What should I do if I have a cancer patient in my family?

  When a family member has lung cancer, it is a big blow to the whole family. Faced with the word “cancer”, some people put on a smile, but their despair is even greater than the patient’s, so their sadness is inevitably shown outside, and the family is filled with sad clouds all day long; some people have adjusted their emotions, but they lack the relevant knowledge, so they do not know how to communicate with the patient and cooperate with the doctor. As a family member, you should get out of the sadness and clear your mind as soon as possible from the three aspects of “psychology, reasoning and care”, and fight against the disease side by side with the patient and the doctor.  There are still a large number of people who lack correct knowledge about cancer and know little about it, thinking that cancer is a death sentence. Some people think that cancer is contagious or hereditary, in fact, these are wrong ideas. Nowadays, we have entered the era that cancer can be treated. Families can increase their understanding and strengthen their confidence in treatment through the internet and scientific readings.  Selective informing of the disease according to the patient’s age, personality and education level. For advanced patients with lower literacy level, especially those who are mentally fragile, they can be relatively concealed and appeased to let them walk the rest of their days as quietly as possible. However, the wisest approach is to gradually and selectively inform the patient of his or her condition as he or she is prepared. This will not only enable the patient to better face the diagnosis and treatment, but also help to establish a good doctor-patient relationship and increase the patient’s compliance with treatment. Many clinical examples show that patients should be appropriately informed of some of their conditions to relieve unnecessary concerns. As treatment progresses, most patients’ conditions will turn around, and when a good turnaround occurs, the time should be seized to gradually explain to the patient. If you encounter a patient who is unable to accept, sad and desperate or even hysterical, family members should help him come out as early as possible on the basis of compassion.  The old Pan heard that there is a Tibetan medicine in Tibet that can cure esophageal cancer and spent ten thousand yuan by mail through friends, which not only did not improve the old father’s disease at all, but also delayed the treatment. The current clinical treatment for lung cancer includes surgery, chemotherapy, radiation therapy, biological therapy and traditional Chinese medicine. Surgery has been the treatment of choice because it is the most direct and thorough in removing the lesion, while small cell lung cancer, like the respiratory one, is a systemic disease and is generally not operated on. In the past two decades, chemotherapy technology has developed rapidly and widely used, and is no longer limited to inoperable advanced lung cancer, but is often included as systemic treatment in the comprehensive treatment of lung cancer. Radiotherapy is the best for small cell carcinoma, followed by squamous cell carcinoma and the worst for adenocarcinoma. Currently, the treatment of lung cancer advocates individualization. Depending on the site of tumor, pathological type, stage and patient’s physical condition, doctors will tailor different plans.  During chemotherapy, many family members often confuse the two concepts of chemotherapy cycle and treatment course. The correct calculation method is: from the first day of injection of chemotherapy drugs to 21 or 28 days, i.e. 3-4 weeks, it is called a cycle, in which chemotherapy drugs are not used every day, but usually for the first 1 to 2 weeks and rest for the last 1 to 2 weeks. A course of chemotherapy means 2 to 3 cycles of chemotherapy in a row, and some tumors require 4 to 6 cycles of chemotherapy to be considered as a course of treatment. The purpose is to restore or rebuild the immune function of the patient’s body and to fully regulate the function of the patient’s organs. Families understand and are familiar with the difference between these two concepts, which can help doctors to calculate the measurement.  Food and accommodation scientific arrangements for chemotherapy patients should ensure sufficient sleep time every day, generally not less than 8 hours a day for adults. Diet is also quite a headache for family members, one is worried about the effect of food on the condition, and the other is that patients react heavily and cannot eat due to the side effects of chemotherapy. Western medicine does not pay attention to the taboo, in line with the principle of high protein, high calorie, easy to digest, low fat, pay attention to the color and flavor of dishes, strive to diversify, eat more fruits and vegetables, less fried and stimulating food.  After discharge from the hospital care should pay attention to several aspects: First, the number of bowel movements, urination, volume and properties, each time should pay attention to check; Second, the patient with indwelling drains, pay attention to the amount and properties of pleural fluid, the smooth flow of drains; Third, the post-operative patient’s wound is not completely healed can not take a tub bath, after healing shower from the extremities, in order to keep the body clean can be used local cleaning method. If the patient is weak, family members should assist to complete. At the same time, attention should be paid to cleaning hair and parts with a lot of secretions, such as the perineum. Fourth, to keep the oral cavity clean, in addition to the daily need to brush teeth after meals, but also often rinse the mouth. Fifth, pay attention to the cleanliness of the living environment and fresh air. Sixth, to ensure that patients get enough sleep, life should be regular.