stage, whereby the available services for them only work to prolong their lives, but not to prevent or cure the malady (Agunwah et al 365). Gender has also immensely contributed to the worsening of cancer challenges though in various ways. This is evident during testing, diagnosis, prevention and management where patients due to some personal reasons based on gender, shun these medical procedures (Mcilfatrick et al 769). Hence, emerge when the disease is at an advanced stage or incurable. According to Mcilfatrick et al, a big percent of the male gender exhibit negative attitude towards cancer prevention. This is especially during testing where majority complain of both fecal and rectal embarrassments despite tested by their same-gender physicians (Consedine et al E411). Consequently, this poses an insurmountable challenge to the prevention, management and effective treatment of cancer (Consedine et al E410). This is because male patients extends this predicament to their relatives and sometimes spouses especially when assisting them with their personal tasks. For instance, ailing fathers can only receive attention or assistance from their wives whereby the other people when attending them is difficult. Since, one needs to have privacy whereby it is only their spouses who can adequately help them with their personal tasks, for instance, taking a shower. This issue especially by the male gender makes other relatives unable to attend them as necessitated because some are yet to come into terms with what their member is experiencing, for instance, the children. Studies despite citing embarrassment among both genders, they have emphasized heightened percentage among the men (Consedine et al E412). Probably, this is because of their egocentric nature whereby some yield to medical procedures once compelled by pressures either from their family members or the need to recuperate but not to prevent cancer. In addition, Consedine et al in his Colorectal Cancer Screening Embarrassment study, claims Jamaicans exhibited heightened embarrassment contrary to both European Americans and African Americans (Consedine et al E413). This implies that gender issue varies also across ethnic groups, though the exact reason is unknown. Gender issue has also contributed to the emotional suffering among the family members especially where the wife is the one ailing (Stein, Gillian, Plumb & Ziebland 96). This is because fathers do not have adequate knowledge on how to care for their children once their spouse is ailing (Stein, Gillian, Plumb & Ziebland 97). Unstable economy statuses have also contributed to the worsening of this menace’s challenges so far experienced by cancer victims and their caregivers (Ryder et al 3627). Mostly, this condition characterizes developing states where medical personnel do not have adequate knowledge meant to tackle the issue of cancer as necessitated. Since, the state is unable to avail the necessary facilities both in the medical field and educational institutions. This is by introducing multidisciplinary education that would instruct medical practitioners on how to treat, manage and prevent cancer (Ryder et al 3627). Hence, this inadequacy has resulted to the high prevalence due to the states’ limited resources that prevent them from implementing certain effective measures meant to curb cancer incidences (Ryder et al 3628). Mostly, this is evident in developing states (Sub-Saharan states) where only the well-off manage to access the necessary cancer treatment though some opt to seek it in foreign states (Ryder et al 3628). This is because most of the facilities found in their states are underdeveloped besides being too pricey for the ordinary people, who after diagnosed with the disease see their lives to have already come to an abrupt end. This is an immense challenge both to the patient and those close to him or her despite wishing for a quick recovery of their relative, they are unable to afford the required treatment. Hence, result to watching their loved one experiencing severe pain and eventually dying. This is due to the states’ inability to avail adequate facilities meant to inform both the public and medical staff regarding cancer (Ryder et al 3627). Ethnicity is another aspect that has considerably intensified cancer malady, which is evident globally (Consedine et al E412). However, this aspect varies significantly across ethnic groups due to diverse norms, which they normally hold regarding being too much open to another person. According to Consedine et al study that involved European Americans, African Americans and Jamaicans, the latter reported fecal embarrassment compared to the other two ethnic groups (Consedine et al E412). This is especially among the male gender despite their testing undertaken by same-gender physicians. This translates to the aspect of feeling unease especially by Jamaicans in attending cancer screening tests because of embarrassment. Hence, this intensifies cancer malady despite global regimes (in developed states) through their respective authorities availing adequate cancer prevention facilities. Since, most of the people emanating from these ethnic groups tend to shy away from screening tests citing of embarrassment. Mainly, this is especially if the tests involved encompass private areas, for instance, suppose the practitioner intends to examine one’s rectum. Conclusion Cancer despite presenting varied challenges to the involved parties; factors like ignorance, ethnicity, gender and unstable economy statuses continue to intensify it. Mostly, these factors emerge due to knowledge deficits characterizing patients, professionals and even caregivers charged with the mandate of availing adequate care once the victims are out of their respective medical institutions. However, both individual and states’ economic statuses have considerably contributed to the worsening of the cancer menace. This is because states via their respective authorities ought to avail adequate information to the public besides imparting medical personnel with multidisciplinary knowledge. Since, this will shun other factors from emerging that have led to the worsening of cancer menace, for instance, gender. Cancer so far has turned to be a threatening malady to numerous states due to lack of adequate information. This is especially on how to treat or care for victims and family members once one of the spouses is ailing before coping well with the situation (Stein, Gillian, Plumb & Ziebland 97). Work Cited Agunwah, E., et al. "Knowledge Attitudes And Practices Of Cervical Cancer Screening Among Urban And Rural Nigerian Women: A Call For Education And Mass Screening." European Journal Of Cancer Care 20.3 (2011): 362-367. Academic Search Complete. Web. 20 Mar. 2013. Consedine, Nathan S., et al. "Gender And Ethnic Differences In Colorectal Cancer Screening Embarrassment And Physician Gender Preferences." Oncology Nursing Forum 38.6 (2011): E409-E417. Academic Search Complete. Web. 20 Mar. 2013. Mcilfatrick, S. et al. "Attitudes To Cancer And Cancer Prevention: What Do People Aged 35-54 Years Think?." European Journal Of Cancer Care 19.6 (2010): 769-777. Academic Search Complete. Web. 20 Mar. 2013. Ryder, Robert, W., et al. "Cancer Care Challenges In Developing Countries." Cancer (0008543X) 118.4 (2012): 3627-3635. Academic Search Complete. Web. 20 Mar. 2013. Stein, Alan., Gillian, Forrest., Plumb, Caroline & Ziebland, Sue. "Breast Cancer In Young Families: A Qualitative Interview Study Of Fathers And Their Role And Communication With Their Children Following The Diagnosis Of Maternal Breast Cancer." Psycho- Oncology 18.1 (2009): 96-103. Academic Search Complete. Web. 20 Mar. 2013. van der Rijt, C. C. et al. "A Systematic Review On Barriers Hindering Adequate Cancer Pain Management And Interventions To Reduce Them: A Critical Appraisal." European Journal Of Cancer 45.8 (2009): 1370-1380. Academic Search Complete. Web. 20 Mar. 2013. Read More