Symptoms
Causes
Complications
What happens if a cancer patient gets pneumonia?
Bacterial pneumonias in cancer patients cause significant morbidity and mortality, particularly among those with treatment-induced cytopenias. Cancer- and cancer treatment-related derangements of lung architecture, mucositis and impaired airway protection/swallow function all contribute to pneumonia risks.
What happens when you have lung cancer and get pneumonia?
Pneumonia and lung cancer both occur in the lungs and share several overlapping symptoms. Lung cancer can also increase the risk of pneumonia by weakening the immune system. Pneumonia is a lung infection that leads to breathing difficulties and fluid in the lungs.
Does chemotherapy affect pneumonia?
Infectious pneumonitis is when an infection caused your lungs to be inflamed. This is commonly known as pneumonia. Treatment related pneumonitis is an inflammation of your lungs following chemotherapy or radiation therapy. Treatment related pneumonitis can cause you to have long-term side effects.
How long after diagnosis do you start chemo?
Cancer treatment should start very soon after diagnosis, but for most cancers, it won't hurt to wait a few weeks to begin treatment. This gives the person with cancer time to talk about all their treatment options with the cancer care team, family, and friends, and then decide what's best for them.
What happens if you get an infection during chemotherapy?
Cancer and chemotherapy can damage this system by reducing the number of infection-fighting white blood cells. This condition is called neutropenia. An infection can lead to sepsis, the body's extreme response to an infection. It is a life-threatening medical emergency.
Can pneumonia be cured completely?
With proper recognition and treatment, many cases of pneumonia can be cleared without complications. For bacterial infections, stopping your antibiotics early can cause the infection to not clear completely. This means your pneumonia could come back.
Can antibiotics be taken during chemo?
Sometimes your doctor may give you a course of antibiotics during your chemotherapy to help fight off an infection or stop you getting one.
Is fluid in the lungs a side effect of chemo?
Pleural effusion can also be a sign that cancer has spread to the lymph nodes. Cancer treatments. Radiation therapy, chemotherapy, abdominal surgery, and certain medications can cause pleural effusion. Pleural effusions may also occur after lung surgery.
Does chemo damage your lungs?
Treatments for cancer, including some types of chemotherapy and radiation therapy, can cause lung problems. The risk of developing lung problems is greater if both chemotherapy and radiation therapy were used to treat the cancer. Lung damage is often related to the dose of the drugs or radiation used.
How long can chemo be delayed?
Short, planned delays in chemotherapy for good-risk GCT patients (less than or equal to 7 days per cycle) appear to be acceptable since they may prevent serious toxicity in this curable patient population. Delays of longer than 7 days are strongly discouraged except in extraordinary life-threatening circumstances.
Is there a limit to how much chemotherapy you can have?
There's no way to give an exact time limit. The answer depends entirely on your situation and many factors, such as: The type of cancer you have. The treatment schedule or plan.
How many rounds of chemo can a person have?
During a course of treatment, you usually have around 4 to 8 cycles of treatment. A cycle is the time between one round of treatment until the start of the next. After each round of treatment you have a break, to allow your body to recover.
Return to The Emergency Department If
1. You cough up blood. 2. Your heart beats more than 100 beats in 1 minute. 3. You are very tired, confused, and cannot think clearly. 4. You have...
Contact Your Healthcare Provider If
1. Your symptoms are the same or get worse 48 hours after you start antibiotics. 2. Your fever is not below 99°F (37.2°C) 48 hours after you start...
Follow Up With Your Healthcare Provider as Directed
You will need to return for more tests. Write down your questions so you remember to ask them during your visits.
Treatment
Timeline For Recovery
Returning to Everyday Activities
Complications and Relapse
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