Stage 4 tongue cancer: life expectancy, treatment, care & bull; hello healthy

Tongue cancer can affect anyone indiscriminately. Men and women both young and old are at risk. Unfortunately, tongue cancer patients are often diagnosed when they have entered stage 4. So, what happens when a person has stage 4 tongue cancer, and what is the chance for a complete recovery?

What does stage 4 tongue cancer mean?

Staging is a term to describe the size, condition, and location of the cancer. By knowing the stage of the cancer, doctors can plan treatment and estimate how much life the patient has.

Tongue cancer stage is divided into 4. In the early stages of tongue cancer, cancer cells still have not spread at all. Tumors at this stage also tend to be small, about less than 2 centimeters.

Meanwhile, when it has entered stage 4, cancer cells have usually spread to surrounding tissues and other body parts such as lymph nodes, lungs, liver, and bones.

Tongue cancer that has entered stage 4 is also called advanced cancer or metastatic cancer.

Life expectancy of stage 4 tongue cancer patients

The American Cancer Society says the survival chance of end-stage tongue cancer patients within 5 years of diagnosis is around 39 percent. This means that 39 out of 100 people with stage 4 tongue cancer can live for 5 years after being diagnosed.

It is important to understand that this number is not a measure of how long a patient can survive. This figure is just an idea of ​​how likely it is that cancer treatment will be successful.

In fact, everyone's life expectancy is different. This will depend on your age, general physical and mental health conditions, the tissue affected, and the treatment method.

To increase the chances of survival, patients with end-stage cancer need to follow treatment with discipline to reduce symptoms and prevent the cancer from progressing from spreading.

Treatment options for stage 4 tongue cancer

Tongue cancer that has spread far to other parts of the body can no longer be completely cured.

Even so, there are a number of treatments that can be done to help relieve symptoms while improving the patient's quality of life.

In addition to surgical removal of tumors, here are the treatment options for stage 4 tongue cancer that you need to know.

1. Chemotherapy

Chemotherapy is the most popular treatment method for end-stage tongue cancer. The patient will be given a number of drugs with high doses to stop and kill cancer cells on the tongue. Medicines can be given by injection / infusion or taken directly by mouth.

There are many types of chemotherapy drugs. Only a doctor can determine which chemotherapy drug is most suitable for you. The doctor can give one or several types of chemotherapy drugs.

Just like any other medical treatment, chemotherapy also has potential side effects. Some of the side effects of chemotherapy most often experienced by cancer patients are:

• Hair loss
• Nausea and vomiting
• The body is weak, lethargic, and weak
• Decreased appetite so that body weight drops dramatically

The good news is, most of the side effects of chemotherapy will go away after the patient has finished treatment.

2. Radiation therapy

Another treatment option for stage 4 tongue cancer is radiation therapy or radiotherapy. Nearly half of cancer patients are advised to undergo radiation therapy in their treatment.

This treatment is performed using high energy waves such as X rays, protons, gamma, and electrons. The high wave exposure will damage the DNA that regulates the division of cancer cells. As a result, cancer cell growth will stop or even die.

Compared to chemotherapy, this one treatment is considered to have less side effects. This is because radiotherapy can reduce the number of cancer cells without destroying the surrounding healthy tissue.

3. Targeted therapy

Targeted therapy is a type of cancer treatment that is done through drugs. However, unlike chemotherapy, targeted therapy does not affect the healthy tissue around cancer cells.

A number of drugs commonly used for targeted therapy is Cetuximab. If tongue cancer has entered stage 4, then you must be more disciplined in taking medication. This therapy can be done alone or in combination with other cancer treatments.

Most patients will generally be given one type of focused care until they see an improvement in their condition. If needed, the doctor can combine other treatment options. For example, surgical removal of tumors with chemotherapy or chemotherapy combined with radiation therapy.

Home care for stage 4 tongue cancer patients

In addition to the methods mentioned above, it is also important for stage 4 tongue cancer patients to carry out a number of home treatments such as:

1. Keep eating high nutritious foods

Every now and then you can finish your cravings to eat something unhealthy. However, end-stage cancer patients still have to compensate by eating high nutritious foods.

Maintaining a healthy diet aims to strengthen the body's stamina, which is often weak after treatment. On the other hand, the symptoms of tongue cancer in the late stages also often make it difficult for patients to chew food so they are prone to malnutrition.

That is why, make sure patients who are undergoing cancer treatment get adequate intake of good fats, fiber, protein and carbohydrates. In addition to increasing healthy eating, cancer patients should also avoid:

• Packaged foods that are high in salt, sugar and fat.
• Processed foods made with artificial flavors and preservatives.
• Eating all fried and fatty foods because these foods can increase inflammation in the body. On the other hand, these foods can hamper the medical treatment that the patient is currently undergoing.

2. Meditation

Cancer does not only eat away at the patient's physical condition, but also his psychological condition. Stage 4 tongue cancer patients are very susceptible to depression during the treatment process. That is why, the mental health of the patient also needs more attention.

One way to maintain a patient's mental health is regular meditation. Meditation can make the patient's mind calmer and happier. That way, patients will be more comfortable when undergoing cancer treatment.

3. Counseling to a psychologist

Apart from meditation, counseling with a psychologist can also help reduce the stress that patients experience while treating cancer. You may be wondering, why go to a psychologist if you canconfidewith the closest person?

There is nothing wrong with itconfidewith people closest to you, but a psychologist can help you more quickly and effectively. A psychologist is trained and experienced to really listen to his clients. They have been equipped with the ability to dig up the root of the problem as well as to find solutions that are right on target.

Therefore, counseling to a psychologist can be the right choice to help improve the quality of life for stage 4 tongue cancer patients.