After Cancer Treatment: Health Tips Everyone Needs To Know

If you or someone you know has a history of cancer, it is important to be aware of the potential health consequences from cancer and its treatment. Frequently, patients and families are not informed or do not recall discussions that occurred during the stress-filled days after diagnosis about such potential problems as pain, depression, infertility and other physical and emotional changes. Regardless of whether problems are temporary or permanent, most can be managed. 

 

To begin to address the many and varied health-related needs of long-term cancer survivors, the American Journal of Nursing (AJN) recently released a report, based on a July 2005 symposium, that offers action strategies and recommendations. 

 

"The late effects of cancer and treatment for survivors diagnosed as adults remain poorly documented," said Pamela J. Haylock, MA, RN, symposium co-director, cancer care consultant and doctoral student at the University of Texas Medical Branch School of Nursing in Galveston, TX. "Yet up to 75 percent of survivors have some health deficits related to their cancers and therapies. Knowing about potential risks and learning and using risk reduction strategies are important steps in survivors' recovery." 

 

Nurses recommend that cancer survivors heed the following advice:

 

• Incorporate regular exercise, stress management, a healthful diet and weight control as part of a healthy lifestyle.

• Schedule regular health checkups. 

• Ask your oncology team for a written summary of your cancer diagnosis, treatments, tests and recommended follow-up once treatment is complete. Create a folder to organize diagnostic and laboratory reports, and give it to your current health care provider to make a copy for his or her records. 

• Ask your nurse or physician to help you and your caregivers learn about possible long-term effects of your cancer therapy and ways to prevent or minimize them. Effects differ from person to person; therefore, educating yourself is important.

• Inform physicians and nurses about your previous cancer history, treatment, current medications and long-term effects that you may experience, including infertility, early menopause, indigestion, dry mouth or taste changes, constipation, diarrhoea, sleep issues, fatigue, dry skin, memory loss, changes in thinking, vision or hearing problems, depression, relationship/sexuality issues, anxiety, confidence issues, pain, tingling, or numbness or swelling in the fingers and toes. 

• Look for resources to assist with any physical, emotional or financial issues that you may experience.

 

Helpful Internet sites are www.acor.org, www.cancer.org, and www.canceradvocacy.org.

10 Most Likely Cancers You Are Going To Get

One of the greatest concerns America has today is cancer. The figures are alarming according to the National Cancer Institute studies a total of 1,372,910 new cases of cancer and 570, 280 deaths were predicted for the year 2005. Approximately one in every four deaths is due to cancer. 

 

Research indicates that the lifetime probability of developing cancer is higher for men at 46% while for women it is 36%. The National Cancer Institute has   put in place a challenge to eliminate suffering and death due to cancer by 2015. To meet this, the nation is tackling the problem on a war footing. And, to this end the creation of awareness has become a priority. To conquer cancer you must know what the risks are, how lifestyle changes can help, about intervention and preventive care, and where help is available. 

 

The most common cancers are:

 

Men:

 

1.         Prostrate. This accounts for approximately 33%. 

 

2.         Lung and bronchus. Accounts for 13%

 

3.         Colon and Rectal. Accounts for 10%

 

4.         Urinary and Bladder, 7%.

 

5.         Melanoma of skin, 5%.

 

6.         Non-Hodgkin Lymphoma, 4%.

 

7.         Kidney and Renal Pelvis, 3%.

 

8.         Leukemia, 3%.

 

9.         Oral Cavity and Pharynx, 3%.

 

10.      Pancreas, 3%.

 

Women:

 

1.         Breast, 32%.

 

2.         Lung and Bronchus, 12%.

 

3.         Colon and rectum, 11%.

 

4.         Uterine Corpus, 6%.

 

5.         Non-Hodgkin Lymphoma, 4%.

 

6.         Melanoma of the skin, 4%

 

7.         Ovary, 3%.

 

8.         Thyroid, 3%.

 

9.         Urinary Bladder, 2%.

 

10.      Pancreas, 2%.

 

An organization called the CDC is taking giant strides in the field of cancer prevention and control. They advocate adoption of a healthy life style, eating nutritious and well balanced food, regular health checks, and screening for cancer. Screenings are quite often lifesaving as problems can be nipped in the bud. Many cancers are curable if detected in the early stages. 

 

It is important to know that a cancer is a disease where healthy cells in the body divide uncontrolled to form tumours. This could happen anywhere in the body and some tumours are benign while others are malignant. Most cancers have different symptoms but to give you an idea, symptoms can include an unexplained lump in any part of the body may feel like a small marble; perceptible growth of a wart or mole; wounds and sores that do not heal; a persistent cough; changes in bowel or bladder habits; indigestion; weight loss or gain; unusual bleeding or discharge. These are symptoms that are caused by not just cancer but many other diseases. And, early cancer does not manifest itself in any outward signs so the only way is to undergo health checks. So, you need the help of a doctor to make an accurate diagnosis.

 

Screening will include routine physical examinations, lab tests, x-rays, and specialized tests like mammograms, CT scans, MRIs, sonography or laparoscopy. The physician will, after giving you a general check and noting down the history recommend any special tests if he finds anything that requires further investigation.

 

In depth information on cancer, prevention, cures, treatment, counselling and more can be found at: http://www.thecancer.net; http://www.cancer.org; and http://www.cancer.gov/cancertopics.