Palliative Care for Cancer Patients: What You Need to Know
Palliative Care for Cancer Patients: What You Need to Know
Introduction
Palliative care is almost always assumed to be care given at the end-of-life stage for people with terminal illnesses, including cancer. However, this form of care also includes actions for managing pain and symptoms in patients in early stage and advanced stages. Let us take a detailed look at palliative care for cancer patients: what you need to know to decide on the best way to apply this care.
What Is Palliative Care?
This refers to specialized medical care with the specific goal of improving the quality of life for people with serious illnesses. This is not intended to cure the disease but to offer some kind of relief from symptoms, pain, and emotional trauma. In palliative care for cancer patients: what you need to know is that it is used alongside curative treatments. In some cases, it is the primary approach when other curative options are not effective or not feasible. This form of care comprises the following:
- Managing symptoms – offering relief from pain, nausea, fatigue, breathlessness, etc. Tackling emotional, psychological, and related concerns.
- Holistic approach – works in coordination with other healthcare options.
- End-of-Life care – for patients and families dealing with final stages of life. Intended to ensure that the patient leads a life with dignity and some level of comfort.
Palliative care is typically offered by doctors, nurses, social workers, counselors, and other specialists. The outcomes of this form of care are mainly relief from pain, managing symptoms, emotional support, improved quality of life and prolonged survival. The last outcome occurs only in some cases.
What Are The Other Options For Cancer Treatment?
Apart from palliative care for cancer patients: what you need to know is the other options for treatment. Other options of cancer treatment depend on the type of cancer, the stage, location, and overall health of the patient. The goal is to cure the cancer, slow down its progression, or manage symptoms. Primary treatment options include the following:
- Surgery – to physically remove cancerous tumors or tissues. Normally used for localized cancers detected in early stages. It is often combined with other treatments such as chemotherapy or radiation.
- Chemotherapy – through drugs to kill cancer cells or prevent the cells from dividing. It is ideal for cancers that have spread, this is known medically as metastatic. It is also used to shrink tumors prior to surgery or eliminate remaining cells post-surgery.
- Radiation therapy – to destroy cancer cells or shrink tumors using high-energy radiation. It is used for localized cancers, and to manage symptoms such as pain or bleeding in advanced stages.
- Immunotherapy – to support the immune system of the patient to fight cancer. It is typically used for cancers like melanoma, lung, or bladder cancer.
- Targeted therapy – to target specific molecules that are responsible for cancer growth, through select drugs. It is meant for cancers with clearly identifiable genetic mutations.
- Hormone therapy – to block or bring down hormone levels that are known to drive certain cancers. It is intended for cancers that are known to be hormone-sensitive.
- Stem cell or bone marrow transplant – to replace damaged bone marrow with healthy stem cells. This is meant for blood cancers such as leukemia, lymphoma, or multiple myeloma.
- Precision medicine – to offer customized treatment to a patient based on his or her genetic profile. This is suitable cancers with specific genetic mutations.
Is Cancer Prevention Possible?
With the above information on palliative care for cancer patients: what you need to know is the possibility of cancer prevention. It may not be possible to prevent all cancers, but to a certain extent some cases can be prevented. This is mostly in cases that are related to modifiable behavior, environment reasons and certain genetic predispositions.
Before we look at the different options, lets look at genetic testing for cancer. Advanced genetic testing facilities are presently available in Tamilnadu to help people screen for inherited mutations in specific genes. These mutations increase the risk of certain cancers, such as breast, ovarian, or colorectal cancer. Genetic testing helps in a clear assessment of lifetime or future risk of cancer. It also helps in early detection of cancer and in some cases can help in preventing the condition. It is also a guiding factor for personalized cancer care and treatment.
Actions that can help in cancer prevention in some cases include the following:
- Quit smoking and all forms of tobacco – this is the leading cause of lung, throat, and mouth cancer.
- Diet – is to be healthy and balanced, with plenty of fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and lean proteins. Intake of processed meat, red meat, sugary drinks, and high-calorie foods and alcohol is to be limited or stopped wherever possible.
- Physical activities – a minimum of 150 minutes of moderate aerobic activity or is required every week. This is to maintain a healthy weight, and reduce the risk of cancers such as breast, colon, and endometrial cancer.
- Weight – is to be maintained at a healthy level as obesity is linked to breast, colon, pancreatic, and liver cancer.
- UV radiation – can increase the risk of skin cancer. Suitable precautions are to be taken to reduce exposure to such radiation.
- Environmental exposure – carcinogens such asbestos, radon, industrial chemicals and air pollution can increase the risk of lung cancer. it is important to reduce exposure drastically.
- Vaccinations – need to be up to date as certain cancers are caused by what is known as oncovirus. Vaccinations include HPV vaccine and Hepatitis B vaccine.
- Sex and risky behavior – can be a cause for certain types of cancer through HPV and HIV. Protection during sex and sharing of needles s to be avoided.
- Screenings – cancer prevention screening is to be undertaken periodically to detect cancers at an early, easily treatable stage. This includes mammograms, pap smears, colonoscopy, low-dose CT scans and genetic testing.
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Education: Bachelor of Pharmacy (B.Pharm) from the Tata Institute of Social Sciences (TISS), Mumbai Experience: Agarwal is a seasoned pharmacist with over 7 years of experience in the pharmaceutical field. She has worked in various settings, including hospital pharmacies and community clinics, where she has excelled in medication management, patient counseling, and clinical support. Agarwal is known for her expertise in drug therapy optimization and patient safety. In addition to her practical experience, she contributes to health journalism, focusing on pharmaceutical advancements and health policy, and is involved in research projects aimed at improving medication practices and health outcomes. is known for her expertise in drug therapy optimization and patient safety. In addition to her practical experience, she contributes to health journalism, focusing on pharmaceutical advancements and health policy, and is involved in research projects aimed at improving medication practices and health outcomes.