Conversation: The conversation between human and AI assistant.
[|Human|] Thank you doctor. My mother-in-law has Thyroid cancer and she is ninety-four yea rs of age and the doctor told us that the mass is malignant it is terminal. Why do the bowels become black and the patient bed sores when you have terminal cancer of any kind?
[|AI|]  Black stools can be due to galena (passage of altered blood due to bleeding high in gastrointestinal tract) or it can be side effect of medication e.g. taking oral iron preparation. Pressure sore (bed sores) form over pressure areas in terminally ill patients as they cannot change their posture and lie in one position causing constant load over these areas. They can be prevented by using air mattress and changing posture of patient every 2 hours. I hope it helps. Please discuss it with your doctor.