Support for Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer

Treatment for non-small cell lung cancer may cause damage to the lungs, leading to breathing problems, weakness, and difficulty walking. Our specialists can help you manage these complications if they arise.

Immediately after non-small cell lung cancer surgery, under the guidance of doctors at NYU Langone’s Rusk Rehabilitation, physical therapists can help you regain your mobility so that you can return home as soon as possible. They help you get out of the hospital bed and encourage you to move around. Our doctors can also prescribe medications for any postoperative pain and discomfort that affect your mobility.

Pulmonary therapists from Rusk Rehabilitation can help improve your breathing and physical function through breathing exercises, airway clearance techniques and devices, medications, and relaxation techniques.

Pulmonary rehabilitation continues on an outpatient basis at Rusk Rehabilitation, and can help you rebuild your endurance and return to your daily routine.

Our supportive care team provides relief from any discomfort or pain associated with non-small cell lung cancer or its treatments. Supportive care often begins as treatment starts. It helps improve quality of life throughout treatment, and can contribute to the effectiveness of cancer therapy.

Treatments for side effects may include additional medications, integrative therapies, or both. Integrative therapies include massage therapy, which can help reduce stress, and acupuncture, in which tiny needles are inserted at specific points to help relieve chemotherapy-related hot flashes and radiation therapy-related fatigue.

Neuropathy is a possible side effect of chemotherapy. It causes nerve damage that can lead to numbness, tingling, pain, and weakness, often in the hands, feet, arms, or legs, although it can appear in other parts of the body.

Doctors at Rusk Rehabilitation prescribe medication to help ease the discomfort caused by neuropathy. They also recommend physical therapy to prevent neuropathy from interfering with your balance and strength.

Our doctors encourage healthy eating as part of your care. Registered oncology dietitians at Perlmutter Cancer Center can provide nutrition education and counseling.

Support groups and one-on-one counseling sessions with a psycho-oncologist, a healthcare provider trained to address the psychological needs of people with cancer, are available at Perlmutter Cancer Center. Psychological support can help you cope with any depression or anxiety you might experience. Our social workers are also available to address any financial or logistical matters that may arise during treatment.

Quitting smoking can help improve the efficacy of treatments for lung cancer. It can also reduce the risk of cancer recurrence. Our Tobacco Cessation Program provides counseling and treatment opportunities to help you quit.