The nurse is caring for a woman newly diagnosed with breast cancer who asks the nurse to explain the difference between a mastectomy and a radical mastectomy. The nurse's best response is:

1. "They are both the same except that a radical mastectomy removes muscles from the chest wall."
2. "Both remove the breast tissue, but a radical mastectomy removes muscles and lymph nodes."
3. "The radical mastectomy takes more tissue from the chest and improves the chances of survival."
4. "The mastectomy removes more tissue and reduces the risk of metastasis, thereby improving survival rates."


2
Rationale: Both a mastectomy and a radical mastectomy remove breast tissue, but a radical mastectomy also removes underlying muscle structure and surrounding lymph nodes, and is usually indicated when cancer cells have been found in the lymph nodes. In the absence of lymph node involvement, a radical mastectomy does not improve survival rates or decrease the risk of metastasis.

Nursing

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The meal plan is very rigid for diabetic patients.

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