Nursing Student Class Projects (Formerly MSN)

Title

Melanoma

Academic Term

Summer 7-29-2019

Document Type

Project

Course Number

NURS5330

Course Name

Advanced Pathophysiology

Professor’s Name

Dr John Chovan

Keywords

melanoma, skin, cancer, pathophysiology, scenario, nursing

Subject Categories

Family Practice Nursing | Medicine and Health Sciences | Nursing

Abstract

There are many types of skin cancer prevalent in the world today. The three most common types of skin cancer are basal cell carcinoma, squamous cell carcinoma, and melanoma (Watson et al, 2015). In the words of Hawryluk & Tsao (2014), “Melanoma is an aggressive malignancy borne of melanocytes, the pigment-generating cells of the skin”. Melanoma is known to cause the most deaths of the three main skin cancers and has many risk factors. The personal risk factors include, “family history, multiple moles, fair skin, blue eyes, red hair, and freckles” (Watson et al, p.e92, 2015). There are risk factors such as UV radiation from either outdoor sunburns or indoor tanning exposure, as well as changing socioeconomic factors (Watson et al, 2015). In 2013, malignant melanoma had an estimated 76, 690 new cases in the United States, with 9, 480 deaths, that accounts for sixty percent of deaths from skin cancers (Hawryluk & Tsao, 2014).

Melanoma is now a common occurrence in everyday practice. Nurse practitioners and physicians need to be aware of risk factors, keep watch on nevi, and consult the correct dermatological physicians if there is worry of melanoma, or any other skin cancer. The purpose of the poster presentation is to inform and educate on the pathophysiology as well as treatment and care options regarding a melanoma diagnosis.

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