Open AccessA rational approach to the patient with cancer
Author(s) -
Luedke Susan L.,
Luedke Dan W.
Publication year - 1980
Publication title -
ca: a cancer journal for clinicians
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 62.937
H-Index - 168
eISSN - 1542-4863
pISSN - 0007-9235
DOI - 10.3322/canjclin.30.5.266
Subject(s) - flexibility (engineering) , cancer , disease , medicine , focus (optics) , base (topology) , intensive care medicine , computer science , mathematical analysis , physics , mathematics , optics , statistics
Acquisition of an adequate data base is essential to the management of the cancer patient. Staging systems currently in use are not applicable to the patient having either advanced disease or a complicating illness. We have found it useful to organize our approach to cancer patients by asking a series of eight questions. Such a structured approach helps to focus on critical aspects of the patient's cancer and any complicating illness, as well as gather a necessary data base. In so doing, it provides for maximum flexibility at the time of therapeutic decision-making.