Cancer of the Gastrointestinal Tract

This text is a primer on the care of the patient with cancer of the gastrointestinal tract, for nurses who may not have experience in this demanding speciality.

The book begins with a comprehensive look at the issues and scope of the frequently used term "quality of life". Chapters two and three take an in-depth look at the impact of cancer on the individual and the family. Chapters four to six then introduce the principal aspects of cancer as a disease from both a medical and nursing perspective, beginning with cancers of the aerodigestive tract through to lower gastrointestinal cancers.

Chapter seven covers the role of nutrition in the prevention of cancer and the nutritional management of patients with cancer. Chapters eight and nine provide a guide to the management of patients undergoing radiotherapy and chemotherapy in order to familiarize the gastroenterology nurse with what may lie ahead for the patient.

The final chapter outlines the principles of symptom management and palliative care for integration into patient care throughout the course of cancer.