After a cancer diagnosis, people with cancer and their families have to make a number of decisions about medical treatment. These decisions can be complicated by anxiety, unfamiliar words, statistics, and a sense of urgency. Unless you are facing an emergency, take time to research your options, ask questions, and talk with family and friends.
Anxiety is a common emotion. Most people feel anxious from time to time. Feeling anxious may be described as feeling nervous, on edge, or worried. These are emotions that help us respond to a problem or threat. Cancer often brings more anxiety. If you or a loved one have recently been diagnosed with cancer or are going through cancer treatment, anxiety is an expected reaction.
Read ASCO’s complete 2013 Top Five list for oncology care and treatment, along with scientific sourcing, at www.asco.org/topfive.
Your doctor may recommend a biopsy if they think you might have cancer. In a biopsy, a doctor takes a small amount of tissue from the area of the body where cancer may be present. The tissue is sent to a laboratory and examined under a microscope for cancer cells by a specialist called a pathologist. Other tests can suggest that cancer is in the body, but only a biopsy can test to show whether there are cancer cells.
The type of biopsy you have depends on where the possible cancer is located.
A sigmoidoscopy is a test that looks at the rectum and lower part of the large intestine. "Colon" is the medical term for the large intestine, and the sigmoid colon is the lower part. The sigmoid colon ends in the rectum. Waste collects in the rectum and leaves your body when you have a bowel movement.
The drawing below shows the different parts of the colon and rectum.
Cancer requires specialized treatment. And it is important to find a center that offers the treatment you need.
Some people first find an oncologist, a doctor who treats cancer. Then, they base the decision on where that doctor works.
Other people first find a center that treats their type of cancer. After this, they find a doctor who works there.
People with cancer often get treatment through a vein. The medical term for this is intravenous (IV) treatment. Your health care team can give you chemotherapy, other drugs, blood transfusions, and fluids this way. Medical devices called catheters and ports make intravenous treatments easier. They can also make it easier for your health care team to take blood samples.
A catheter is a thin tube made of soft plastic that goes inside a vein. Your health care team uses the catheter to give treatment through that vein.
A positron emission tomography scan is known as a PET scan. PET scan is a type of test that may be used in cancer treatment. It can be done along with a CT scan. If so, doctors call it a PET-CT scan. But you might also just hear it called a PET scan.
You can be a self-advocate by taking an active role in your cancer care. This can be a positive experience that gives some people a sense of control in a time of uncertainty. Self-advocacy does not have to be time-consuming or difficult. It can be as easy as asking more questions at a doctor's appointment. It also does not mean that you alone are responsible for your cancer care. In fact, it commonly involves seeking additional support from others.
Read ASCO's complete Top Five list for oncology care and treatment, along with scientific sourcing, at www.asco.org/topfive.
