Contents:
- Medical Video: Lung Cancer or Metastasis to Lung?
- What is pneumonia?
- Pneumonia in stage 4 cancer
- Metastasis
- Postoperative complications
- Radiation treatment
- Treatment of pneumonia in stage 4 cancer
- Antibiotics
- Anti-viral drugs
- Cough medicine
- Prescription pain medication
- The importance of detecting pneumonia
Medical Video: Lung Cancer or Metastasis to Lung?
Even if it occurs in healthy individuals, pneumonia is a condition that is difficult to treat. Especially if it affects people who are already weak because of advanced breast cancer. Find out how some breast cancer treatments can increase the risk of pneumonia so you can avoid it.
What is pneumonia?
Pneumonia is an infection that occurs in the air sacs in the lungs. This infection is usually caused by bacteria, fungi, or viruses. Pneumonia can also affect one or two lungs at the same time.
Pneumonia has different signs and symptoms in each person depending on the severity of lung infection. Cases of infection can occur from the lightest infection to a level that can threaten one's life. Many symptoms of pneumonia are very similar to flu or runny nose. Symptoms of pneumonia are usually similar to flu symptoms with a longer period of time.
The following are symptoms of pneumonia
- Fever
- Uncomfortable feeling
- More sweating
- Cough with phlegm
- Diarrhea, nausea and vomiting
- Chest pain
- Pain or fatigue in muscles
- Fatigue
Advanced cancer can weaken the immune system and can increase the risk of getting pneumonia. Cancer sufferers also usually find it difficult to overcome this infection.
Pneumonia in stage 4 cancer
In stage 4 of cancer, cancer cells have attacked other organs in the body or what is called metastasis. Cancer sufferers at this stage may still try to treat or remove cancer, but cancer patients often face a decline in health. That is why the development of pneumonia in patients with stage 4 breast cancer can cause problems.
The following are three causes of pneumonia in patients with end-stage cancer, namely:
Metastasis
At this stage the cancer has spread to other organs. Usually the cancer has spread and metastasized to nearby areas of bone, tissue and organs. Stage 4 breast cancer most often spreads to organs such as the lungs, liver and brain.
Cancer that has spread to the lungs will make patients weaker because the body faces difficulties in fighting bacteria and infections. Cancer that has spread to the lungs also makes the lungs vulnerable to infections such as pneumonia.
Postoperative complications
Breast cancer patients may undergo surgery to remove cancer or treat complications. Unfortunately, surgery can cause other adverse effects so that the body's condition becomes more fragile. Research found pneumonia can occur in weeks or months after breast cancer surgery.
Radiation treatment
Tissues of the body and bones around breast cancer will usually be exposed to radiation during treatment or called bronchiolitis obliterans namely the conditions that organize pneumonia or BOOP. BOOP is a condition in which the lungs have a connection with cancer treatment. Treatment of cancer with radiation can cause BOOP even though the case does not occur frequently.
Treatment of pneumonia in stage 4 cancer
Many cases of pneumonia can be treated even though most cases of pneumonia are difficult to treat. Treating pneumonia is a long treatment process because it takes several weeks or months for patients to feel healthy again. The treatment process will be longer if someone before pneumonia is sick.
Common treatments for treating pneumonia are:
Antibiotics
Antibiotics can treat pneumonia caused by bacteria. Some types of bacteria can be responsible for the occurrence of pneumonia in the body so doctors also need to do tests to determine the type of medication needed by the patient.
Anti-viral drugs
This antiviral drug treats pneumonia caused by a viral infection.
Cough medicine
Cough medicines will not cure pneumonia completely but cough medicines will help patients cope with the cough that often accompanies pneumonia.
Prescription pain medication
Over-the-counter pain medications such as ibuprofen and aspirin can reduce fever and discomfort caused by pneumonia. If the patient has been diagnosed with pneumonia when suffering from stage 4 breast cancer, treatment must be consulted with a doctor to find out the appropriate treatment options.
The importance of detecting pneumonia
Advanced breast cancer can occur due to various symptoms and health complications. Outside of metastatic conditions, stage 4 breast cancer can also carry many diseases caused by treatment. Chemotherapy, radiation, surgery, and other breast cancer treatments can cause many side effects in cancer patients including the effects of nausea and fatigue. Therefore, knowing the cause of pneumonia is very important because the patient can find out the cause of the changes that occur in his body. If the patient has stage 4 breast cancer and also has symptoms of pneumonia, he should immediately contact a doctor so that his condition can be quickly dealt with.
