Monday, September 12, 2011

Prostate cancer = weaken immunity

Prostate cancer = weaken immunity?
I'm currently doing a nursing assignment on prostate cancer, one part of it is discussing the health issues that a terminal prostate cancer has on a palliative care patient. I've been researching on the Internet and haven't been able to find anything directly to support that Prostate cancer could cause a weaken immunity. I'd really appreciate it if anyone had any information? Thank-you all in advance! :)
Cancer - 3 Answers
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1 :
The cancer itself will not cause a failed immunity because the cancer comes directly from the patient's own body and the white cells do not recognize them as a threat. What will happen during prostate cancer is when they have chemo or radiation. Especially chemo. Now, to the body, this is foreign and the white cells are going to attack it rendering the patient very susceptible and weak which in turn cause infections. If that happens, the white cells now have to attack the infection. Again, weakened immunity. If the patient does not have chemo, like my father -in-law, then the cancer can put the entire body in a state of fatigue. We know the role of red blood cells and white blood cells. Anytime there is a disease in the body that is not and autoimmune disease, the immune system will attack and every time it goes after the bacteria or bad germs that enter the body, of course the person will be weak. The answer to this could go on and on but I think you get the idea. I hope anyway. Good luck in nursing school A noble profession if I do say so myself. Hmm,..I just did. Have fun
2 :
1) I have taken care of men who have prostatectomy for prostate cancer very frequently. I'm not aware of any association between prostate cancer and a weaken immune system 2) The only association I can think of is if the cancer spreads and the patient attempted some type of chemo and/or radiation treatment to shrink the tumors, thus causing bone marrow suppression. (Prostate cancer tends to spread to the pelvic bones.) The biggest issue surround the care of a person with terminal prostate cancer is pain control.
3 :
Weaken immunity in prostate cancer: - Pain - patients are tired of fighting against their pain (that sometimes doesn't stop with pain-killers), and they feel weak. - If the cancer is at advanced state (metastasis), neighbor organs will suffer the consequences that would influence weakness. - Diet - cancer patients lacks appetite, and this will cause nutritional deficiencies (and weak immunity) - Cancer treatment (either chemotherapy, radiations or other invasive interventions) will weaken the immunity. - Psychological patterns (usually affect cancer patients) associated with "bad" humor substances release will influence weakness of immunity. - Cancer is often associated with other diseases or conditions (opportunistic that flourish when cancer), which will aggravate the weakness of your immunity.

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