When To Call A Doctor For Pneumonia
If you were recently diagnosed with a mild case of pneumonia but are not getting better or are experiencing worsened symptoms, see your doctor as soon as possible. In some cases, pneumonia can get worse and complications can occur that require hospitalization.
Research has shown that corticosteroids, which are drugs designed to reduce inflammation, can also be used to treat pneumonia. They are helpful for decreasing the risk of death and the need for more serious medical interventions, such as ventilators or prolonged hospitalization in people who have more serious cases of infection.
If you are hospitalized, you are given medications through an IV directly into your bloodstream. You may also need help breathing, so oxygen therapy will be used. You could be given oxygen through a face mask, your nose, or another piece of medical equipment such as a ventilator.
External Beam Radiotherapy For Airway Obstruction
Patients with advanced lung cancer, airway obstruction and poor performance status might not be suitable candidates for more invasive interventions. When immediate management of the airway is required, EBRT can be considered an alternative . Lee et al. evaluated the response to EBRT in 95 patients with obstructed airways due to different types of lung cancer. Not only did they find that EBRT was effective in resolving airway obstruction , but they also described a significant increase in 1-year survival rate in these patients. The type of tumor did not affect response to treatment but response was significantly better in tumors < 6 cm . Application of local radiotherapy for 10â12 days at doses of 30â40 Gy have resulted in palliation of lung mass symptoms, including relief of obstruction. When compared to endobronchial brachytherapy, ERBT showed better outcomes .
Stage 4 Small Cell Lung Cancer
The second most-common type of lung cancer after NSCLC is small cell lung cancer . SCLC is not typically grouped into numbered stages. Instead, its identified as limited stage or extensive stage.
- With limited-stage SCLC, the cancer is present in one lung and may have spread to lymph nodes near that lung, but its contained to one side of the chest. If the lung has multiple tumors, the cancer may not be in the limited stage.
- Extensive-stage SCLC is similar to stage 4 NSCLC in that it is metastatic. SCLC is considered extensive if it has spread throughout the original lung, into the other lung or faraway lymph nodes, or to any other areas of the body.
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Stage 4 Lung Cancer And Pneumonia Etc
Hi all
New to the forum. My long term partner/husband of 25 years was diagnosed with terminal stage 4 lung cancer at the beginning of October. We have lived together for many years and never got around to getting married, but got a special licence and were married on Nov 8th just before he was due to start palliative chemo. Unfortunatley a few days after the wedding he got a chest infection and had high blood calcium levels and was admitted as an in patient for a week. Chest infection cured and calcium levels reduced. Chemo was cancelled as he was told he needed to build his strength back up for a couple of weeks first. His appointment to see the oncologist to refer him for a second attempt at chemo is for tomorrow, but yesterday he was unwell again and readmitted so it won’t be happening again.
It looks like he has pneumonia this time, with high calcium levels again and low protein levels and possibly has a partially collapsed lung. He is barely conscious, confused, losing weight rapidly, unable to stand and has difficulty speaking. Doctors suggested to us Do Not Resusitate if he has a heart attack. He was doing the supermarket shop a few days ago with no problems so that hit me like a brick wall and I’m still in shock.
I can’t believe how quickly this has progressed – mid September we went on holiday and he was able to walk quite a way although he was unwell . We got the cancer diagnosis a couple of weeks after this. And now he is so seriously unwell.
Rachel
Clinical Presentation Of Covid
All lung cancer patients had at least 1 COVID-19 related symptom cough , shortness of breath , fever , and low-grade fever were the most commonly reported COVID-19 symptoms . Time from symptoms onset to first positive SARS-CoV-2 PCR was 5.5 days . Most cases were confirmed at first SARS-CoV-2 PCR, however in 2 cases a second PCR was required to confirm diagnosis.
Table 2. Clinical Presentation of COVID-19 in patients with lung cancer .
Temperature at diagnosis was above 38°C in 8 patients , between 37.0°C and 38°C in 9 patients , and below 37°C in 6 patients . Oxygen saturation at the time of diagnosis was above 95% in 8 patients , between 90 and 95% in 6 patients , and below 90% in 8 patients . Main lab test abnormalities found were low lymphocytes count , low hemoglobin, high NLR , and elevated inflammatory markers: fibrinogen , D-dimer , CRP , and ferritin . To further evaluate the predictive value of NLR based on a dichotomous classification, we conducted ROC curve analysis. With an area under the curve of 0.804, the value that maximized the Youden’s index was 10.690. The specificity and sensitivity for this value was 0.857 and 0.750, respectively .
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Outcomes Of Lung Cancer Patients With Covid
In our series, 17/23 patients required admission which represents a hospitalization rate of 74%. Median hospitalization stay was 16 days . To database lock date, 12 patients are considered cured , 8 patients have died , and 3 cases remain in 30 days follow-up period . None of the 6 patients managed in ambulatory basis have died. On COVID-19 survivor patients, median time to negativizing SARS-CoV-2 PCR from 1st COVID-19 symptom was 31 days . There were 3 cases remaining PCR positive at the time of the database lock .
Figure 3. Time to negative SARS-CoV-2 PCR from 1st symptom of COVID-19. On COVID-19 survivor patients, median time to negativizing SARS-CoV-2 PCR from 1st COVID-19 symptom was 31 days . There were 3 cases remaining PCR positive at the time of the database lock .
Overall, 20/23 patients received anti-viral treatment : 20 hydroxychloroquine , 17 lopinavir/ritonavir , 3 azithromycin . In ambulatory patients, hydroxychloroquine plus lopinavir/ritonavir , hydroxychloroquine + azithromycin , or no specific treatment were used. Immunomodulators were used as follow: 6 patients received IFN- , 10 corticosteroids , and 1 tocilizumab . The only patient receiving tocilizumab was on cancer surveillance with no evidence of disease after definitive chemorradiation completion 6 months before, and was receiving local radiation therapy for local prostate cancer at the time of COVID-19 diagnosis. Most used antibiotics were ceftriaxone , meropenem , piperacilin/tazobactam .
Characteristics Of Stage 4 Lung Cancers
Lung cancer is staged to classify the severity of the disease. The staging of NSCLC helps doctors choose the most appropriate course of treatment based on the likely outcome, referred to as the prognosis.
The stage of lung cancer is determined using the TNM classification system, which categorizes the severity of the disease based on three conditions:
- The size and extent of the primary tumor
- Whether nearby lymph nodes have cancer cells in them
- Whether distant metastasis has occurred
With stage 4 lung cancer, all three of these conditions will have occurred. With that said, the extent of metastasis can vary along with the prognosis.
For this reason, stage 4 NSCLC was broken down into two substages with the release of the new TNM classification system in 2018:
- Stage 4a lung cancer, in which cancer has spread within the chest to the opposite lung or to the lining around the lungs or the heart or to the fluid around the lungs or heart
- Stage 4b lung cancer, in which cancer has spread to one area outside of the chest, including a single non-regional lymph node
- Stage 4c lung cancer, in which cancer has spread to one or multiple places in one or more distant organs, such as the brain, adrenal gland, bone, liver, or distant lymph nodes.
Stage 4 lung cancer is incurable. Treatments, therefore, are focused on slowing the progression of the disease, minimizing symptoms, and maintaining an optimal quality of life.
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How Long Do You Live With Stage 4 Lung Cancer
Its true that life expectancy statistics dont paint a pretty picture, and its so normal to feel anxious, worried, concerned, and fearful about the future. But advances in science and research mean were seeing new and emerging treatments, together with greater research, and those living with lung cancer can participate in an increasing number of clinical trials.
Cancer Australia. Relative survival by stage at diagnosis . Available at: . Accessed April 2020.
How long do you live with stage four lung cancer? When people ask that question, I think, I remember the time when I first saw the statistics on Google about stage four lung cancer and how scared I felt when I looked at the numbers. Over the years Ive learned that its about how you interpret statistics rather than the numbers itself.
Numbers may be low, but they may also represent what was available at the time in terms of treatment, and because statistics represent numbers from years ago, and knowing now that there are so many new advancing research, advancing therapies that are improving the outcomes of stage four lung cancer, I know that those statistics are changing and its so important to keep that in mind when you look at the numbers.
When To Talk To Your Doctor
If youre experiencing symptoms and at an increased risk of developing lung cancer, you should talk to your doctor about having a routine screening, Dr. Hales says.
Screenings for people at high risk of developing lung cancer offers hope for early detection, when surgery is a possible cure. Read more about lung cancer screening.
People considered at high risk for developing lung cancer:
- Have a history of heavy smoking
- Are current smokers or former smokers who quit within the past 15 years and
- Are between the ages of 55 and 80.
If your doctor detects anything abnormal during a lung cancer screening, diagnostic tests such as imaging scans and biopsies are the next step. Read more about how to reduce your risk of lung cancer.
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Top Tips For Caring For Someone Who Needs Help Eating:
- Face the person so they can see you and their food.
- If the person normally wears glasses or hearing aids, help them to put them on. This will help them to see what youre doing and to hear what youre saying.
- Offer smaller meals or portions that dont overwhelm the person.
- Let the person eat slowly. Allow plenty of time for them to chew their food and swallow it. They might need to catch their breath before each mouthful.
- Watch for clues to help you tell when they have finished swallowing. If its hard to tell, ask the person if theyve finished or to open their mouth to see if there is any food left inside.
- For drinks, use a wide cup or glass, so the drinker doesnt have to tilt their head back. You could also use a straw, for cold drinks.
- Dont rush the meal. This could increase the risk of food entering the persons airways.
- Look out for signs of tiredness. If the person is getting sleepy, it is best for them to stop eating even if they havent finished their meal. This is because people are more likely to cough or choke on food.
- If possible, try and make sure the person waits at least 15 minutes before going back to bed or lying down. This reduces the chances of food and drink coming back up the throat and causing them to choke.
What Is Lung Cancer What Is Pneumonia
Lung Cancer
Pneumonia
Pneumonia is an infection of one or both lungs usually is caused by bacteria, viruses, fungi, or parasites. There are many types of pneumonia based on the type of microbe causing the infection. Moreover, a microbe can cause different kinds of pneumonia. Sometimes pneumonia affects a portion of one lung, and in other cases, the infection has throughout both lungs. Some people with pneumonia develop associated fluid collections. Some causes of pneumonia can be very destructive to lung tissue, for example, Staphylococcus aureus.
One-third of all people who developed pneumonia subsequently died from the infection before antibiotics were discovered. Currently, over 3 million people develop pneumonia each year in the United States. Over a half a million of these people are hospitalized for treatment. Although most of these people recover, approximately 5% will not recover from the infection and die. Pneumonia is the sixth leading cause of death in the United States.
Lung Cancer Symptoms and Signs
Symptoms of primary lung cancers include:
Other signs and symptoms of lung cancer include:
- Wheezing or hoarseness, which cause blockage or inflammation in the lungs.
- Repeated respiratory infections, such as bronchitis or pneumonia.
Symptoms of lung tumors that have spread to other areas of the body depends upon their location and size. About 30% to 40% of people with lung cancer have some symptoms or signs of cancer that has spread.
Pneumonia Symptoms and Signs
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Treating Metastatic Lung Cancer
Treating metastatic lung cancer is challenging. This stage of cancer may continue to spread, and small bits of the disease may linger in the body and cause a recurrence, even if the treatment appears successful. Therefore, treatment will typically focus on extending and bettering life by relieving symptoms and controlling the cancer’s growth. A few things to consider:
- If you have advanced lung cancer, ask your doctor what to expect from treatment.
- You may even want to seek a second opinion from another doctor to ensure youre satisfied with your treatment plan.
- Your care team will weigh the benefits of treatment with the potential side effects and how these may impact your health and well-being.
If the cancer has metastasized to one other siteparticularly the braina typical course of treatment may begin with surgery and radiation therapy to target the area where the cancer spread. Then, the focus shifts to the lung, where treatment may include some combination of surgery, chemotherapy and radiation .
More often, though, cancers at this stage may be too widespread and require systemic treatments that attack the cancer throughout the body.
The first consideration in choosing a systemic treatment is whether there are specific genetic changes in the primary lung tumor that may be targeted. If so, targeted therapy drugs designed to act on these gene changes would likely be the first choice. Chemotherapy, immunotherapy, or both, also may be options.
Predictors Of Mortality In Lung Cancer Patients With Covid
The case fatality rate in our series was 35% , and was higher in patients actively receiving anti-cancer treatment compared to those that not . We aimed to analyze predictive factors of mortality based on baseline clinic-pathologic features, COVID-19 clinical presentation, and cancer treatment. Univariate analysis demonstrated a statistically significant association with mortality for oxygen saturation at diagnosis, ECOG performance status, number of comorbidities, stage IV, number of metastatic sites, progressive disease, and elevated CRP and fibrinogen . However, there was strong correlation among multiple variables and none of the predictive factors identified in the univariate analysis remained statistically significant in a multivariate model.
Table 4. Predictive factors of mortality for COVID-19 in patients with lung cancer by logistic regression .
Figure 4. Map of correlations among variables associated with the outcome of death by COVID-19 in patients with lung cancer. Positive correlations are displayed in blue and negative correlations in red color. Color intensity and the size of the circle are proportional to the correlation coefficients. Correlation coefficient is indicated in the scale on the right. ECOG, Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group scale of performance status SpO2, oxygen saturation at admission CRP, c-reactive protein.
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How Many People Develop Pneumonia In Each Region Of The Uk
In 2012, a significantly higher proportion of people developed pneumonia in the East Midlands and the North West of England than in the UK generally.
The proportions were lower in Scotland and considerably lower in the other regions of England, and in Wales and Northern Ireland.
This pattern was seen fairly constantly in the years 200412.
Number of people per 100,000 who developed pneumonia, by UK region, 200412
How Is Pneumonia Treated
If you have lung cancer and develop pneumonia, your treatment will be the same as a person with pneumonia who doesnt have lung cancer. The most important thing is to treat the cause of the pneumonia.
You may need to stay in the hospital for intravenous antibiotics, or you may be able to treat your pneumonia at home with oral antibiotics.
In most cases of viral pneumonia, treatment will focus on supportive care, like supplemental oxygen, IV fluids, and rest.
Your doctor will consider other factors to determine whether or not you need to stay in the hospital for treatment, including:
- your age
- your overall health and other medical problems
- the severity of your symptoms
- your vital signs, including temperature, respiratory rate, blood pressure, and pulse
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Causes And Risk Factors
Lung cancer starts when lung cells change and mutate. A persons lung cancer risk is influenced by breathing in toxic substances, genetics, family history or lung trauma.
Smoking is the biggest cause of lung cancer. In fact, about 90 percent of all lung cancers happen because of smoking, according to the American Lung Association. Tobacco smoke contains many toxic chemicals that damage the lungs. Even nonsmokers have an increased cancer risk if they breathe in secondhand smoke.
Make sure you tell your doctor about your family history, lifestyle habits, what you do for work and the medications you use. This information will help them determine your specific risk factors.
Lung cancer risks include: