Studies show that African American men are more at risk for lung cancer than any other ethnicity. Interestingly, the increased incidences of the disease has been linked to genetic causes instead of external factors such as smoking.
Along with the higher risk, Black men are also more likely to be diagnosed with the late-stage form of the illness. It’s at this point that palliative care comes into play. If that’s been suggested for you, here’s what you should know about this kind of care.
What Does Palliative Care Mean?
One common misconception about palliative care is that it means the patient should be getting ready for the end of the fight against cancer. That’s far from the truth. The fact is that anyone can benefit from palliative care regardless of which stage of lung cancer they’re dealing with.
The point of this kind of care is to provide you with a more well-rounded program that you can’t get from being home and seeing your regular physician. Palliative care focuses on managing your pain, relieving your symptoms (either from the disease or your medication), and reducig your stress levels.
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While in palliative care, you’ll have access to different caregivers such as nurses, therapists, specialized doctors, social workers, and other specialists in the area.
Everyone who deals with your care will also be in constant communication with your primary physician, which makes it easier to streamline any changes in your care.
With so many persons working together to manage your care, you’ll be getting all the support you need. Overall, palliative care is a very interactive process so patients will always be informed of what their care entails and feedback is important.
Why Is It Recommended For Persons With Advanced Lung Cancer?
When it comes to advanced lung cancer, palliative care is recommended because of the typical side effects of the disease as well as the medications used to treat it. It takes place at the same time as your doctor’s recommended course of treatment.
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