Cancer in adults: a focus on prevention and detection in the nurse practitioner's practice.

This article provides a very general overview of the group of diseases called cancer. The clinical practice of the nurse practitioner emphasizes health maintenance and promotion of a healthy life style. This focus can carry over into the survival phase of the cancer experience. Counseling about risk status and risk reduction are an integral part of the total approach to cancer care. These activities can be integrated into standard care delivered by the nurse practitioner.