In: Nursing
A patient has melanoma that has spread to her brain, lungs, and spleen. What complications may be expected with this diagnosis? Is treatment available and effective? Life expectancy?
Melonoma is a skin cancer which is of malignant type and it spreads to other organs. If it has spread to internal organs such as brain , the cancer is in stage IV which is a serious stage.
Complications associated with diagnosis :
Paralysis, visual disturbance, respiratory and cardiac problems which may include difficulty in breathing , bradycardia, bradypnea , motor distrubances, memory loss . Complications depends upon the the site of tumor in brain , lungs and spleen.
Treatment :
Treatment is not effective as the metastasis is not only to the brain but also to the lungs as well as spleen. Surgery , radiation and chemotherapy combined theraphy is done if there is metastasis to only brain but since lungs are involved it is in complicated stage and treatment will not be effective.
Life expectancy :
Life expectancy can vary between 1 month and 3 months. Prognosis of this extent metastasis is very poor.
Thank you.