Coping with Treatment in Non-small cell lung cancer

The non-small cell lung cancer detection among the patients has been undiagnosed until the development of symptoms. Hence, the latest research aims for providing effective treatments for advanced non-small cell lung cancer. It does so by involving the extension of progression-free survival and minimizing the severity of symptoms. The medical researchers and several oncologists have contributed to a better understanding of the diagnosing and treatment of non-small cell lung cancer.

Their research and resources aims at studying and addressing the unmet emotional and psychosocial needs experienced by non-small cell lung cancer patients. Hence, the non-small cell lung cancer patients need appropriate care and support in any stage of illness. It determines all the options and finds the resources that will help make informed decisions regarding the care facilities.

Maintaining effective communication with the cancer care team is necessary in understanding the diagnosis of non-small cell lung cancer. And the recommended treatment and the methods for improving quality of life among non-small cell lung cancer patients ^​1​. There are also various programs and supportive services provides effective cancer care to the patients. It mainly includes nursing or social work services, financial aid, nutritional advice, rehab, or spiritual help. The preparation for treating non-small cell lung cancer is recommended by the doctors and related healthcare teams, which tends to evolve fear treatment-related side effects. It further helps provide effective communication with the healthcare team that helps prevent and relieve the side effects among the non-small cell lung cancer patients.

Coping with physical side-effects

Most of the common physical effects have been observed from different treatment options for non-small cell lung cancer. The changes within the patients physical health also depend on various factors involving cancer’s stage, the length and dose of treatment, and your general health. The effective communication of the non-small cell lung cancer patients with the healthcare team is important. It helps them share their experiences during their treatment phase regularly. Hence, it has become an essential aspect in knowing the new side-effects evolving due to the existing side effects.

Suppose the healthcare teams tend to understand the exact feeling of the patients. In that case, they can help recommend different ways the management and relieve side effects to make them more comfortable and potentially keep any side effects from getting even worse. Also, maintaining an appropriate record of the side effects of the patients makes the conditions easy to handle while explaining any changes to the healthcare team.

In most cases, side effects last even though the treatment ends. These are long-term side effects, which may occur after months and years in the form of late effects after the treatment. Hence, the treatment of long-term side effects is the key factor towards survivorship care. 

Coping with emotional and social effects

The emotional and social impact due to cancer diagnosis mainly involves including different emotions such as sadness, anxiety, or anger, or managing your stress level. Individuals generally find it difficult in expressing their feelings to their loved ones. Therefore, communicating with their oncologists, social workers, counselors and healthcare members can help develop effective ways of coping with cancer. 

The healing from the patients’ emotional distress after diagnosing the cancer is another primary important coping method along with the treatment. Various organizations such as Cancer Care have provided support services for helping cancer patients. Individual counseling is being conducted to assist the patients in learning better ways to cope with the emotions and challenges being raised by the diagnostic approach. Support groups aim to connect with similar individuals who have undergone identical cancer journeys while adapting to a safe and supportive environment.  

Coping the finances for cancer care

The treatment for non-small cell lung cancer. proves to be quite expensive. The cost of cancer care may result in a primary source of stress anxiety for the patients and their families. The cost of the treatment consists of the extra, unplanned expenses related to their care. The high cost of the patients care involving the medical costs stops them from following and completing the cancer treatment plan, making them prone to higher risk while evolving higher prices in the future. Hence, the patients and their families are must talk about their financial concerns with members of their healthcare team.

Several organizations have provided help with medical billing, insurance coverage, and reimbursement issues in the diagnosis of non-small cell lung cancer.. The organizations are providing financial support to individuals who cannot afford the medication costs in the treatment process.

Coping with obstacles towards care

Different groups of individuals have been experiencing different rates of new cases that help in experiencing significant outcomes from their cancer journey. These are known as cancer disparities. These disparities are mainly caused within the real-world hindrances towards providing quality medical care services and implicating a negative impact on racial and ethnic minorities, poor people, sexual and gender minorities (LGBTQ+), adolescent and young adult populations, older adults, and people who live in rural areas or other underserved communities. Suppose the patient is facing difficulty in getting appropriate care. In that case, the patient may talk to their specific healthcare team member and move ahead in exploring other related resources providing support to medically underserved individuals.

Providing care and support to the cancer patient

Family members and friends have contributed to taking appropriate care of the NSCLC patients, often referred to as the caregivers. These caregivers may provide physical, practical, and emotional support to the patient. The caregivers’ role may result to be stressful and emotionally challenging. The caregivers carry out the following functions and responsibilities on a daily or as per the requirement basis:

• Caregivers tend to provide support and motivation.
• Communicating with the healthcare team
• Giving medications to the patients
• Managing the symptoms and side effects
• Coordinating with the medical appointments
• Taking care of the patients’ diet by providing meals on time
• Handling the insurance and billing issues

The caregivers’ plan helps them keep them well-organized and help them identify the opportunities for representing tasks to others. The caregivers may ask the healthcare team about the extent of care they must give to the patients at home, during and after the treatment. Caregiving action plans are provided to the caregivers. 

Communication with the healthcare team

As lung cancer evolves complex conditions with complexity in the best-suited treatment options, it is essential to maintain good communication between the patient and the healthcare team. The patient’s oncologists, nurses, and other healthcare team members have been working together for treating non-small cell lung cancer ^​2​. Medical appointments have been known to be the significant period when the patient gets the chance to interact with their healthcare team members. It helps them to prepare themselves for their regular medical visits. It further helps in ensuring the proper understanding of diagnosis and treatment. And also seeking answers to the questions for feeling satisfied with the overall care provided to them. 

Identifying the critical components of quality of life and social support determines therapeutic decision making. It extends the overall value of life among the non-small cell lung cancer patients in coping with the treatment of non-small cell lung cancer. The non-small cell lung cancer patients with a history of anxiety can be managed with the combination of evidence-based therapies. These mainly include cognitive behavioral therapy and pharmacological approaches ^​3​. The NSCLC patients have followed the management of respiratory issues that have effectively lowered the distress condition. This may be associated with social and emotional factors ^​4​. The healthcare professionals can identify the management of the side effects and physical symptoms while revealing the somatic symptoms. Hence, impact of cost and patient willingness to pay on the relationship between bodily concerns and end of life or life extension decision making needs to be integrated in the future.

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