48 years
What are the necessary precautions for lung cancer patients undergoing chemotherapy?
Oct 29, 2014
If any of the following should occur, the doctor needs to be notified:
• Shaking chills or fever (a temperature of 38.3° C or above).
Notify your doctor immediately if you develop a temperature, do not delay.
• Unusual cough, sore throat, lung congestion or shortness of breath
• Burning discomfort upon urination
• Redness, pain or sores (ulcers) in the mouth
• Nausea, vomiting or inability to eat or drink for more than 24 hours
• Diarrhea (loose, watery stools) for more than 24 hours
• Constipation (no bowel movement in 2-3 days)
• Bleeding or unusual bruising
• Pain not controlled by current medications
• Any new or unusual symptom
After chemotherapy, precaution measures need to be followed to protect the patient and the caregivers from contacting the chemotherapy medicine. Chemotherapy leaves the body through urine, vomit, blood and stool. Most chemotherapy medications exit the body in no more than 48 hours.
Dirty gloves, dressings and items such as diapers that contain body wastes should be disposed of in a separate waste bin or container; choose containers made of heavy, puncture-proof plastic with a lid. Keep it away from children’s reach.
Your local health department or public safety department can describe local codes or ordinances regarding disposing of hazardous waste containers. Regulations prohibit the UM from accepting your containers for disposal.
Always use gloves to handle laundry soiled with chemotherapy to keep it from contacting your skin. Wash any soiled linen or clothes right away. Discard the gloves in the hazardous waste container.
Small amounts of chemotherapy are found in urine, stool, and vomit. If exposure to body waste occurs, washing the area with soap and water is necessary. The rest of the household may use the same toilet as the patient so long that all waste is flushed down the toilet. If a commode, bedpan, urinal or a basin for vomiting are needed, wear gloves when emptying the waste, rinse the container with water and clean it at least once a day with soap and water.
If the patient suffers from poor control of bladder or bowels, use a disposable, plastic-backed pad, diaper or sheet to absorb urine and stool. When it becomes soiled, change immediately and wash the skin with soap and water.
Hand washing is a crucial measure to prevent infection. The patient has to wash their hands before and after the following:
• Eating
• Preparing food
• Going to the bathroom
• Touching body fluids (such as blowing the nose)
• Using gloves for a task or procedure
Antibacterial soap or antiseptic lotion / gel that do not require water are better than regular soaps; proper hand washing (to kill as many germs as possible) requires about 10 seconds and should be done as follows:
1. Wet the hands and wrists under running water.
2. Scrub vigorously with an antibacterial soap for 10 seconds. Work lather between fingers, under nails, over palms and on backs of hands and wrists.
3. Rinse hands and wrists and dry with a clean paper towel.
4. Turn off faucet with a paper towel.
Procedure for using antiseptic lotions and gels:
1. Place lotion or gel on the palm of your hand.
2. Rub vigorously for 10 seconds. Work lotion or gel between fingers, under nails, over palms and on backs of hands and wrists.
3. Let your hands air dry.
Food Safety
Foods to avoid
Some foods have a higher risk of becoming contaminated with bacteria, such as Listeria, E. coli, Salmonella, Campylobacter, and Vibrio, in addition to Toxoplasma, a parasite. These include:
• Unwashed fresh fruit and vegetables, especially leafy vegetables that can hide dirt and other contaminants
• Raw sprouts
• Raw or undercooked beef, especially ground beef, or other raw or undercooked meat and poultry
• Cold hot dogs or deli lunch meat (cold cuts), including dry-cured, uncooked salami. Always cook or reheat these foods until they are steaming hot.
• Raw or undercooked shellfish, such as oysters. These items may carry the hepatitis A virus and should be cooked thoroughly to destroy the virus.
• Smoked fish
• Some types of fish, both raw and cooked, as they may contain high levels of mercury
• Sushi and sashimi, which often contain raw fish.
• Unpasteurized beverages, such as unpasteurized fruit juices, raw milk (including raw milk yogurt),
• Soft cheeses made from unpasteurized milk, such as blue-veined (a type of blue cheese), Brie, Camembert, goat cheese
• Undercooked eggs, such as soft boiled, over easy, and poached; raw, unpasteurized eggs; or foods made with raw egg, such as mayonnaise
• Salads with egg, ham, chicken, or seafood
Water source. Sadly for us, our sources of water are not very safe. As such, use bottled water in washing raw vegetables and fruit and soak them in anti-septic effervescent products such as Pre-Sept then dry them with a clean towel or paper towel; if you will expose vegetables or fruits to heat, then it should not be a problem.
Make sure you clean the top of cans before opening them.
After preparing food, wash your hands for 20 seconds with hot water and soap, paying special attention to areas between fingers and under nails. Clean your utensils and dishes with hot water and soap, and disinfect your kitchen and cutting boards using one teaspoon of liquid, unscented bleach mixed into one quart of water.
Prevent cross-contamination. Keep raw meat, poultry, and fish or their juice away from other food since bacteria can spread, causing cross-contamination. Wash all items you used for preparing raw foods, including utensils, cutting board, and plates, before using them for other foods or cooked meat. It is ideal to set aside one specific cutting board for preparing uncooked meat and chicken and never using it for uncooked fruits, vegetables, or other foods. Do not rinse raw meat or poultry because it can spread bacteria to nearby surfaces.
Chill food promptly. Refrigerate or freeze food within two hours of cooking or buying it (sooner in warm weather), do not let it sit outside the fridge for longer than that, fear of contamination with germs. Proper cooking destroys bacteria, but they can grow on cooked food if it is left out too long.
Thaw food properly. Thaw frozen food in the refrigerator rather than at room temperature. You can also thaw food in the microwave, but cook it as soon as it thaws.
Dispose of old food. Refrigerated leftovers should be consumed within a maximum of three to four days. After that time, throw out the food. Even if the food does not smell or look spoiled, it still may be unsafe. Some bacteria, such as Listeria, can grow even on foods stored in the refrigerator if they are kept for too long.
Be careful when eating out. Avoid salad bars because food items are usually kept out for a long time and are exposed to many people. Food can become contaminated when someone infected with a virus, often a norovirus, or any other germ, handles it.
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