Fears and mental state of cancer patients
Confirmation of the diagnosis of "cancer" always takes a person by surprise.It is impossible to prepare for this.It is important to know what the cancer patients feel, since they are aware of their illness and learn how to fight it, as soon as they are treated.Sometimes these events last a very long time, so people with oncology must learn to overcome difficulties and live on.
General health of a person with cancer
The development of a malignant disease affects the work of the whole organism, so a person can feel:
- constant weakness and hypertrophied fatigue even after sleep;
- difficulties with movement;
- problems with concentration and memory;
- increased fatigue even after not very long activity;
- unintentional weight loss.The desire to eat also disappears;
- problems with sleep (nightmares, inability to fall asleep or vice versa - increased drowsiness);
- strong palpitation, increased sweating;
- increased irritability, extreme nervousness;
- increased salivation;
- the skin of a cancer patient can become cold and sticky;
- an incorrect exchange of fluids in the body can lead to dehydration.
These conditions occur before the diagnosis of cancer, so we must alert the person.
Important to know: Cancer patients before death
The physical condition of cancer patients, depending on the type of oncology
Some types of cancer cause a specific state of the body, according to which you can suspect the location of the tumor.You should pay attention to such features:
1. Tumors of the brain:
Provoke increased blood pressure, which manifests itself in the form of headache, drowsiness, confusion.Also, the education in this part is able to block sight and hearing.
2. Malignant formation of the digestive system:
Block the passage of food through the gastrointestinal tract.The tumor can click on the nerves responsible for the intestine.Because of this, cancer patients have difficulty with feces.
3. A tumor that presses on a nerve:
May cause burning sensation in the affected area.
4. When the oncological disease spreads into the bone tissue:
There may be a calcium leak into the blood.The reason lies in the destruction of bone integrity by cancer cells .The body loses its ability to control the level of calcium.So there is a state of hypercalcemia.The patient feels strong thirst, drowsiness, problems with thinking.
5. Metastasis of a malignant tumor:
It can cause a malfunction of kidneys or liver.
6. When the brain stem is affected, there are problems with the vomiting center.
It is important to know: Care for oncologists: the main rules
Psychological feelings and fears of cancer patients
Shock :
The first emotion when a cancer patient learns his diagnosis is a shock.He is especially strong when the person did not feel any ailment and the disease was revealed suddenly in the course of regular studies.This is normal, because few people can react differently.
Fear :
For the information of patients, after understanding the diagnosis comes fear.At first, it's hard to think about anything other than a disease.The way out of such an oppressed state is a conversation with a close person or a psychologist.For a cancer patient it is important to open your soul and tell you about your emotions.Only then will we overcome fear.
Experiencing for family and relatives :
When the patient realizes the seriousness of the situation, he begins to think not only about himself, but about his loved ones.For this reason, the feeling of fear is reinforced by thoughts about how the family will live on, how it will affect the personal relationships and the main priorities that have developed before the disease.The patient does not want to complicate the lives of relatives.However, patients should understand that the family only helps and cares.For relatives, the opportunity to provide comfort is not a burden, but an opportunity to help and just be close.But sometimes it also happens that relatives should also visit a psychologist to create a quiet atmosphere, so as not to complicate the difficult situation.
Wines :
From the previous feeling, sometimes there is a sense of guilt that close people are drawn into the disease.However, it should be understood that relatives on the contrary want to help by any means.
Anger :
The next sensation is anger.A person with cancer , wonders: "Why me?For what is punishment? ".At this stage it is necessary to find support in religious and personal beliefs, to prioritize family values and every day lived.It is important to accept the diagnosis and understand that it is a difficult task in life, with which it is necessary to cope.If such understanding does not come, there may be a progression of the depressive state.
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Feeling of loss :
Anger can be replaced by a sense of loss.Especially it concerns the time that the patient will spend on treatment and the fight against the disease.A cancer patientrealizes that for a long time he will not be able to live his previous life.He will have to make every effort to heal.
Oppression and a sense of hopelessness :
After understanding the inevitability of the situation, the patient's condition can go into constant oppression, hopelessness.All sensations should be told to the doctor or a loved one.It is easier to overcome any obstacles together.You can also consult with people who are in a similar situation or have cured cancer .
Loneliness :
A person with cancer can feel lonely.This is due to the fact that his life has completely changed and he does not care about the everyday problems of others.Ill who is ill remains himself to himself with cancer.In fact, a person just needs time to adapt and look at the world in a new way.
Depression :
The extreme emotional state for a cancer patient is depression.With her disappears any interest in life.There are even thoughts about deliberate self-harm.
These features of well-being are generalized.However, they are manifested in many patients with oncological diagnoses.It is very difficult to accurately convey what people feel and think about cancer , because each case is highly individual.
Cancer patients before death
The last stages of a person's life with malignant processes can be very tense for both the dying and the close environment.Cancer patients before death experience many physical changes that affect the emotional and social state of a person.For others it is important to know the main symptoms of the last days, as well as the needs of the patient during this period, to create comfortable conditions and avoid unnecessary stressful situations.
Emotional state of the dying person
Each person is unique.Therefore, the psychological state of cancer patients before death directly depends on individual characteristics and temperament.
Spiritual changes depend on:
- type of person;
- his age;
- social support;
- religious beliefs;
- life experience.
The psychological state of someone who dies at the age of 20 will be different from the well-being of an 80-year-old man.Patients with cancer before the death of a middle-aged will worry about their children, while elderly patients no longer have such trouble.
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Signs of death from cancer
The human organism with the approach of the end of the life cycle begins the natural process of slowing down all its functions.
The duration of the dying state depends on many conditions, but it is characterized by general symptoms:
- Drowsiness and difficult awakening .People who die, sleep much and do not always react to attempts at awakening.Some lose their hearing or do not recognize voices.But nevertheless it is extremely important to continue to communicate with patients, to console them, to hold hands.
- Difficulty swallowing or refusing food and drink .It is important not to try to force the dying person to do things that he can not or do not want.To ease the patient's condition, you can offer to suck small pieces of ice or give a drink with a small spoon.When patients with cancer before death are not able to swallow anything at all, it is recommended to moisten the mouth every two hours and lubricate the lips with glycerin.
- Loss of control of the bladder and intestines .That the patient does not feel uncomfortable, you can use diapers for adults and make the bed with disposable diapers.Over time, the dying person will emptied and urinate less and less.
- Changing breathing.It becomes noisy and irregular.You can also hear a murmur or beeping sounds.This is because slime accumulates in the throat, and natural reflexes are already weakening in the dying.Sometimes people stop breathing for a few seconds.Also, patients often keep their mouths open and try to draw air into the lungs.
- Cooling and pallor of the skin and body , especially the limbs and face.This is due to the slowing of blood circulation.
- Confusion and disorientation .Part of the reason for this state are chemical changes in the body's work.Dying people can do and say things that are not characteristic of them at all.It must be understood that this happens involuntarily.The main task of others - do not pay attention, try to calm and help.
- Complete loss of consciousness.At the end of life, the chemical balance of the body is completely destroyed.A person can often go into unconscious existence right up to complete transition into non-existence.
To the introduction : A child with cancer: advice to parents
What do cancer patients feel before they die?
At the end of life, a person tries to rethink his life, discuss it, recall all the joyful and sad moments.Gradually the dying overwhelmed the sense of detachment from the outside world and the loss of interest in what had previously been interesting or pleasant.
There is a tendency to sleep more and a pronounced desire to talk less.This shows that a person is ready to let go of this world.
People with religious beliefs are willing to confess and receive communion.Others simply quietly prepare for death.
Every day the dying man becomes less sensitive to external stimuli (voice, noise, tactile signals).It often happens that a person suddenly feels much better before death.But this is only an instant recovery.It should be used as an opportunity to express to the dying all your thoughts.
Read also : How not to die from cancer?
Recommendations for providing patient comfort
Family members or guardians in the last days of life must provide the dying with all the necessary conditions, because people with cancer need special care before they die.
The general recommendations approved by the health care institutions read:
- Use comfortable mattresses, beds and pillows to make it easy for a person to be in bed.
- Often wrap a person to avoid the occurrence of bedsores and rashes.
- Follow the hygiene of the dying, keep the skin clean and dry.
- Raise the head of the patient with pads or rollers to facilitate breathing.
- Use blankets to warm the body.Also, you can gently wipe your hands, feet and face with warm water.
- Communicate in a calm voice, delicately reminiscent of time, place and people present.However, if a person has confusion, such things do not help.
- Do a gentle soothing massage, you can use moisturizing lotions.
- Control reception of the necessary medicines and anesthetics.
- Use a fan to circulate air.
- Surround with care, love and kindred attitude.
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Patients with cancer before death need a special care and peace of mind.At this time, others should abstain from their negative emotions and irritation, hardship and sadness, and radiate only kindness and love, since it is with these last of his impressions that a person will go to another world.
Is it possible to cure cancer?
The formulation of the question: " Can cancer be cured ?" Is foreseen by the definition of the type of cancer, the stage of its spread and localization.But in fact, there are very few types of cancer, from which you can completely get rid of.Therefore, oncologists prefer the words "long-term remission".
The establishment of a diagnosis of malignant education implies many characteristics on the basis of which prognostic factors are compiled:
- the area in which oncology is detected, and the level of involvement of the organ itself;
- the prevalence of the process on nearby tissues;
- the presence of tumor cells in the farther parts of the body;
- the possibility to transfer surgical intervention without the subsequent application of radiation therapy, which adversely affects the whole organism;
- a highly individual response to treatment.
There are some forms of cancer that can only be partially cured and transferred to a state of remission or chronic course.
Is it possible to cure lung cancer?
This is a complex question, to which there is no unambiguous answer.But you need to keep in mind such things:
- long-term survival is possible in cases when timely, correct early diagnosis of cancer has been carried out;
- some people survive for years even with the 4th stage of malignant formation;
- there is information about spontaneous tumor regression;
- how much lung cancer can be treated.
About complete cure for lung cancer can only be discussed at stage 1A, that is, when the tumor is very small and does not spread to blood vessels.If people with more advanced stages have survived cancer for 5 years, then up to the age of 18 from the diagnosis they still have the risk of a relapse .
Is it possible to cure stomach cancer?
The ability to recover from stomach cancer depends on where the malignant process originated and how far it has spread:
- at 0 stage, the tumor is confined to the inner layer of the stomach.As a method of treatment, only surgery is used.Therefore, the chances of long-term survival are quite high;
- when onkobrazovaniya detection at stage 1A, as a rule, total (the whole stomach is removed) or subtotal (only part of the organ is removed) resection of the stomach with the removal of nearby lymph nodes.Further treatment is not required, which significantly reduces the risk of recurrence of the disease.
Is it possible to cure uterine cancer?
For many women with early stage uterine oncogenes, adequate treatment can kill the disease without subsequent relapse.In later stages, the tumor can not completely disappear, but regular examinations and treatment help prolong life.
- women who had stage 1A of low-grade uterine cancer should be inspected every 6 months during the first year after treatment;
- for women with low-grade uterine cancer at stage 1B or 2, you should go for an inspection every 3 months throughout the year.With more extensive oncological diseases, visits last up to 2 years.
Can liver cancer be cured?
The main thing in cancerous liver disease is early diagnosis.Only it gives a chance to increase the long-term forecast.But, as statistics show, only 10 people out of 100 (10%) identify cancer at the initial stages.
In all, about 30 patients out of 100 (30%) will live within a year after the diagnosis.And more than 10% will survive after 5 years or more.
Unfortunately, we can not talk about a complete cure.But possible methods of treatment, including organ transplantation, can prolong life in liver cancer at least up to 5 years in 75% of patients.
Is it possible to cure prostate cancer?
The main factors influencing the outcome of prostate cancer depend on such information:
- The stage of the disease and its specificity.
- Assessment of the grade of oncological disease according to the Gleason score:
- the designation between 2 and 6 indicates a low-grade malignant process.The definition indicates that the cancer is spreading very slowly and is more amenable to treatment;
- indicator 7 - moderate growth;
- the score from 8 to 10 shows the rapid rate of expansion of the border of the tumor.The long-term prognosis with these data in combination with the higher stage is not particularly optimistic.
- The level of specific antigen of the prostate.
In general, 98% of men with low or intermediate class cancer and 67% with high class, will live for at least 5 years.
Can I fully cure breast cancer?
This is one of the few cancers that gives a high chance of a long-term prognosis.Optimistic data are based, first of all, on the availability of information on screening tests.
Studies show:
- more than 80 women out of 100 (80%) with a fairly large cancer are alive 15 years after the diagnosis;
- in a group of women with a low-grade, non-common malignant process, more than 90% live 15 years after the tumor is detected.
However, one must take into account the fact that breast cancer , unlike many other cancers, can return even after 20 years.Therefore, women need to visit regular inspections of specialists.
Is it possible to cure brain cancer?
The possibility of obtaining a long-term forecast depends on such circumstances:
- Type of tumor: if the tumor lends itself to a surgical method of treatment, the chances are much higher.
- Degrees of tumor cells : with fast-growing tumors, relapses are much greater than when they grow slowly.
- Positions in the brain : when the tumor is near the optic nerves, trunk or blood vessels, the operation is impossible.This situation often does not allow to completely cure brain cancer .
According to the main indicators, for many oncological lesions the picture of survival is as follows:
- 40% of patients live for a year or more;
- approximately 20 for every 100 people will prolong life, at least for 5 years;
- close 15% will survive 15 years after the diagnosis.
Young people have a better chance of a long-term prognosis.About 60% of patients aged 15 to 39 years will be alive for 5 years.
Cancer of the blood - can it be cured?
The international prognostic index depends on such factors:
- Age of the patient at the time of diagnosis: children have a chance of complete remission, while in adults this possibility is almost completely absent.
- Stage, type and prevalence of blood cancer .
- General health of the patient.
- The risk group, which is determined by the senior age, stage III or IV, low hemoglobin, etc.
The overall 5-year and 10-year survival rate is:
- in the low-risk group, 90% and 70%, respectively;
- in the intermediate risk category - 78% and 52%;
- in the group of high risk - 53% and 36%.
The question " Can I cure cancer ?" Is very relative in this disease.It may be about transferring a malignant process to a chronic condition or a certain period of life.Predominantly, cancer is a disease that can not be completely eliminated.
