How to care for a lung cancer patient, step-by-step guide

TL;DR:

• Learn the treatment plan and who to call for what.
  
• Track symptoms daily. Act fast on red flags.
  
• Manage breathlessness, pain, cough, and fatigue with simple steps.
  
• Keep meds, appointments, food, and paperwork organized.
  
• Care for yourself too. Share tasks and set limits.
  

Start with a shared plan

Ask the care team to explain the diagnosis, stage, and goals of care. Write down the plan in plain words. Note the next scan date, labs, and any home instructions. Confirm the best phone numbers for urgent questions during office hours and after hours.

Create a one page summary. Include drug names, doses, allergies, and key contacts. Keep a photo of it on your phone. Print a copy for the fridge.

Palliative care is helpful at any stage. It focuses on comfort, symptom relief, and quality of life. It does not mean giving up treatment. Ask for a referral early.

Build a daily rhythm that works

Keep days simple and repeatable.

• Wake, wash, small breakfast, light activity, rest, lunch, short walk, rest, dinner, wind down.
  
• Use alarms to space pills and meals.
  
• Batch calls and visitors. Short visits are best.
  
• Track energy patterns. Plan tasks in the “good” hours.
  

A small notebook or app can track symptoms, side effects, and questions. Bring it to every visit.

How to manage common symptoms

Every person is different. These tips help at home, but they do not replace medical advice. Call the care team if you are unsure.

Breathlessness

Breathlessness is common in lung cancer and very distressing. Small changes help.

• Sit upright with supported arms. Try leaning forward on pillows at a table.
  
• Use a hand fan or cool air across the face.
  
• Pace activity. Take small steps and rest between tasks.
  
• Practice pursed lip breathing. Inhale through the nose for two seconds, exhale through pursed lips for four seconds.
  
• Keep rooms cool, uncluttered, and smoke free.
  
• Use prescribed inhalers, oxygen, or medicines exactly as directed.
  

Call urgently for new severe breathlessness, chest pain, blue lips, fever, or confusion.

Cough

Cough may come from the tumor, infection, or treatment.

• Sip warm fluids and honey lemon tea if allowed.
  
• Use a humidifier and avoid strong scents.
  
• Teach “huff” cough to clear mucus without straining.
  
• Ask about cough syrups. Some people benefit from low dose opioids for cough.
  
• Report blood in sputum, worsening cough, or fever at once.
  

Pain

Cancer pain can be managed.

• Give pain pills on schedule, not only when pain flares.
  
• Use the lowest dose that controls pain, then adjust with the team.
  
• Track type, location, and triggers.
  
• Add heat or cold packs, gentle stretch, music, or relaxation.
  
• Prevent constipation if taking opioids. Start stool softener plus gentle laxative unless told otherwise.
  

Call urgently for new severe pain, sudden weakness, or loss of bladder or bowel control.

Fatigue

Fatigue is not just “tired.”

• Set one to three small goals per day.
  
• Encourage short walks or chair exercises as able.
  
• Offer protein rich snacks and fluids.
  
• Plan a short rest after activity. Avoid long daytime naps that disrupt sleep.
  
• Ask about anemia, thyroid issues, or depression if fatigue is strong.
  

Low mood, worry, or confusion

• Listen without fixing. Name the feeling. “This is hard.”
  
• Keep routine, daylight, and gentle activity.
  
• Ask for counseling, peer groups, or medication when needed.
  
• Sudden confusion, agitation, or drowsiness needs urgent review.
  

Treatment side effects

Chemo, targeted drugs, immunotherapy, and radiation have unique side effects.

• Keep the drug list with start dates.
  
• Report mouth sores, rash, diarrhea, fever above 38 C, or any new symptom.
  
• For immunotherapy, report new cough, shortness of breath, severe diarrhea, jaundice, or headaches.
  

Quick symptom action table

Food and hydration

There is no single lung cancer diet. Aim for calories and protein that the person can tolerate.

• Offer small, frequent meals and snacks.
  
• Add calories to foods they like, such as nut butter, olive oil, or full fat yogurt.
  
• Keep water, oral rehydration, or clear broths nearby.
  
• If weight drops fast, ask for a dietitian referral.
  
• Avoid raw or undercooked foods if neutrophils are low.
  

Medicines and safety

Build a simple system.

• One weekly pill box, labeled morning, noon, evening, night.
  
• A whiteboard or app for doses taken.
  
• Lock strong medicines away from children and visitors.
  
• Never crush or split pills unless the pharmacist says it is safe.
  
• Check interactions with over the counter drugs and herbs.
  
• Refill early. Do not run out over weekends or holidays.
  

Oxygen, equipment, and the home

• Ask the team which equipment helps, for example a walker, shower chair, commode, or home oxygen.
  
• Clear pathways and remove loose rugs.
  
• Place chairs for rest every few meters if walking is hard.
  
• Keep a night light for safe bathroom trips.
  
• Post emergency numbers near the phone and in the phone contacts.
  

Appointments and logistics

• Keep a calendar with all visits, scans, and blood tests.
  
• Pack a “go bag” with the medication list, insurance card, snacks, water, and a warm layer.
  
• Record questions as they arise and bring them to visits.
  
• Ask about transport help if driving is hard.
  

Talking and decisions

Honest talk reduces fear.

• Ask what matters most to your loved one now.
  
• Review resuscitation choices, hospital preferences, and where they want to be if the illness worsens.
  
• Write down wishes. Share with the team and family.
  
• Hospice can support at home when treatment is no longer helping or is not desired. It adds nursing, comfort drugs, equipment, and guidance.
  

Your role as a caregiver

Caregiving is real work. You need support too.

• Share tasks with family and friends. Make a list people can pick from.
  
• Accept help with meals, cleaning, or rides.
  
• Keep your own medical care up to date.
  
• Sleep, move, and eat as well as you can.
  
• Take brief breaks outdoors.
  
• Join a caregiver support group online or in person.
  
• If stress, sadness, or anger feel constant, talk with your doctor or a counselor.
  

A simple weekly checklist

• Refilled all needed medicines.
  
• Wrote down symptoms and questions.
  
• Scheduled or confirmed appointments.
  
• Checked weight and temperature.
  
• Reviewed bowel pattern and fluids.
  
• Practiced breathing and light movement.
  
• Asked for help and took one break for yourself.
  

When to call for urgent help

Call the care team now, or seek emergency care, for any of the following.

• Fever 38 C or higher.
  
• Sudden severe breathlessness.
  
• New chest pain or pressure.
  
• Coughing up blood.
  
• Severe belly pain, vomiting, or no urine.
  
• Sudden weakness, bad headache, confusion, or seizures.
  
• Uncontrolled pain despite medicines.
  

Why it matters

Good home care reduces distress and keeps life more normal. Early action on symptoms can prevent emergencies. Caregivers who share the work and use support feel less burned out and can stay involved longer.

Sources:

• American Cancer Society, Caregiver Resource Guide, https://www.cancer.org/content/dam/cancer-org/cancer-control/en/booklets-flyers/american-cancer-society-caregiver-resource-guide.pdf, accessed September 20, 2025.
  
• World Health Organization, Palliative care fact sheet, https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/palliative-care, accessed September 20, 2025.
  
• NICE, Lung cancer: diagnosis and management, Palliative interventions and supportive care, https://www.nice.org.uk/guidance/ng122/chapter/Palliative-interventions-and-supportive-and-palliative-care, accessed September 20, 2025.