Surgery for gastric cancer is usually more traumatic, recovery is slower, and treatment lasts longer, making patients prone to postoperative fatigue syndrome, which delays their recovery and affects the next step of treatment. Under which conditions are patients easily fatigued and what home remedies can be taken to relieve them? Learn more together.
What factors are associated with fatigue in patients with gastric cancer?
The cause of fatigue in patients with gastric cancer is unclear and may be related to the following factors:
- Mental environmental factors such as long-term overwork (both mental and physical), irregular diet and life, excessive psychological stress, tumor depletion, poor nutrition, pain, etc.
- Organismal dysfunction for example, dysfunction of neurological, endocrine, immune, digestive, circulatory, motor and other systems caused by stress or stimulation, etc.
- Comorbidities and treatment Comorbidities such as diabetes, cardiovascular or other chronic diseases, immunodeficiency diseases, application of immunosuppressive drugs, and radiotherapy, etc. Patients with these conditions may experience fatigue.
The combination of these factors over time may lead to fatigue in patients with gastric cancer. Studies have shown that fatigue syndrome in patients with primary gastric cancer after radical surgery is related to the patient’s gender, age, nutritional approach, clinical stage of the tumor, and surgical approach.
What are the manifestations of fatigue?
Fatigue in patients with gastric cancer mainly manifests as depression, anxiety or impatience, irritability, slow reaction, memory loss, poor concentration, rough and dry skin, hair loss and lack of luster, muscle pain, joint pain, loss of appetite, dizziness, insomnia, and panic.
What home treatment measures can be taken?
Patients with stomach cancer who experience fatigue can take the following home remedies to relieve it.
- Cognitive interventions Some patients who have no proper understanding of cancer and suddenly learn about the disease may have huge mood swings, depression and loss of appetite due to lack of psychological preparation and tolerance, thus inducing fatigue. The family members should not adopt the policy of concealing the disease from these patients, but can work together with them to understand the knowledge about gastric cancer and the diagnosis and treatment process, and help them establish the correct disease perception and an objective and positive attitude toward treatment, build up confidence and cooperate with the diagnosis and treatment.
- Psychological care Family members should communicate with patients more often to correct negative emotions, analyze favorable conditions and progress in treatment, share successful treatment cases and patient information, so that patients can see hope, eliminate worries and negative psychology, and enhance confidence in treatment, thus actively cooperate with treatment.
- Dietary care to correct malnutrition Patients with gastric cancer mostly suffer from loss of appetite after chemotherapy, so they can eat some fresh, light, easily digestible and high-energy diet. Patients with malnutrition can choose to take oral nutrients to supplement energy, and if necessary, choose to perform tube feeding enteral nutrition via jejunal nutrition tube to restore nutritional status and physical strength.
- Immune support Fresh vegetables and fruits, etc., provide nutrition and are essential to replenish strength and strengthen immunity. If necessary, nutritional preparations, western medicine, and herbal medicine can be chosen to regulate the immune status and improve immunity under the guidance of a physician.
- Create a good family atmosphere Patients should resume eating with their families as soon as possible, and family members should not treat patients as “patients” and set up separate stoves. Encourage patients to participate in family activities or communicate more often, and resume their usual hobbies, such as playing chess and listening to theater, to divert their attention and overcome negative emotions.
- Increase indoor activities and outdoor activities as appropriate
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There is no single, definitive, or effective treatment plan to deal with fatigue in patients with gastric cancer, but rather targeted measures based on disease stage, disease control, diet, psychological status, and immune function status. Once fatigue persists, patients should seek medical treatment promptly. (Contributed by Peng Deng, Department of Gastrointestinal Oncology, The First Hospital of China Medical University)