Cancer Nursing: Principles and Practice, 5th Edition

Cancer Nursing: Principles andPractice is widely considered tobe the basic textbook on cancer nursing. With this edition, every chapter hasbeen updated to reflect the latest research and references, and many of thechapters now include website addresses for additional resources. As in pasteditions, the revised version of Cancer Nursing continues to present the mostcomprehensive information on oncology nursing from leading cancer nursingexperts.

Written by 106 contributors (35 of whom are new since the lastedition), the 85 chapters are divided into nine sections. Part I, The CancerProblem, has been reorganized and updated, reflecting the increase in scientificknowledge regarding genes and cancer. Taking the reader through introductorymaterial on cancer biology, immunology, carcinogenesis, and epidemiology, thissection is well written and contains clear tables and illustrations thatfacilitate our understanding of these complex and continually evolvingphenomena. Indeed, the book is very well illustrated overall, with a total of327 illustrations, including 16 color plates.

Part II contains six chapters on prevention, detection, anddiagnosis, including a well-organized and beautifully illustrated chapter on thenurse’s vital role in history assessment, physical examination, screening, andeducation. Since early detection and comprehensive diagnostic evaluationscontinue to be key for controlling the associated morbidity and cost of cancer,the reader will find the chapter on diagnostic evaluations, classifications, andstaging to contain important material for review.

Part III offers 16 chapters on treatment, bringing the reader upto date on the principles of chemotherapy, biotherapy, and bonemarrow/hematopoietic cell transplantation. This discussion provides an excellentunderstanding of acute and chronic treatment complications and how they aremanaged.

The editors are to be commended on their coverage ofradiotherapy, which includes several extremely well-written chapters that havebeen expanded to provide a more comprehensive discussion of this modality. Onechapter permits readers to feel as if they are being given a tour of aradiotherapy department, with concise information regarding the machines thatdeliver the therapy. This chapter is nicely illustrated with 13 figures oftreatment simulators and positioning devices.

Covering symptom management, part IV contains 10 chapters on theassessment and treatment of cancer pain, infection, bleeding, fatigue,nutritional disturbances, hypercalcemia, paraneoplastic syndrome, malignanteffusions, and sexual and reproductive dysfunction. The editors might considerexpanding this section to incorporate the prevention, treatment, and managementof toxicities related to therapy.

In response to reader requests, a new section on oncologicemergencies has been added to this edition as part V. These chapters covercardiac tamponade, disseminated intravascular coagulation, septic shock, spinalcord compression, superior vena cava syndrome, syndrome of inappropriateantidiuretic hormone, and tumor lysis syndrome. The text includes the scope ofthe problem, physiologic alterations, clinical manifestations, physicalassessment, and therapeutic approaches.

Part VI, entitled The Care of Individuals With Cancer, iscomprised of 24 chapters covering 24 diseases, from AIDS-related malignancies tovulvar and vaginal cancer. These chapters incorporate the most currentinformation regarding etiology, therapeutic approaches, management of symptoms,and supportive care.

Part VII, The Cancer Survivor, has three chapters that cover thepsychological responses to cancer, as well as the physical, economic, and socialissues confronting patients and families. The last chapter in this sectiondelves effectively into spiritual and ethical end-of-life concerns.

Part VIII, Issues in the Delivery of Care, contains sixchapters, four of which are newly revised. One chapter outlines the challengesto providing quality care in a health-care system that seeks to reduce hospitalstays and health-care costs, and a health-care environment in which largesegments of the most vulnerable members of society (eg, nonwhite, poor, and lesseducated) have less-than-equal access to health care. The need for nursingresearch in this area is emphasized as a means of improving and refiningpractice to ensure optimal outcomes.

Part IX addresses professional issues for the cancer nurse. Thechapter on informatics is timely and provides a foundation of knowledge forcancer nurses regarding this important area of technology and its impact oncancer care. A chapter entitled Policy, Politics, and Oncology Nursingencourages nurses to use national and state professional nursing organizationsas well as specialty nursing organizations to keep abreast of the influences andresulting legislative priorities and initiatives. The authors point out thatastute nurses who are proactive can influence change and will be better preparedfor roles in the health-care system of the future.

Finally, a chapter on resources for cancer nursing has beenextensively expanded, reformatted, and indexed so that information is readilyavailable and easily located. The information is current and is compiled from avariety of health- and oncology-related organizations and Internet resources.