Nursing methods for advanced lung cancer

Lung cancer is one of the most common malignant tumors. Its incidence has been on the rise in recent years, and its mortality rate has also remained high. It has been reported that lung cancer has surpassed liver cancer to become the largest tumor in my country. Lung cancer in the late stage has often metastasized and spread, making it difficult to treat. For the treatment of late stage lung cancer, it is more important to improve symptoms and improve the quality of life. The following will introduce the symptoms of late stage lung cancer and the care of late stage lung cancer.

Symptoms of advanced lung cancer

1. Lung cancer pain

Pain is a common symptom in patients with advanced lung cancer. Most patients with lung cancer that has developed regional intrathoracic metastasis have symptoms of chest pain.

2. Hoarseness is one of the symptoms of advanced lung cancer. The recurrent laryngeal nerve that controls the left side of the voice function goes down from the neck to the chest, bypasses the large blood vessels of the heart and goes back up to the larynx, thus controlling the left side of the voice organ. Therefore, if the tumor invades the left side of the mediastinum and compresses the recurrent laryngeal nerve, hoarseness will occur, but there will be no sore throat or other symptoms of upper respiratory tract infection.

3. Facial and neck edema is also a common symptom of advanced lung cancer. If the tumor invades the right side of the mediastinum and compresses the superior vena cava, the jugular vein will initially become distended due to poor blood flow, and eventually lead to facial and neck edema, which needs to be diagnosed and treated in time.

4. Shortness of breath and pleural effusion are also symptoms of advanced lung cancer. Eventually, almost all patients with regionally spread lung cancer will experience shortness of breath to varying degrees. Normal tissue fluid produced by the lungs and myocardium is returned by the lymph nodes in the middle of the chest. If these lymph nodes are blocked by tumors, these tissue fluids will accumulate in the pericardium to form pericardial effusions or accumulate in the chest cavity to form pleural effusions. Both of the above situations can cause shortness of breath.

Nursing of advanced lung cancer

1. The diet is rich, varied, light and nutritious, mainly consisting of various porridges and soups such as meat porridge, fish porridge, egg porridge, Job's tears porridge, lily porridge, wolfberry, etc., with fruits and fresh vegetables.

2. Help patients who cannot live independently to turn over regularly, scrub and massage their hands and feet every day. Safflower alcohol can be used to rub the pressure areas to prevent bedsores.

3. For patients with pain, their pain relief requirements should be met as much as possible, and do not be afraid of the addictiveness of narcotic analgesics to improve their quality of life.

4. You can listen to light music, folk music, Beethoven's Symphony No. 5, etc. to relax your body and mind and improve your quality of life.

5. Provide patients with more spiritual comfort to eliminate their fear of death. Encourage and train the patient's spouse and relatives to caress, hug, speak softly, chat more about family matters, express love and attachment to the patients, satisfy their psychological desire for family affection, forget the fear of death, and thus gain spiritual joy.

6. Closely observe the patient's breathing, blood pressure, pulse, body temperature, and mental state. If any abnormality is found, report it to the doctor immediately and treat it accordingly.

7. For patients who can do light activities, you can accompany them to take a slow walk, stroll, or stretch their muscles, but be careful not to overdo it.