Caring for the Patient With Cancer at Home

This guide offers general information about caring for a person with cancer at home. It lists the more common problems people with cancer experience, signs of problems you can look for, and some ideas for things you can do if problems come up. Click on the topics below to get started.

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• A Guide for Patients and Families
• Anxiety and fear
• Appetite, poor
• Blood counts
• Blood in stool
• Blood in urine
• Confusion
• Constipation
• Depression
• Diarrhea
• Exercise
• Falls
• Fatigue
• Fever
• Fluids and dehydration
• Grooming and appearance
• Hair loss
• Hiccups
• Infection
• Itching
• Leg cramps
• Mouth, bleeding in
• Mouth dryness
• Mouth sores
• Nausea and vomiting
• Pain
• Prostheses
• Scars and wounds
• Seizures
• Sexuality
• Shortness of breath
• Skin color changes
• Skin dryness
• Skin (pressure) sores
• Sleep problems
• Steroids and hormones
• Stomas (or ostomies)
• Swallowing problems
• Sweating
• Swelling
• Treatment at home
• Tubes and IV lines
• Weakness
• Weight changes
• When death is approaching
• To learn more
• References