How can people live with lung cancer

Glavny question with such common diseases as lung cancer - how long can you live with this disease. Most often this cancer affects men of middle and old age with a long experience of Smoking. Recently lung cancer began to hit and women smokers, but the percentage of disease is still quite small. In most cases this type of cancer is fatal.

In addition to Smoking the risk of lung cancer and the probability of death increases permanent effect on the body of radiation, chemicals, pollution, heredity, and even unhealthy eating habits.

Factors affecting life expectancy in lung cancer

How many people will live after identification of pathology depends on several factors:

1. The time of diagnosis. The sooner was discovered the disease, the more likely that people will live longer and possibly win the disease.
2. The stage of the disease. The degree of lung damage depends on whether the chances of recovery.
3. The implementation of all physician orders. For example, if the patient will continue to smoke, the chances that he will live with lung cancer for a long time, are significantly reduced.
4. The age of the patient. Scientists have proved: the younger the patient, the longer the disease remains in the initial stages, which increases the duration of life.

Life expectancy at different stages of the disease

If lung cancer is detected at stage 1, then in most cases doctors give a prognosis that the patient will live for about 5 years, a survival rate of about 80%. But very rarely are able to detect cancer at this stage. The tumor is small enough, and of all the signs manifested only discreet cough. Many perceive him as the common cold or the effects of Smoking. Therefore, doctors recommend smokers to undergo an annual examination.

Upon detection of lung cancer in 2 stages doctors also predict that the patient may live for about 5 years, but in this case, the probability that a person will remain alive, is only 40%. The fact is that at this stage the malignant cancer cells develop and invade neighboring tissues. The process of proliferation of the malignancy started. Patients on stage 2 lung cancer cough, shortness of breath, wheezing when breathing and possible pain with a deep breath.

In most of the cases in stage 1 and 2 occur almost asymptomatic.

Patients 3stage the survival rate for 5 years is only 13-25%.

Then, how you live with lung cancer depends on the age of patients, well-built treatment and immunity of patients.

The tumor affects not only the lungs but also the heart, vessels, trachea, esophagus. At this stage surgical intervention.

On the last 4 stages doctors warn that a full recovery without subsequent return of the disease - a very rare phenomenon. Only 9-13% of patients live 5 years after diagnosis. At this stage, the malignant cells affect the brain, kidneys, liver, bones.

The most terrible kind of lung cancer - small cell lung cancer. In this disease within 5 months after diagnosis die every second patient. No intervention could keep the person alive. Cancer cells are very aggressive and multiply with extraordinary speed.

In addition, the isolated squamous cell carcinoma of the lung. In this case, a malignant tumor affects the squamous epithelium in the lung. Only 15% of patients with this type of cancer live 5 years.

The last two stages are characterized by the following main symptoms:

1. Reduced power, depression. The man begins to tire quickly, it ceases to please and interested in what is happening around.
2. Frequent colds, bronchitis, possible pneumonia.
3. Dry, rare cough, cough. After a time, can appear the shortness of breath, abnormal heart rhythm.
4. The appearance of blood in the sputum.
5. Chest pain and digestive problems.

What measures to take to prolong life in lung cancer

Despite the fact at what stage you are diagnosed lung cancer, be sure to take the following measures, which will increase the opportunity to live as long as possible:

1. Quit Smoking and avoid passive Smoking. It tobacco smoke is the main cause of lung cancer.
2. Avoid contact with harmful chemical substances. Make sleep and rest. In order to give the body the strength to fight the tumor, be sure to fully relax, walk in the fresh air, preferably in a pine forest.
3. Set up a diet. To control malignant cells your body the necessary vitamins and minerals which you must get from food.
4. Do not avoid surgical intervention, chemotherapy and radiotherapy. Timely resection may prolong your life for a fewyears. And that the resection was successful, in many cases, is chemotherapy.
5. Trust your doctor - he is also interested in your recovery.

Support mandatory

Positive thinking and the support of loved ones is an important part of the fight against cancer. Relatives of the person which was diagnosed with lung cancer, you should not leave him alone, not to feel lonely and forgotten, even if he wants to. Try to visit all the procedure together with the patient, learn the names of the staff, find out who deals with treatment and rehabilitation, try to collect as much information as possible about the treatment, please discuss this with the patient.

The presence of a loved one to the consultation can help to relieve stress when communicating with your doctor. The disease, its associated risk, the hope for recovery is what worries the patient and his family. And while talking on this delicate subject is easy, do not hesitate to ask the doctor questions that could slip from the patient because of his anxiety and fears. But we must remember that the doctor has no right to let you into all details of the disease without the permission of the sick person. Doctors are obliged to keep medical secrecy. Therefore, this issue must be discussed in advance with the patient to obtain his consent.

It is important to talk about the disease with the patients. You may feel that the reference diagnosis will only bring pain, but it's not. Not touching in a conversation with patients about this topic, you just have it closed in their experiences. Ongoing dialogue, support, their encouragement, willingness to listen are critical to success in the treatment of the patient. But here the question may arise, how to choose the right words, how to position the patient for a confidential conversation?

First and foremost, the secret is to provide people the opportunity to speak out and to be able to listen carefully. Try to reassure him convincingly, and in any case not share in a conversation of their own feelings and fears associated with the disease. It is worth remembering that you should avoid the following words: "death", "recurrence", "cancer", "futility of treatment". Better to ask the patient not General questions "is Everything okay?", and the specific "How are you feeling today?". This will show your loved one that you understand the severity of his experiences. Respect, realistic views on what is happening, understanding - that's what you need to show.

Communication should occur on equal terms, because simplification and panic - two of the most important mistakes that one can make loved ones with cancer. Tearsthe uncertainty of the future, denial of the gravity of the situation will only lead to the adoption of the patient in a passive position, and care in their own feelings. Realizing that going through your loved one, you can become more useful. Demonstrate that you understand the fear of treatment, pain, death. Be natural.

If you can't find the right words, just look in the eyes of the patient and take his hand. It is proven that touch is able to change the psychological and the physiological characteristics of the individual, increasing blood circulation, respiration, lowering blood pressure and muscle tension and also helps you to feel self-respect and strength.

The patient must remember that without a sincere belief in yourself and your healing and action nothing happens. We must not fight against cancer, and for their health and a full life. If you do not participate in treatment, doctors will be much more difficult, and the results of treatment may not justify the hopes. It is necessary to try to eliminate the reasons of occurrence and development of cancer cells. Get rid of bad habits, change your thinking, work on their psychological problems, don't be afraid to ask for help to relatives and professionals. Although lung cancer and belongs to a group of diseases with a fatal outcome, don't deprive yourself of the chance to fight for life.