According to statistics, more than 10,000 people die of lung cancer in Taiwan every year, which is the cancer that has claimed the most lives in Taiwan for 42 consecutive years. Up to 40% of lung cancer patients have bone metastases when they are found, which not only affects the quality of life of patients, but also increases mortality. Physicians reminded that bone metastases should be actively treated to maintain the quality of life in order to fight cancer.
I am an advertisement please continue reading
Guo Zhixi, director of the Lung Oncology Department of Chang Gung Memorial Hospital in Linkou, said that lung cancer has no symptoms in the early stage, and it is often late when symptoms appear. Among the newly diagnosed patients, 50% to 60% of them are already in stage IIIB or stage IV. Once lung cancer metastasizes, it is stage IV. The most common site of metastasis is the contralateral lung, bone, brain, etc.
Brain metastases are notoriously frightening, bone metastases have a higher chance
Among them, the most frightening is brain metastases, about 30% of patients will develop brain metastases; bone metastases are easier to ignore, but the proportion is even higher than brain metastases, as high as 40% of patients will have bone metastases, which should not be underestimated.
Although bone metastases are not as fatal as brain metastases, symptoms such as pain, nerve compression, and fractures will occur. The larger and deeper the extent of metastatic erosion, the more obvious the symptoms, which will have a great impact on the quality of life. Especially when the fracture must be bedridden, it will be accompanied by complications such as aspiration pneumonia, which will increase the mortality rate and must be actively treated.
Guo Zhixi said that there are many types of lung cancer, and the incidence of bone metastasis of different types is also different. The most common type of lung cancer is lung adenocarcinoma, in which 35% of patients will have bone metastases, while 15% of squamous cell carcinomas will have bone metastases. If lung cancer is discovered when bone metastases occur, it is necessary to confirm the type of lung cancer before deciding on the treatment method. For lung adenocarcinoma, genetic testing can be performed to find out whether there is a suitable target drug. For squamous cell carcinoma, the expression of PD-L1 can be used to determine whether to use immunotherapy.
Active treatment of bone metastases is not scary. Bone acupuncture is the most basic treatment
Bone metastases from lung cancer can be treated with appropriate treatments depending on the severity, including bone-preserving acupuncture, radiotherapy and surgery. Guo Zhixi pointed out that there are osteoclasts and osteoblasts in the bones of the human body, which are in a state of balance like a seesaw. After the cancer cells invade, the number of osteoclasts will increase, the seesaw will deviate to one side, and the bones will be destroyed more and more. Therefore, the most basic treatment for bone metastases is to administer bone-preserving acupuncture once a month, which can suppress the bone-eroding cells and return to a balanced state.
If the symptoms of bone metastases are already very painful, radiation therapy is recommended. A course of treatment is 5 to 10 times, once a day, and the radiation should be finished for 5 or 10 minutes. It takes about 5 to 10 days to improve the pain. If bone metastases have caused fractures, surgical treatment is required. For example, if the metastases to the hip joint, joint replacement surgery is required.
Baogu Acupuncture has the side effect of bone necrosis, do oral examination before treatment
Guo Zhixi pointed out that Baogu Acupuncture can restore bone balance and is an important treatment tool for bone metastases. Patients with bone metastases can apply for health insurance benefits. However, bone necrosis may occur as a side effect of Baogu Acupuncture, mainly due to inflammation and necrosis of the jaw bone. Before using Baogu Acupuncture, please consult a dentist to evaluate the condition of the teeth. During the treatment period, pay attention to oral hygiene, prevent tooth decay, and avoid tooth extraction.
In addition, side effects of hypocalcemia may also occur, such as cramps, numbness of hands and feet, and fatigue. Guo Zhixi explained that Bone-Bao Acupuncture will suppress osteoclasts, and calcium needs to be dissolved into the blood by osteoclasts, so some patients may suffer from insufficient blood calcium. However, hypocalcemia can be improved by sun exposure or vitamin D and calcium supplementation.
Guo Zhixi reminded that early detection of lung cancer can lead to early treatment, but patients with bone metastases should also be actively treated, because the drugs for lung cancer are changing with each passing day, and now there are many drugs that can be used. As long as the bone metastases are well controlled and the quality of life and body are maintained, there will be opportunities for one after another treatment to prolong life.
Text / Edited by Cancer Hope Foundation / Lai Yilingtu / Sun Peiqun
Consulting expert: Guo Zhixi, Director of Lung Oncology Department, Linkou Chang Gung Memorial Hospital
Further reading:
Lung cancer treatment is moving towards “precision” Next-generation sequencing gene detection helps medication and tracks recurrence
How Air Pollution Causes Lung Cancer? “Nature” analyzes the key pollution that makes the body chronically inflamed
I am an advertisement please continue reading
This article is authorized to be reproduced from “HehoHealth“, the original text is: For 42 consecutive years, it took the lives of the most Chinese people! 40% of lung cancers have bone metastases when they are discovered 3 methods of active treatment to restore the quality of life
2023-07-21 05:01:30
#consecutive #years #lives #Chinese #people #lung #cancer #metastasized #bone #methods #active #treatment #restore #quality #life #Medicine #Health #Life
