End Stage Lung Cancer - How To Deal With It
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Dear Friend,
Stage IV lung cancer is the culmination of cancers effects on the body over time. Some markers of this can be seen when working with your oncologist (cancer doctor) or your pulmonologist. There does not need to be a confirmation of both of their opinions since at this stage your disease state is so pronounced that there would be no need for a second opinion.
Traditionally at this stage you’ve already gone through chemotherapy and radiation treatments. But it is a time when many patients may feel cheated out of alternative cancer treatments. There are a lot of alternative medical treatments available. Searching the internet has brought relief to some but like everything else including medicine there are no 100% surefire guarantees. Just make sure that no charlatans are not trying to take advantage of you and your condition and willingness to try some things out of the “ordinary”.
For patients dealing with the end stage lung cancer they will often have more blood in the particulate or mucus that is coughed up. Respiratory ailments will become increasingly pronounced and frequent…and with small cell cancer it may end up metastasizing (moving) from the lungs to the spinal column and up to the brain or down into the GI tract.
Because of the foregoing patients will often have more pain. The lungs are really aching and the body is beginning to shut down. The fluid build up in the lungs can place a tremendous burden on the thoracic cavity.
Most medical personnel know that for patients at stage IV pain is a normal problem. So they should move to keep the patients calm and soothed with medications that dull the pain. But no one really knows how much pain the patient is undergoing. So, a pain doctor who has specific knowledge is often consulted to address the pain aspect of end stage lung cancer.
During end stage treatment the primary goal should be the comfort of the patient. Often they’ve already understood fully the implications of their disease and its future. So time with family should be a priority. This time could be well spent if the patient is not undergoing undo pain and discomfort.
