Cancer and Women and Men Health The American Cancer Society estimates that by the end of 2012, more than 226,000 women will be diagnosed with breast cancer and more than 241,000 men will be diagnosed with prostate cancer (American Cancer Society, 2012a; American Cancer Society 2012b).

With such prevalence of women’s and men’s cancers, patient education and preventive services are essential. In clinical settings, advanced practice nurses must assist physicians in educating patients on risk factors, preventive services, and for patients diagnosed with cancer, on potential drug treatments. The clinical implications of women’s and men’s cancer greatly depend on early detection, which is primarily achieved through preventive services.

Cancer and Women and Men Health Assignment Requirements

In this Assignment, you consider the short-term and long-term implications of cancer and drug treatments associated with women’s and men’s health, as well as appropriate preventive services.
To prepare:
Select a type of cancer associated with women’s or men’s health such as breast, cervical, or ovarian cancer in women and prostate cancer in men.
Locate and review articles examining the type of cancer you selected.
Review the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force article in the Learning Resources. Think about available preventive services that providers might recommend for patients at risk of this type of cancer.
Select two of the following factors: genetics, gender, ethnicity, age, or behavior. Reflect on how these factors might impact decisions related to preventive services.
Consider drug treatment options for patients diagnosed with the type of cancer you selected including short-term and long-term implications of the treatments.
Write a 2- to 3- page paper that addresses the following:
Describe available preventive services that providers might recommend for patients at risk of the type of cancer you selected.
Explain how the factors you selected might impact decisions related to preventive services.
Describe drug treatment options for patients diagnosed with the type of cancer you selected. Explain the short-term and long-term implications of these treatments.
Week 11: Pediatrics
Children deal with variety of health issues similar to adults, but they also have issues that are more prevalent within their population. One issue that significantly impacts children is the prescription of drugs for off-label use. Consider the case of Rebecca Riley. When she was two years old, Riley was diagnosed with ADHD, and by age three, she was diagnosed with bipolar disorder. In the span of two years, Riley’s doctor prescribed four drugs off-label: Clonidine, Depakote, Zyprexa, and Seroquel. Riley’s doctor also approved 13 increases in drug dosages. Then, at age four, Riley died from pneumonia combined with a toxic level of prescription drugs (Lambert, 2010). Cases such as this have brought attention to the off-label use of drugs in pediatric patients, as well as the importance of monitoring patient reactions to prescribed drugs and evaluating the effects of drug-drug interactions. As an advanced practice nurse, how do you determine the appropriate use of off-label drugs in pediatrics? Are there certain drugs that should be avoided with pediatric patients?
This week you examine the practice of prescribing off-label drugs to children. You also explore strategies for making off-label drug use safer for children from infancy to adolescence as it is essential that you are prepared to make drug–related decisions for pediatric patients in clinical settings.

Cancer and Women and Men Health Learning Objectives

students will:
Evaluate the practice of prescribing off-label drugs to children
Analyze strategies to make the off-label use of drugs safer for children
Understand and apply key terms, concepts, and principles related to prescribing drugs to treat pediatric patients
Photo Credit: XiXinXing/Getty Images
Learning Resources
This page contains the Learning Resources for this week. Be sure to scroll down the page to see all of this week’s assigned Learning Resources. To access select media resources, please use the media player below.
Required Readings
Arcangelo, V. P., Peterson, A. M., Wilbur, V., & Reinhold, J. A. (Eds.). (2017). Pharmacotherapeutics for advanced practice: A practical approach (4th ed.). Ambler, PA: Lippincott Williams & Wilkins.
Review Chapter 4, “Principles of Pharmacotherapy in Pediatrics” (pp. 53-63)
This chapter explores concepts relating to drug selection, administration, and interaction for pediatric patients. It also compares age-related pharmacokinetic differences in children and adults.
Chapter 17, “Ophthalmic Disorders” (pp. 221-243)
This chapter examines the causes, pathophysiology, diagnostic criteria, and drug treatment for four ophthalmic disorders: blepharitis, conjunctivitis, keratoconjunctivitis sicca, and glaucoma. It also explores methods of monitoring patient response to treatment.
Chapter 43, “Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder” (pp. 743-756)
This chapter explains the process of diagnosing Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD). It also identifies drugs for treating patients with ADHD, including proper dosages, selected adverse events, and special considerations for each drug.
Chapter 51, “Immunizations” (pp. 906-926)
This chapter explores vaccines that are licensed for use in the United States and provides a recommended vaccination schedule for pediatric patients and adults.
Chapter 52, “Smoking Cessation” (pp. 927-943)
This chapter examines clinical implications of smoking. It also covers various approaches for aiding patients who are dependent on nicotine but want to stop smoking.
Chapter 54, “Weight Loss” (pp. 945-956)
This chapter begins by reviewing patient factors that contribute to obesity. It also examines drug therapy for initiating weight loss in patients, as well as alternative non-drug treatments.
Bazzano, A. T, Mangione-Smith, R., Schonlau, M., Suttorp, M. J., & Brook, R. H. (2009). Off-label prescribing to children in the United States outpatient setting. Academic Pediatrics, 9(2), 81–88.
Note: Retrieved from the Walden Library databases.
This study examines the frequency of off-label prescribing to children and explores factors that impact off-label prescribing.
Mayhew, M. (2009). Off-label prescribing. The Journal for Nurse Practitioners, 5(2), 122–123.
Note: Retrieved from the Walden Library databases.
This article reviews the prevalence of off-label prescribing, including its benefits and risks. It also explores issues regarding the safety of off-label prescribing and when it is unavoidable.
Drugs.com. (2012). Retrieved from http://www.drugs.com/
This website presents a comprehensive review of prescription and over-the-counter drugs including information on common uses and potential side effects. It also provides updates relating to new drugs on the market, support from health professionals, and a drug-drug interactions checker.
Required Media
Laureate Education, Inc. (Executive Producer). (2012). Advanced pharmacology – Final course review. Baltimore, MD: Author.
This media is an interactive final review covering course content.
Note: Although this media piece references Week 12, the content associated with Week 12 is a review of Week 1. Optional Resources
Refer to the Optional Resources listed in Week 1.