Nursing of advanced colorectal cancer patients treated with Cetuximab combined with chemotherapy

Abstract

Cetuximab is a new medication that has recently been approved for the treatment of advanced colorectal cancer. To date we have had little experience in using this targeted agent. Eleven patients in our hospital with advanced colorectal cancer were treated with cetuximab and chemotherapy. Based on the curative effect of this combination therapy, we have concluded that the following nursing practices make an important contribution to the patients'prognosis and wellbeing: to establish a good nurse-patient relationship, to increase patient understanding of the side effects, to standardize the medications, to observe and to deal with the side effects of the medications(for example skin reaction, neutropenia, and diarrhea), and to provide continuous mental health care support and education.