What is palliative care and pain management in lung cancer?

When you’re living with lung cancer, both the disease and the treatments for it can take a toll on your quality of life. You may need extra help with it comes to managing severe pain, nausea, fatigue, depression, or other symptoms. Lung cancer’s high mortality rate necessitated palliative care and pain management to improve patients’ quality of life. Palliative care focused on symptom relief, emotional support, and family assistance through comprehensive, multidisciplinary care.

Effective pain management included regular assessments, pharmacological and non-pharmacological interventions. This approach ensured dignity and comfort for patients, enhancing their overall well-being during treatment. Lung cancer is among the most frequent and lethal types of cancer on a global scale.

There are physical, emotional, and psychological hardships that often accompany patients who have been diagnosed with lung cancer. The two main aspects that make palliative care and pain management indispensable in this case include improving the quality of life for these patients, symptom management, and comprehensive support.

–Understanding Palliative Care–
Palliative care is an expert medical strategy that aims at enhancing patients’ lives with grave diseases like lung cancer. It does not only apply to terminal care but can be utilized in each phase of the illness. The main objectives of palliative care include: 1. Relieve Symptoms: Pain, shortness of breath, fatigue, constipation, nausea, loss of appetite and difficulty sleeping can be managed.

2. Improve Quality of Life: Assist patients in leading as active lives as possible by addressing their physical, emotional, and psychological needs.

3. Support Patients and Families: Provide emotional, social, and spiritual backing to patients and their families

4. Coordinate Care: Collaborate with other healthcare providers to achieve quality holistic care that meets the client’s expectations and interests.

Key Components of Palliative Care in Lung Cancer

Symptom Management: Dyspnea (Shortness of Breath): Use of medications (e.g., bronchodilators, steroids), oxygen therapy, and non-pharmacological interventions (e.g., breathing techniques).

Fatigue: Energy conservation strategies, physical therapy, and appropriate use of medications.

Cough: Antitussives, managing underlying causes, and lifestyle modifications.

Loss of Appetite and Weight Loss: Nutritional support, appetite stimulants, and dietary modifications.

Emotional and Psychological Support:

Counseling, support groups, and therapy to address anxiety, depression, and fear. Integrating mental health professionals into the care team.

Pain Management in Lung Cancer

Pain is a common and often debilitating symptom for lung cancer patients. Effective pain management is a cornerstone of palliative care and involves a multimodal approach.

Assessment: Regular pain assessments to evaluate pain intensity, location, quality, and impact on daily life. Use of pain scales and patient-reported outcomes.

Pharmacological Interventions: Non-opioids: NSAIDs, acetaminophen for mild to moderate pain.
Opioids: Morphine, oxycodone, fentanyl for moderate to severe pain. Careful titration and monitoring to manage side effects.

Adjuvant Analgesics: Antidepressants, anticonvulsants for neuropathic pain, corticosteroids for inflammation-related pain. Non-Pharmacological Interventions: Physical therapy, massage, acupuncture, and relaxation techniques.

Cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) and mindfulness-based stress reduction (MBSR) The Role of the Palliative Care Team A multidisciplinary palliative care team typically includes: Physicians specialized in palliative care. Nurses and nurse practitioners. Social workers and counselors. Chaplains and spiritual care providers. Physical and occupational therapists. Pharmacists.

Palliative care and pain management are integral to the care of lung cancer patients. By focusing on symptom relief, emotional support, and improving quality of life, palliative care helps patients and their families navigate the challenges of lung cancer with dignity and comfort.

Effective pain management, through a combination of pharmacological and non-pharmacological approaches, ensures that patients can experience relief from one of the most distressing symptoms of the disease. (Article Courtesy: Dr. Sravan Bodepudi, Consultant – Medical Oncology and Bone Marrow Transplant physician, Manipal Hospital, Vijayawada)