NCP for Hepatoma
Hepatoma
A hepatoma is a cancer that starts in the liver. It is the most common type of cancer originating in the liver.
Symptoms
The first signs of the disease may include :
- Abdominal pain
- Weight loss
- Large mass that can be felt in the upper right section of the abdomen
People who have had cirrhosis for a long time may also experience :
- Sudden feeling of illness
- Fever
- Sudden abdominal pain and shock (very low blood pressure) caused by a rupture or bleeding of the tumor
Causes and Risk Factors
Risk factors for hepatoma include :
- Long-standing cases of cirrhosis (severe scarring of the liver)
- Chronic infection with hepatitis B
- Chronic infection with hepatitis C
- Certain food fungi
Diagnosis
At first, symptoms may not offer clues that the disease is present. When the person has had cirrhosis for a long time and a tumor can be felt in the abdomen, the doctor will suspect hepatoma.
Other ways to detect the disease include :
- Ultrasound
- Computed tomography (CT) scans
- Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI)scans
- Liver biopsy. For this, a small sample of tissue is taken for examination under a microscope.
Treatment
The survival rate for people with hepatoma is poor. This is because the tumor is usually discovered at a later stage.
Treatment options include :
- Surgery, if the tumor is small
- Chemotherapy. This can slow the growth of the tumor but not cure the cancer.
Nursing Care Plan for Hepatoma
Nursing Assessment
On physical examination can be obtained :
- Ascites
- Jaundice
- Hypoalbuminemia
- Splenomegaly, spider nevi, palmar eritoma, edema.
In general, nursing assessment in patients with hepatoma, including :
- Metabolic disorders
- Bleeding
- Ascites
- Edema
- Hipoproteinemia
- Jaundice / icterus
- Endocrine Complications
- Activities were disrupted by treatment.
Nursing Diagnosis for Hepatoma
Based on the above assessment, the nursing diagnoses that often arises is :
- Malnutrition: Weight loss related to anorexia, nausea, impaired absorption, metabolism of vitamins.
- Ineffectiveness of breathing related to the existence of ascites and emphasis diapragma.
- Pain related to abdominal wall tension
- Lack of fluids and electrolytes related to excessive ascites, bleeding, and edema
- The risk of infection related to a deficiency of white blood cells
- The risk of skin integrity problems related to pruritus, edema, and ascites
- Se.ual dysfunction related to hormonal dysfunction and decreased libido
- Anxiety related to hospitalization
- Lack of knowledge about the disease process and its causes
- Social isolation related to the risk of spreading infection.
