Question

The nurse is counseling a heavy smoker about the dangers of smoking. The nurse tells the smoker that the due to persistent irritation of the lungs from carcinogens, columnar cells may turn into squamous cells as a method of adaptation known as which of the following?

Answer 1

Metaplasia is the process where persistent irritation from carcinogens causes columnar cells to transform into squamous cells, a phenomenon that may occur due to smoking. This adaptation can be a precursor to dysplasia and eventually lead to cancer, such as squamous cell carcinoma.

Step-by-step explanation:

The process by which columnar cells may turn into squamous cells due to persistent irritation from carcinogens, as described by the nurse, is known as metaplasia. This is a reversible change where one differentiated cell type is replaced by another cell type, which may provide some initial advantage in coping with a persistent harmful environment. Nevertheless, metaplasia can be a precursor to dysplasia, which is an abnormal growth of cells and may eventually lead to cancer, such as squamous cell carcinoma.

Smoking exposes lung tissue to carcinogenic compounds, leading to chronic irritation and damage. Over time, this damage may alter the lung epithelium's structure and characteristics. Typically, as part of the respiratory effects of smoking, ciliated columnar epithelial cells in the lungs can transform into squamous epithelial cells as a way to withstand the toxic environment created by cigarette smoke. This, however, does not provide immunity to lung diseases. Instead, it can lead to further complications, including chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and an increased risk for lung cancer.