Expressions

Cancer 101

 

You have just been diagnosed with cancer and your doctor has told you that you need chemotherapy or radiation or a combination of both.  What does that mean? What will happen? How will you get through it?  We hope that we can help shed some light on the answers to some of these questions and help you make it through this storm of uncertainty.

 

Disclaimer: You should always check with your medical professionals for treatment recommendations, information and to follow up on issues.  MNU is not a medical website nor are we medical professionals.  Our views are simply based on our own personal experiences.

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Who will be on my medical team?medicalteam

 

Your team will likely consist of the following:

Medical Oncologist – This is the quarterback of your team that drives all treatment and care.

Oncological Nurse – This professional works hand in hand with the oncologist and helps monitor side effects, prescriptions and other day-to-day issues.

Chemo Nurse/Radiation Tech – They will administer treatments and monitor after-effects.

Primary Care Physician – Your primary physician will assist your oncologist and other medical professionals with your treatment as well as handle your regular check-ups and issues.

Surgeon –Your surgeon will locate and remove any tumors, affected lymph nodes or other cancerous tissue. 

Plastic Surgeon – This specialist will guide reconstruction (if necessary).

 

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What is chemotherapy?

Chemotherapy is a method of treating disease with the use of chemicals.  It generally refers to drugs used to treat cancer cells.  It is also a “systemic” treatment, meaning it affects the whole body

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What is radiation?

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Radiation is a “local” treatment that focuses on specific areas in the body where cancer has been detected.  It uses high-energy particles to target the area or tumor specifically.

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Why would I need surgery?

This is the most common way to diagnose or treat cancer, which is to detect and remove the tumor from the body.  It can also be used to prevent cancer by removing pre-cancerous tissue.

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What happens during treatment?

 Chemo is different than radiation, so they each have different approaches and side effects. During chemotherapy, you will receive medication intravenously on a regular schedule for a certain length of time.  It often takes at least a few hours and can sometimes take several hours in a day based upon the type of medication you are taking.  It is painless but can cause moderate to severe side effects.

 

During radiation, you will be placed under a machine that will send radiation to the targeted areas.  It is painless and typically quick.radiation-oncology-cancer-patient

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I keep hearing about red and white blood cells.  What is the difference and what do they mean?

 

Your oncologist will keep a close eye on your blood counts, as they are indicators of potential problems.

 

Red blood cells carry oxygen.  Your doctor will monitor the levels of this to insure that your hemoglobin (another name for the red blood cells) stays within the normal range.  Anemia occurs when your levels are too low.

 

White blood cells fight infection.  When your white blood cell count gets too low, your risk for infection rises.  

When it is too high, it might be a sign of disease or infection.  Your doctor will monitor this closely. 

 

Platelets help your blood to clot.  Your medical team will keep a close eye on this as well to insure there is no excessive bleeding as this can be dangerous

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 What are Clinical Trials?

Clinical trials are a way to get new medicine and treatments that have not yet been approved by the FDA.  A patient can volunteer for an available trial and researchers use the data received from the patient to help develop the drug or treatment.  Patients can receive experimental drugs or other types of therapy that have not yet been completely proven.  Provided you fit the protocol for the trial, this can be a way to get drugs you would not normally have access to at no cost to you.

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What is a typical schedule of treatment like?

Typically for chemo, you go one day every second week, depending on your doctor’s program for you.  With radiation, you can go up to five days a week for several weeks.  Each individual has a program tailored specifically to their issues.

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How will it affect my appetite?

At first, it is likely to be minimal.  As the treatment continues and the drugs build up in your system, the side effects can increase.  The following can help:

 

  • Eat small meals frequently
  • Don’t drink liquids with meals.  This reduces indigestion and diarrhea.
  • Drink often in-between meals

Cancer-chemotherapy

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What are the potential side effects?

Side effects vary by person based on their treatment.  Your doctor should be able to give you an idea of what side effects you can expect based on the drug that you are taking. 

 

Some of those include:

 

  • Neuropathy – Also called peripheral neuropathy.  This can be temporary or permanent damage to the peripheral nervous system (nerve damage).  Can include pain, numbness, tingling or burning sensations, which typically affects the sensory and motor nerves.
  •  Nausea
  •  Alopecia – Hair loss
  •  Weight Gain
  • Weight Loss
  • Mouth sores
  • Muscle weakness
  • Anemia – deficiency of red blood cells
  • Shortness of breath
  • Low white blood cell counts
  • Esophagus irritation
  • Infections
  • Fatigue
  • “Chemo Brain” – cognitive impairment which results in mental “cloudiness” or difficulty processing information (more here> from MD Anderson Cancer Center)

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What is Neulasta and what does that do?

Neulasta is a drug that helps boost your white blood cell count and is typically administered as a shot the day after chemo.  It works within the marrow of your bones, so a side effect of that is feeling extremely sore in the bones and muscles.

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What should I be doing after my treatments?

 

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  • Try to relax and take it as easy as you can, as you will get fatigued easier and for longer amounts of time.  Try not to be hard on yourself if you can’t keep up with all of your normal activities.  You body is working hard to fight your disease, so be patient and appreciative of all that it is doing!

 

  • Keep to your normal schedule as much as possible. Tthis will help you emotionally as well as physically

 

  • Exercise, even if it’s just a short walk.  This helps with nausea and soreness, as well as with your mental outlook.  Fresh air and sunshine do wonders!

 

  • Enlist some support.  Most treatment programs offer therapists, support groups and nutritional assistance as part of their care.  Take advantage of these to take the best care of yourself, physically and emotionally.

 

  • Get organized!  Have a calendar to help keep you on track with all of the treatments and other doctor appointments you will encounter.  Knowing what’s next helps you get through it one day at a time while still being able to see the end is in sight.

 

  • Check for other assistance programs in your area.  Livestrong has a program with participating YMCA’s where they provide free personal trainers to cancer patients or survivors.  There are many support groups, church programs, organizations that help alleviate costs of medication or treatments, even those that help with fertility if your treatment can impact your chances of conceiving children.  Take a look and don’t be afraid to ask for help.

 

  • Wigs – Did you know that most insurance plans cover the costs for a wig purchase?  If this is something you think you might need, ask your doctor to write a prescription for you and submit it to your health insurance.

 

The amount of information out there to help with your specific needs is tremendous.  Your doctor, hospital, clinic and other care providers can assist you in finding the right information to create a plan that is appropriate for your situation.  Try to focus on the things you CAN do and remember that you are not the expert here (so don’t put too much pressure on yourself), but you can find someone who is.  Some great resources can be found below:

 

American Cancer Society

Breast Cancer.org 

National Breast Cancer Coalition

Stand Up to Cancer

Prostate Cancer Foundation

Leukemia and Lymphoma Society