Lung cancer - Living with 

Due to the effects of your lung cancer or its treatment, you may have problems with breathing.

If you've had surgery, the physiotherapist will show you breathing exercises to help you breathe more easily and prevent complications. Although breathlessness may be a sign that the cancer is spreading, there may be other causes.

Patients who've had lung cancer are more likely to get chest infections. Anxiety may also cause breathlessness, and relaxation exercises may help with this.

Sometimes, breathlessness may be due to a fluid build-up around the lungs (a pleural effusion). A pleural effusion occurs when cancer cells spread to the membranes around the lungs (the pleura), causing irritation and inflammation. This fluid then presses in on the lungs and makes it difficult to breathe.

Want to know more?

• Macmillan: managing breathlessness
• Cancer Research UK: coping with breathlessness
• The Roy Castle Lung Cancer Foundation: coping with breathlessness
• Macmillan: pleural effusion

Some people with lung cancer have pain, while others never have any. About one-third of people having cancer treatment experience some pain.

Pain isn't related to the severity of the cancer but varies from person to person. What causes cancer pain isn’t well understood, but there are ways of treating it so that the pain can be controlled.

Patients with advanced lung cancer may need treatment for pain as their cancer progresses. This can be part of palliative care (see below), and is often provided by doctors, nurses and other members of the palliative care team. You can have palliative care at home, in hospital, in a hospice or other care centre.

Want to know more?

• Macmillan: controlling cancer pain
• Macmillan: your pain management team

Having cancer can lead to a range of emotions. These may include shock, anxiety, relief, sadness and depression.

People deal with serious problems in different ways. It's hard to predict how living with cancer will affect you.

Being open and honest about how you feel and what your family and friends can do to help you may put others at ease. But don't feel shy about telling people that you need some time to yourself, if that's what you need.

Want to know more?

• Macmillan: emotional effects

Your GP or specialist nurse may be able to reassure you if you have questions, or you may find it helpful to talk to a trained counsellor, psychologist or specialist phone helpline.

Your GP surgery will have information on these. You may find it helpful to talk about your experience of lung cancer with others in a similar position at a local support group. Patient organisations have local groups where you can meet other people who have been diagnosed with lung cancer and have had treatment.

If you have feelings of depression, talk to your GP. They can provide advice and support.

Want to know more?

• The Roy Castle Lung Cancer Foundation: lung cancer support groups
• Macmillan

If you have to reduce or stop work because of cancer, you may find it hard to cope financially. If you have cancer or you are caring for someone with cancer, you may be entitled to financial support.

• If you have a job but cannot work because of your illness, you are entitled to Statutory Sick Pay from your employer. 
• If you do not have a job and cannot work because of your illness, you may be entitled to Employment and Support Allowance.
• If you are caring for someone with cancer, you may be entitled to Carer’s Allowance.  
• You may be eligible for other benefits if you have children living at home or you have a low household income.

It is a good idea to find out early on what help is available to you. You could ask to speak to the social worker at your hospital, who can give you the information you need.

Free prescriptions

People being treated for cancer are entitled to apply for an exemption certificate giving free prescriptions for all medication, including treatment for unrelated conditions.

The certificate is valid for five years and you can apply for a certificate by speaking to your GP or cancer specialist.

Want to know more?

• Directgov: ill or injured benefits
• Carers Direct: information, advice and support for carers
• Macmillan: financial issues
• Find your nearest Citizens Advice Bureau
• Cancer Research UK: free prescriptions for people with cancer
• News: Q&A on free prescriptions

If you have a lot of symptoms from your lung cancer, your GP and healthcare team will need to give you support and pain relief. This is called palliative care. Support is also available for your family and friends.

As your cancer progresses, your doctor should work with you to establish a clear management plan based on your (and your carer's) wishes. This will include whether you'd prefer to go to hospital, a hospice or be looked after at home as you become more ill. It will take account of what services are available to you locally, what is clinically advisable and your personal circumstances.

Want to know more?

• NICE: supportive and palliative care (PDF, 53Kb)
• Macmillan: caring for someone with cancer
• Marie Curie Cancer Care: support for patients
• End of life care