Cervical cancer: a developmental perspective

Cervical cancer is a disease that affects women worldwide. In some countries it is the leading cause of death among women. Although the incidence of cervical cancer has decreased with the advent of the Papanicolaou smear, it remains a problem in adult women. Cervical dysplasia most often affects women in their 20s; carcinoma in situ affects women 30 to 39 years of age; and invasive carcinoma affects women older than 40 years. These age groups fall into the final three of Erickson's eight stages of ego development. However, taking a developmental approach in planning nursing interventions for women with cervical cancer has its drawbacks. Much of developmental theory research has been conducted on nonrepresentative samples, with women being underrepresented. A template for exploring patient problems from a life stage (developmental) perspective has been developed within the context of three different nursing diagnoses (sexual dysfunction, spiritual distress, and alteration in family processes).