During an annual examination, an older patient tells the nurse, "I don't understand why I need to have so many cancer screening tests now. I feel just fine!" Based on the knowledge of neoplastic disease and the aging immune system, what teaching should the nurse include in the patient's plan of care? Select all that apply.
a) The immune system is integrated with other psychophysiologic processes and is regulated by the brain. Aging of the brain can have immunologic consequences and can affect neural and endocrine function increasing the risk of cancer development.
b) Tumor cells may possess special blocking factors that coat tumor cells and prevent their destruction by killer T lymphocytes; therefore, the body may not recognize the tumor as foreign and fail to destroy the malignant cells. Routine screening increases the chance of finding and treating cancer early.
c) Education about the importance of adhering to a recommended vaccine schedule should be initiated to boost the immune system function.
d) Nutritional intake to support a competent immune response plays an important role in reducing the incidence of cancer. A healthy diet including protein, vitamins, minerals, and some fats can alter the risk of cancer development.
e) The increase in occurrence of autoimmune diseases due to aging strongly suggests a predisposition to various types of cancer due to the body's inability to differentiate between self and nonself. Routine screening increases the chance of finding and treating cancer early.
Answer: B, E & D.
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