Understanding Lung Cancer and Palliative Care Everyday Health

Understanding Lung Cancer and Palliative Care Everyday Health

Understanding Lung Cancer and Palliative Care Everyday Health MenuNewslettersSearch Lung Cancer Understanding Lung Cancer and Palliative Care If you have lung cancer, this extra level of support may improve your quality of life. By Julie Lynn MarksReviewed: March 19, 2020Fact-CheckedPalliative care can include traditional medical interventions as well as alternatives like massage and acupuncture.Terry Vine/Getty ImagesThe symptoms of lung cancer and its treatment can take a toll. That’s why it’s important to find ways to lessen your pain and lower your stress while you’re undergoing care. One approach for this is something called palliative care, which is designed to provide symptom relief while you undergo treatment, and is frequently recommended for people with lung cancer. What Is Palliative Care Palliative care is a specialized type of medical therapy for people with serious conditions, such as lung cancer. This type of therapy may involve treating the cancer — such as with radiation to shrink a tumor pressing on a nerve or organ to relieve pain — or it may involve treating a symptom caused by treatment itself. What all types of palliative care have in common is that they are designed not necessarily to treat the cancer — treatment is a separate regimen — but to relieve symptoms associated with the cancer and treatment, reduce pain, and make you more comfortable. As part of palliative care, you might receive medication, nutritional guidance, physical therapy, occupational therapy, or integrative treatments such as acupuncture or massage. A specially trained group of professionals — including doctors, nurses, social workers, chaplains, dietitians, psychologists, and others — provide this kind of treatment. The palliative care team works with your doctors to help manage your symptoms. Your palliative care team can provide emotional, social, and spiritual support for you and your family. These experts can help you find solutions to practical problems you may face, such as insurance or legal issues. Palliative care can be given at any stage of your illness and administered at the same time as you undergo your regular cancer treatments. In fact, you can request it even when you begin treatment. It’s never too soon in your cancer journey to request palliative care services. Hospitals, cancer centers, home care agencies, nursing homes, and other long-term care facilities often provide palliative programs. RELATED: Cancer: What Does It Mean to Get Palliative Care? How Can Palliative Care Help Lung Cancer Symptoms and Treatment Symptoms of lung cancer can be uncomfortable. What’s more, the treatments you undergo, such as chemotherapy, radiation, and surgery, can cause unwanted side effects. Palliative care methods can help a variety of issues you might experience, including:PainNauseaVomitingDiarrheaAnxietyDepressionDifficulty breathingConstipationFatigueLoss of appetiteSleeping difficulties Certain therapies can keep your pain levels under control, improve your appetite, and reduce nausea. People with lung cancer often need medications to suppress a cough or open their airways to improve breathing. Extra oxygen may also be given to help you breathe more comfortably. Sometimes, palliative care may involve having procedures to open your airways. A massage might relieve tension. And other techniques, like guided imagery or mindful meditation, can help reduce stress. A diagnosis of lung cancer can be scary and overwhelming. Your palliative care team can provide counseling and support to help you cope with difficult emotions. They’ll even help you talk to your loved ones about your cancer and treatment options. The type and amount of palliative care services you need may change throughout your cancer treatment process. RELATED: Pancreatic Cancer: Should You Opt for Palliative Care? Is Palliative Care Right for Me Palliative care benefits anyone with a serious medical condition, like lung cancer, who might need physical or emotional support. Some people worry that they’ll have to stop their normal cancer treatments if they choose to receive palliative care, but that’s not the case. You can still undergo aggressive therapies to fight your lung cancer while benefiting from palliative care. You also continue to see your primary care and cancer physicians. There’s no reason to “drop” your preferred doctors. Many people also wonder if they can afford to receive palliative care. Most insurance plans will cover all or most of the services offered. RELATED: How I Live With Metastatic Breast Cancer What s the Difference Between Palliative Care and End-of-Life Care Palliative care is often confused with end-of-life care, but they aren’t the same thing. The end-of-life approach, which includes hospice care, is recommended during the last few months of a person’s life. While this option also focuses on keeping people comfortable, one of the main goals is to help patients die with dignity. In contrast, palliative care is designed to provide comfort during treatment. Though the goal of palliative care is not to cure, there’s some evidence that palliative care services can extend survival. A study published in the New England Journal of Medicine, for instance, revealed that people with lung cancer who got palliative care early on, along with standard therapies, were happier, more comfortable, and lived longer than those who received only standard care. Specifically, those who got palliative care survived an average of 11.6 months compared with 8.9 months for those who received standard treatment. How to Get Palliative Care If you’ve been diagnosed with lung cancer and are interested in palliative care, there are many ways to find support. Ask Your Doctor for a Referral Your oncologist and primary care physician are good resources if you want to learn more about palliative care services. You can discuss your interest in this type of therapy as soon as you receive a diagnosis or throughout your cancer treatment process. Your doctor may be able to refer you to a palliative care team that best fits your needs. Help Through Organizations Finding a palliative care team that understands your goals is essential. GetPalliativeCare.org, a site provided by the Center to Advance Palliative Care (CAPC), offers an online directory to help you locate a specialist in your area. The American Academy of Hospice and Palliative Medicine and the National Hospice and Palliative Care Organization also supply resources to help you find palliative professionals. Remember, palliative care can be provided at home, in a hospital, in a clinic, in a nursing home, or in a specialized care center. RELATED: Palliative Care: Life-Changing Support for Those Facing Cancer How to Prepare for Palliative Care At your first appointment, a member of your palliative care team will probably ask you about your symptoms, current treatments, and future goals. You may want to bring:A written list of your symptoms or complaintsA written list of all the medicines or supplements you useYour medical recordsA family member or close friendAn advanced directive or living will (if you have one) After going over your health history and background, your palliative team will help you come up with a plan to prevent suffering and improve your quality of life. 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