Dyspnea management in patients with cancer

Abstract

Dyspnea in patients with cancer is a common symptom and is generally associated with anxiety. It limits patients’ activities of daily living and adversely affects not only patients, but also caregivers. It remains a difficult symptom to manage, despite recent advances in cancer treatment and the increasing evidence available. Different pharmacological approaches such as opioids, and nonpharmacological interventions including oxygen, fun, exercise, pulmonary rehabilitation, acupuncture, acupressure and cognitive-behavioral therapies are used to manage dyspnea. Symptom management and supportive therapies given by oncology nurses become important in patients with cancer who experience dyspnea. There are limited number of publications about the management of dyspnea in Turkish oncology nursing literature. This literature review aims to inform nurses about cancer patients with dyspnea.