Guidance and Support Cancer not only affects the person diagnosed, it also affects family members and friends. Learn ways to cope with a cancer diagnosis.
As many as 70,000 young adults in their 20s and 30s are diagnosed with cancer each year. Doctors are learning that cancer in young adults is sometimes different than cancer in older adults, and young adults with cancer face a different set of challenges than older and younger people with cancer. Cancer.Net talked with Archie Bleyer, MD, to learn more about young adults with cancer.
Most people visit their neighborhood retail pharmacy to fill prescriptions for medications. However, some people with cancer may be referred to what are known as specialty pharmacies to receive medications.
After a child finishes treatment for cancer, regular follow-up screening is needed to diagnose potential late effects — treatment-related side effects that occur several years after a cancer diagnosis. Long-term follow-up care, which should continue throughout adulthood, helps ensure that survivors of childhood cancer stay healthy.
People with cancer and their friends and families often approach the holidays with a mixture of conflicting feelings: excitement, worry, hope, exhaustion, and happiness. You may wonder how to maintain old holiday traditions, handle seeing friends after treatment, or be a supportive family member. Here are some common questions asked during the holidays and helpful suggestions.
Smoking accounts for at least 30% of all cancer deaths and 87% of lung cancer deaths, making smoking cessation (quitting smoking) the single most important thing a person can do to lower his or her individual cancer risk.
Delivering high-quality cancer care must include addressing patients' emotional and social needs, according to an October 2007 report by the Institute of Medicine (IOM). The study, "Cancer Care for the Whole Patient: Meeting Psychosocial Health Needs," recommends specific actions that health-care providers should take to meet these requirements. Psychosocial care includes focusing on a patient's psychological and social needs. Cancer.Net talked with Diane Blum, MSW, a member of the IOM panel that developed the report, to learn more about the findings and what it means for people with cancer.
Many people mark milestones in their cancer treatment plan and survivorship in a variety of ways. For many people, the one-year and five-year cancer-free milestones are very meaningful. Other milestones and anniversary dates can be marked as well, such as the end of chemotherapy or radiation therapy, the date of your cancer diagnosis, the anniversary of surgery to treat your cancer, or after each follow-up visit.
Good nutrition is important for people living with cancer. Eating well can improve your overall health and well-being and help you have more energy and less fatigue. However, deciding what to eat, shopping for groceries, and preparing your food can take a lot of time and energy. Following some basic steps can make meal planning and grocery shopping a little easier.
When your partner has cancer, it is important to balance providing support to him or her and finding support for yourself. It may be overwhelming at first when you take on new caretaking and household responsibilities. And, if you had relationship or communication differences with your partner prior to the diagnosis, the illness may make those issues seem even more challenging.
If you are a person living with a rare cancer, or a parent of a child with a rare cancer, this article will provide tips and resources to help you obtain information about your specific diagnosis and treatment options.