If you are found to have advanced cancer, should you continue to persist or give up and go home? Frankly speaking: Weigh in several situations

 Many patients who are diagnosed with cancer are already in the middle to late stage by the time they go to the hospital for examination, simply because the early symptoms of cancer are not very significant and this stage is relatively difficult to treat.

Especially in the advanced stage of cancer, patients not only suffer from various pains and carry huge pressure in their hearts, but also spend a lot of money to the point of dragging down a family.

Some people think that advanced cancer does not need treatment and it is better to die with dignity, so should advanced cancer be treated or given up?

01
Should I still treat advanced cancer?

As we all know, the earlier the stage of cancer, the higher the 5-year cure rate and the better the prognosis. However, it is not possible to measure whether treatment should be given or not by the stage, but also by the patient's physical quality, economic conditions and the difficulty of treatment.

As long as the cancer patient is still in good health and can tolerate the intensity of radiotherapy and chemotherapy, he/she should continue to receive treatment.

Even if the cancer reaches an advanced stage, most of the cancer cells can be killed or suppressed by radiotherapy or chemotherapy, prolonging the patient's survival and improving the quality of life.

02
Under what circumstances will doctors recommend to give up?

1. When cancer is uncontrollable

So far, there is no effective method to treat cancer. Patients should give up the treatment when the cancer is still not under control after surgery, radiotherapy, chemotherapy, targeted therapy, endocrine therapy and Chinese medicine treatment, or when it is accompanied by systemic metastasis and rapid development.

2. Old age or poor health condition

Chemotherapy drugs can kill cancer cells and damage normal tissues and organs at the same time, bringing adverse effects to the body, such as nausea and vomiting, constipation or diarrhea, and bone marrow suppression. Those who are older or have poor physical quality cannot tolerate chemotherapy, plus they may face infections and complications after surgery, which will speed up the death rate instead.

3. Higher treatment cost

The cost of early stage cancer treatment is low, but the cost of treatment after reaching advanced stage is far more than what people think, so much so that the cost reaches tens of thousands of dollars a day, which ordinary families cannot afford, and in this case, they also need to give up treatment.

03
Which cancers have hope of cure at advanced stage?

Different types of cancer have different treatment difficulties and 5-year survival rates. The 5-year survival rate of prostate cancer and thyroid cancer can reach 99% because of their slow development; the 5-year survival rate of testicular cancer is also high, and even if it reaches advanced stage, it can be prolonged through surgery, radiotherapy and chemotherapy, and the treatment effect is remarkable; the 5-year survival rate of breast cancer, skin cancer and melanoma is also high.

04
What should be done when cancer reaches advanced stage?

As already mentioned above, there is no specific treatment for advanced cancer, so it is worthwhile to use different methods repeatedly, such as targeted drugs. Some doctors may suggest patients to use methods that have been proven to be effective, but are still in the trial stage, so you can apply to your doctor or participate in clinical trials; older patients should consider from several aspects to understand the quality of life after giving up treatment, the pain caused by side effects, etc.

 As we all know, there is no special treatment for cancer, only surgery, radiotherapy and chemotherapy, targeted therapy, etc. to control the disease, reduce the risk of cancer cells spreading or metastasizing, and improve the quality of life of patients.

After cancer reaches advanced stage, it is more difficult to treat and even die in just a few months, so what process do patients with advanced cancer need to go through to die

01

What are the general causes of death of cancer patients?

1. Organ failure

Most cancer patients have different degrees of malnutrition, because the proliferation of cancer cells requires a lot of nutrition, which can lead to the disorder of various functions and the gradual failure of various organs, resulting in death.

2、Severe infection

Most cancer patients lose their lives due to infection, because cancer cells proliferate fast and tumor continues to grow, which causes insufficient blood and oxygen supply, resulting in liquefaction and necrosis of tumor and eventually ulceration.

3、Negative state of mind

After being diagnosed with cancer, some patients have been living in fear, anxiety and self-blame as well as despair, which reduces immunity due to continuous negative state of mind and speeds up the spread and metastasis of cancer, thus leading to death.

02

What are the clinical manifestations of death in advanced cancer patients?

There are 8 physiological indicators of death in advanced cancer patients, including hyperextension of the neck, purring sound in the throat, diminished or lost response to visual stimuli, inability to close the upper eyelids, bleeding from the upper respiratory tract, diminished response to verbal stimuli, no pupil reflex and drooping nasolabial folds.

03

How to provide good end-of-life care for patients with advanced cancer?

1. Room environment

Pay attention to the air circulation in the living room, the temperature should be around 18~23℃, and the relative humidity should be 50%~60%; the room should be mainly warm, and flowers or green plants can be placed in the room; ensure the room is quiet, clean and comfortable, and avoid noise.

2. Diet

Provide a high protein, high calorie, high carbohydrate, high vitamin, easy to digest diet structure, take a small number of meals principle, which can enhance immune function. Focus on providing high-quality protein such as eggs, milk and lean meat and fish, and eat more fresh vegetables and fruits; many patients will have dry and painful lips after radiotherapy, so you may want to eat green beans, kelp and asparagus appropriately.

3、Mouth ulcer care

When oral ulcers appear, it is necessary to use mild oral rinse to care for the mouth, such as saline or sterile water, which can dilute the concentration of harmful bacteria in the mouth; if the oral mucosa is congested and edematous, it is not possible to brush the teeth with a toothbrush, and it is also necessary to use medicated mouthwash under the guidance of a doctor.

4、Psychological support

Family members should communicate more with patients, give enough comfort and support, encourage patients to vent their emotions, listen to them, help patients to face the reality in a positive way, and establish confidence that they can overcome the disease.

5、Pain control

The key to hospice care is to reduce the patient's pain. You can distract the patient by listening to music, communicating or discussing issues of interest to the patient; change the posture appropriately, massage the area to increase comfort, and use pain medication if necessary.

Advanced cancer is not incurable, but it is impossible to be cured. The key point of its treatment is to reduce patients' pain and improve their quality of life. Patients should actively cooperate with doctors and face the disease correctly; family members should give enough companionship and understanding to prevent patients from leaving with regret and reluctance.

Warm Tips

Some advanced cancers can be cured clinically through scientific treatment, such as malignant lymphoma, testicular germ cell tumor and choriocarcinoma.

Whether it is active treatment or conservative treatment, the most critical thing is to improve the quality of life.