Do You Know the Daily Care Precautions for Ovarian Cancer Patients?

Ovarian cancer is a serious gynecological malignancy that poses a major threat to women’s health.Ovarian cancer is often called “silent killer” due to its invisibility and easy recurrence.According to statistics, the 5-year survival rate of early-stage ovarian cancer can reach more than 80%, while the 5-year survival rate of late-stage ovarian cancer is about 30%.For ovarian cancer patients, apart from accepting the treatment program prescribed by doctors, daily care is equally important.

1.Symptoms of ovarian cancer

Ovarian cancer does not have obvious symptoms in early stage, so it is often neglected.Symptoms of advanced ovarian cancer, on the other hand, are more obvious, such as abdominal pain, lumps, decreased appetite, indigestion, frequent urination and painful urination, weight loss, nausea and vomiting, diarrhea or constipation, and fever.

2.How is ovarian cancer treated?

Before explaining the daily care precautions, we must understand the treatment methods of ovarian cancer in order to take more effective care measures.Surgery is the most commonly used ovarian cancer treatment, and if ovarian cancer metastasis occurs, it will be treated by radiation therapy, which utilizes high-energy rays to kill the cancer cells.Chemotherapy is a systemic treatment that kills cancer cells and inhibits their growth.In addition to this, targeted therapy and hormone therapy are also commonly used.

3.Precautions for daily care of ovarian cancer patients

3.1 External image care

The beauty of external image can help patients re-establish their confidence in treatment, especially women, whose psychological changes after suffering from cancer are very drastic.Some patients have hair loss, skin color change and other external image changes in radiotherapy, which have a more serious impact on their psychology, so external image care is very necessary.Patients themselves should pay attention to personal hygiene, and insist on washing, combing hair or wearing a wig every day. Some patients will also have nail loss during chemotherapy, so they should also cut their nails diligently.During the treatment period, attention should be paid to good skin moisturizing, you can apply some skin care products.The patient’s family should encourage the patient to pay attention to the external image care and provide the necessary support.

3.2 Moderate exercise

Exercise helps improve physical fitness and immunity.Some patients have been bedridden for a long time after the disease, and have problems such as muscle atrophy, limited joint movement and constipation, which can be improved through exercise.It is best for patients to do some light exercise every day, such as going out for a walk.If the physical state is not good, then you can ask your family to massage your body and do some passive exercises.The patient’s family members should accompany the patient, and if the patient wants to go out for a walk, the family members should also accompany the patient.For bedridden patients, we should turn over for them, massage their limbs, and encourage them to do some active exercise.For better health, recovery is more ideal for patients, the best way to exercise is “team sports”, call on three or five friends to run, walk together, can effectively improve the mood, will enhance the effect of exercise to the best.

3.3 Prevention of falls

Patients are weaker after surgery and radiotherapy, and it is easier for them to fall down when they get out of bed to go to the toilet or when they are moving around.If the patients themselves are conscious, they should pay attention to their own physical condition, and if they feel weak, they can ask nursing staff or family members to assist them when they get out of bed to go to the toilet, and if necessary, they should use walking aids.The patient’s family should assist the patient, if the patient has the need to get out of bed, the family should accompany the patient, first let the patient sit at the bedside for a while, the state is stable before getting out of bed.If the patient’s gait is unsteady, they should take the initiative to assist the patient, or fetch a wheelchair or walker for the patient.Place non-slip mats next to the patient’s bed and in the bathroom to avoid falls.

3.4 Psychological Nursing

Poor psychological state will affect the prognosis of ovarian cancer. Many patients always have a sense of “dying” after suffering from cancer and lose confidence in life, so they are devastated and the treatment effect of the disease is not very good.Therefore, patients must pay attention to adjusting their psychological state.If you feel that you have been depressed recently, you should take the initiative to go outdoors to take a walk, breathe fresh air can also be diverted by reading books, listening to music, doing handicrafts.The patient’s family members should also pay attention to observe the patient’s emotional performance, if you feel that the patient is depressed, do not speak for a long time, the expression of indifference, must take the initiative to communicate with the patient, communication, you can contact the patient’s friends to accompany her to chat, can effectively improve the patient’s mood.Family members should avoid concealing the patient’s condition from the patient. Women are delicate and prone to suspicion, which can aggravate the patient’s psychological burden.Family members can take a step-by-step approach, gradually tell the patient’s condition and the progress of treatment, to help build up their confidence in treatment.

3.5 Dietary care

Ovarian cancer patients will have symptoms of loss of appetite during radiotherapy, and some patients may have redness, swelling and ulceration of oral mucosa and digestive tract, and the pain is more serious every time they eat, so the patients are not willing to take the initiative to eat.Family members should encourage patients to eat as much food as possible at this time, and pay attention to adjust the dietary structure, increase the intake of fresh vegetables, fruits, eggs, dairy products, and timely supplementation of nutrition for patients.Spicy stimulation, fried food is absolutely can not eat, if the patient has no appetite, the family can change the color of the dishes, using a variety of cooking methods, to increase the color and flavor of the food.However, it is best for the patient to eat more easily digestible food, and try to use the cooking methods of steaming, boiling and stewing.If the patient’s physical state is relatively stable, family members can make some medicinal meals for the patient, using dietary supplements to help the patient replenish nutrients and regulate body functions.

3.6 Pain care

Ovarian cancer patients will suffer from pain when they reach the advanced stage, which greatly affects the quality of life and psychological state of patients.On the one hand, family members should create a warm and comfortable living environment for the patients, do a good job of hygiene and cleanliness in the living room every day, ventilate and change bedding regularly.Conditions can be placed in the room some green plants, can play a role in purifying the air, regulating the role of mood; on the other hand, the doctor may prescribe analgesic drugs for the patient, the family should advise the patient to take their medication on time and in accordance with the amount of medication, do not overdose.Massage can also relieve pain, family members can do a massage for the patient.

3.7 Life care

Ovarian cancer patients have low immunity, so they should take good life care in daily life.First of all, pay attention to hand hygiene, our hands often touch some unclean articles, so we should wash hands frequently.Especially radiotherapy patients are prone to phlebitis, resulting in itchy skin, which may lead to skin infections if hand hygiene is neglected; secondly, during the change of seasons, be sure to pay attention to the weather forecast and make preparations for increasing or decreasing clothing in advance.Especially in the fall and winter seasons, many patients catch a cold during this season, increasing the risk of infection.Avoid frequenting crowded places during the fall and winter seasons, and wear a medical mask when necessary.If the patient has fever symptoms, the patient is likely to have an infection, must seek medical attention in time to avoid delay in treatment.Family members should usually urge the patient to go to bed on time, go to bed early and get up early to avoid staying up late.If patients have difficulty in falling asleep, they can listen to music, read books and drink a cup of hot milk before going to bed. If all these measures fail to improve the sleep disorder, they can consult a doctor and give the patient some sleep-aiding drugs.

3.8 Regular review

Generally, the disease will be controlled after effective treatment, but it does not mean that ovarian cancer has been completely cured.Patients should follow the doctor’s instruction to go back to the hospital for regular checkups.Generally, in the first two years after the completion of treatment, the patient should return to the hospital for a review every three months, and every four to six months in the third to fourth years.Starting from the 5th year, it will be rechecked once a year.In the process, if abnormal symptoms appear, go to the hospital in time.

The above are the daily care precautions for ovarian cancer patients. Through reasonable care, the prognosis of patients can be improved and the survival period can be prolonged.