Long-term management of respiratory symptoms in advanced cancer.

Respiratory symptoms are a common cause of distress in patients with advanced cancer. Optimal palliative therapy requires careful assessment and the appropriate use of symptomatic measures in conjunction with specific antitumor treatments. The etiology and management of the three major respiratory symptoms, dyspnea, cough and hemoptysis, are described. The indications for antitumor treatments and surgical procedures are briefly outlined, and symptomatic treatments, including drug and nondrug measures, are discussed in detail.