Lung cancer occurs when cells in the lungs begin to divide uncontrollably. Mutations occur, and while it is normal for them to create more cells, they begin to create too many and become damaged. Those damaged cells continue creating more cells, which eventually develop into tumors that prevent the lungs from working as needed.
Lung cancer can begin in the airways (bronchi or bronchioles) or small air sacs (alveoli), and there are two common types of lung cancer. Non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) is the most common type of lung cancer and is what the majority of people develop when they have lung cancer. Small cell lung cancer (SCLC) grows more quickly and is harder to treat than NSCLC, but it is a lot less common.
Senior home care providers can be an essential part of your loved one’s care team as they go through treatments, tests, appointments, and nutritional guidance.
Why Lung Cancer Symptoms Often Get Ignored
One reason lung cancer often progresses to a more developed stage before it’s diagnosed is that many of its early symptoms look and feel like symptoms that could be connected to a common illness like a bad cold or the flu. It also often goes undetected in smokers because they may have been managing some of these symptoms for years due to the harm smoking causes, and think that it’s not anything new.
If your elderly loved one is a smoker, it’s especially important to be aware of the symptoms of lung cancer and report any changes to your loved one’s health immediately to their doctor for review.
Common Lung Cancer Symptoms
- Trouble breathing or catching his breath
- A cough that doesn’t go away or continues to get worse
- Chest pain that increases with deep breathing, coughing, or laughing
- Making a wheezing sound when breathing
- Coughing up phlegm that appears to have blood in it (or is rust-colored)
- Struggling with shortness of breath, even after low-impact activities like climbing a flight of stairs
- Extreme fatigue and low energy
- Loss of appetite
- Unexpected weight loss
- A change in your loved one’s voice – it becomes hoarser, or he can’t project his voice loudly
Can Non-Smokers Get Lung Cancer?
While smoking tobacco is the most common cause of cancer, even non-smokers can get cancer. It might be caused by a work environment they used to be employed by, from second-hand smoke from another smoker in the household, or having a family history of lung cancer. Up to 20% of lung cancer patients have never smoked a day in their lives.
Senior Home Care Support During Lung Cancer Treatment
If your loved one gets diagnosed with lung cancer, he will have a long road ahead of him as he progresses through the various treatment options recommended by his medical care team. He will not only need medical support, but support at home as well, as the treatments are often exhausting and have side effects that can make managing a home difficult.
If your loved one lives alone, lining up a senior home care team to help him with household chores will allow him the time and energy he needs to care for himself and not worry about chores around the home. His senior home care team can help with cleaning, making meals, running errands, and even taking the dog for a walk. Your loved one will appreciate the help from his senior home care team and be able to focus on getting better.
If you or an aging loved one is considering hiring Senior Home Care in San Jose, CA, contact the friendly staff at Home Care Professionals today.
Call (866)-940-4855
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