Current status of osteosarcoma care

Early diagnosis of osteosarcoma and selection of appropriate treatment methods are of great help to the recovery of the disease. In addition, post-treatment care also has a great impact on the patient's physical and mental health. At present, a lot of relevant research has been done on osteosarcoma care. Today I will take you to see the current status of osteosarcoma care.

Osteosarcoma is the most common primary malignant bone tumor. It is highly malignant and has a poor prognosis. In recent years, due to the development of early diagnosis and chemotherapy, the 5-year survival rate of osteosarcoma has been greatly improved. The current status of research on nursing measures for osteosarcoma is as follows.

1. Relieve pain and promote recovery of muscle and joint function.

2. Enhance endurance and strengthen chemotherapy care.

(1) Improve nutritional status: Encourage patients to increase their oral diet and consume foods rich in protein, energy, and vitamins. For those with insufficient oral intake, enteral or parenteral nutrition support should be provided according to the doctor's instructions, and corresponding nursing measures should be implemented.

(2) Nursing of patients undergoing chemotherapy: High-dose chemotherapy before and after surgery is beneficial to the radical cure of osteosarcoma. The main adverse reactions of chemotherapy drugs include: gastrointestinal reactions, bone marrow suppression, liver function damage, myocardial damage, infection, ulcers, etc. Therefore, nursing care should be strengthened during the process of patients receiving high-dose chemotherapy.

1) Care during chemotherapy: Chemotherapy drugs are generally administered intravenously, and the dosage of the drugs is strictly calculated based on body weight. Drugs should be prepared and used immediately to avoid being left for too long, which will reduce the efficacy. When multiple drugs are used in combination, isotonic solutions should be used between each drug. Chemotherapy drugs are highly irritating to blood vessels, so pay attention to protecting blood vessels and preventing extravasation of drug solutions. Once extravasation occurs, intravenous infusion should be stopped immediately, and 50% magnesium sulfate should be applied locally to prevent necrosis of subcutaneous tissue.

2) Observation and care after chemotherapy: ① Gastrointestinal reaction: the most common, antiemetic drugs can be given half an hour before chemotherapy to prevent nausea and vomiting. ② Bone marrow suppression: Regularly check blood routine. Generally, 7 to 10 days after medication, there will be a decrease in white blood cells and platelets. If the white blood cell count drops to 3×109/L and the platelet count drops to 80×109/L, the medication should be stopped and the patient should be given supportive treatment. ③ Damage to the skin and appendages: Chemotherapy patients all have hair loss. Ice packs can be placed on the head to cool down, reduce blood flow to the hair follicles, reduce the blood drug concentration in the subcutaneous tissue of the head, and prevent hair loss. ④ Heart, liver, and kidney function: Regularly check liver, kidney function and electrocardiogram. Encourage patients to drink more water and keep urine volume above 3000ml per day to prevent urinary tract infections.

3. Promote the patient's recognition of self-image. Explain to the patient that hair loss is a temporary phenomenon and that hair can regenerate after stopping medication. Suggest the patient to wear a wig or hat for decoration. For facial pigmentation, light makeup can be used to cover it up, which will generally disappear after stopping medication. For amputees, various types of walkers or prostheses can be introduced to them. Introduce patients with similar experiences to share their own experiences to eliminate the patient's psychological concerns or obstacles. Strengthen psychological care to encourage patients to gradually accept and face their own image calmly.