There are different ways in which your symptoms can be managed or treated.
Breathlessness
Breathlessness can be difficult to cope with but there are treatments and drugs that can be used to help.
There are also things that you can do yourself. These include using a technique called controlled breathing. This uses your diaphragm and lower chest muscles to help you breathe more gently and effectively.
Learning simple relaxation techniques that you can do at home may also help you to relax and breathe more easily. You may want to try the following:
- Make sure you sit down when you’re getting dressed and wear loose-fitting clothes.
- Having a chair in a hallway or on a landing means you can take a rest when walking between rooms.
- Using a hand held fan or sitting by an open window with cool air blowing on to your face can help you feel less breathless.
We have more information about managing breathlessness. We can also send you a copy of our CD, Relax and Breathe.
Treating a blocked airway
Sometimes a secondary cancer in the lungs can block one of the airways. This can make breathing difficult. There are a number of treatments that can help.
Laser treatment
This uses heat to destroy cancer cells which can help to relieve the symptoms. You usually have this done under a general anaesthetic.
Stents
If the secondary cancer is causing pressure on the windpipe, a small tube called a stent may be inserted to hold the windpipe open. You usually have this done under a general anaesthetic. You’ll be able to breathe more easily with the stent in place. It does not generally cause any problems.
Internal radiotherapy
You may have a type of internal radiotherapy (brachytherapy) called endobronchial radiotherapy. The doctor uses a flexible tube called a bronchoscope to place a thin tube (catheter) containing radioactive material close to the tumour. The radioactive material is left in place for a few minutes to give a dose of radiation to the tumour. It is then removed together with the catheter. You usually only need one treatment.
Fluid on the lung (pleural effusion)
A secondary lung cancer can cause a build-up of fluid between the two membranes (pleura) that cover the lungs. This is called a pleural effusion. The fluid puts pressure on the lung and may cause breathlessness, a cough and a dull, aching pain. These symptoms can be relieved by carefully draining the fluid through a tube.
Your doctor will make a small cut in your chest and insert a tube into the space where the fluid is collecting. They will draw the fluid into a syringe, or attach the tube to a bag or bottle for the fluid to drain into.
Sometimes it’s possible to try to seal the two layers of the pleura back together to prevent the fluid from building up again. Doctors use talc mixed with saline (sterile salt water) and insert it into the space between the two layers which helps them stick together. This is called pleurodesis.
Cough
A cough is a common symptom. There are different treatments that can help a cough. Some types of painkilling drugs given by mouth can help. You can have other drugs as a vapour that you inhale. A short course of radiotherapy can also help to improve a cough.
Pain
It’s important to tell your doctor or nurse if you have any pain. There are different drugs that can be used to control pain. You usually take painkillers by mouth, as tablets or capsules, or as a liquid. You can also have them in other ways, such as skin patches or as injections, usually under the skin.
Let your doctor or nurse know if your pain killers are not controlling the pain. They can increase the dose or change you to a different drug.
We have more information on controlling cancer pain.
Coughing up blood
You may notice some streaks of blood in your phlegm (sputum) but this doesn’t usually cause a problem. If you notice larger amounts of blood, let your doctor know. You can have treatment, such as radiotherapy to help control it.