291 Nursing Care of the Postmenopausal Woman, 3rd Edition
Skin cancer Skin cancer is the most common type of cancer in the U.S. The three major types of skin cancer are basal, squamous, and melanoma. Basal and squamous make up most skin cancers, are relatively easy to treat, and rarely end in death. Melanoma is a more serious type of skin cancer. Per- sons at higher risk for melanoma include those with blonde or red hair, light eye color, and/or fair skin; those who use in- door tanning beds and/or have a history of sunburns or skin cancer; and those who have a family history of melanoma (CDC, 2021a; CDC, 2022c). Women should keep a close eye on any moles they have and follow the ABCDE rule to look for: A: Asymmetry : If the mole were folded in half, would one half match the other? B: Border irregularity : Do the edges of the mole look ragged, notched, or blurred? C: Color : Is the color of the mole uniform, or does it vary in degrees of tan, brown, or black? D: Diameter of more than ¼ inch : Is the mole larger than the size of a pencil eraser? E: Evolving : Has the mole changed over time? USPSTF has found that there is not enough evidence to prove that a woman should have a visual skin cancer screen- ing by a clinician every year; however, this recommendation is currently under review (USPSTF, 2021d). If a woman notices any of the aforementioned changes in a mole, she should report her findings to her pri - mary care provider as soon as possible for a more targeted screening. As with any cancer, the earlier a skin cancer is diag- nosed, the more likely it can be treated. The American Cancer Society has a skin
Screening should continue as long as the woman is in good health and expects to live another 10 years. ● Women should be familiar with the known benefits, limitations, and potential harms linked to breast cancer screening. They should be familiar with how their breasts normally look and feel and report any changes to their healthcare provider right away. ● Any woman at high risk for breast cancer because of a family or personal history should talk to her healthcare provider about the screening plan that is best for her. ● Clinical breast exams are no longer recommended (ACS, 2022). The USPSTF recommends that a wom- an without other known breast cancer risks begin having mammograms at age 50 and continue mammograms every 2 years until age 74 (USPSTF, 2016). The USPSTF is currently in the process of updating their breast cancer screening recommendations. The CDC developed a table that shows the variations in rec- ommendations of the different expert groups. It can be found at https://www. cdc.gov/cancer/breast/pdf/breast-can- cer-screening-guidelines-508.pdf (CDC, 2020). | NURSING CONSIDERATION Since recommendations vary re- garding the initiation and frequency of breast cancer screening mammo- grams, the nurse should verify if/when the patient has had a mammogram and recommend that she talk with her provider using shared decision mak- ing to develop a plan specific to her unique age-related benefits and risks.
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