Life After Treatment - October Is National Breast Cancer Awareness Month

Main Category: Breast Cancer
Also Included In: Cancer / Oncology;  Women's Health / Gynecology
Article Date: 08 Oct 2007 - 1:00 PDT

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Cancer is a time for celebration. But cancer can also have long-term affects on health and well-being, and women should be aware of the challenges that may follow treatment.

'People react differently to finishing treatment,' says Agustin Garcia, M.D., oncologist at the USC/Norris Comprehensive Cancer Center and at the Keck School of Medicine of USC.  'For some patients, it is an exciting and happy time and they want to focus on returning to a Onormal¹ lifestyle. Others find this period scary and difficult.'

Many women experience physical symptoms after treatment, Garcia says. Long-term side effects can include fatigue, menopausal symptoms, chronic pain and scars. The symptoms depend on the kind of treatment the woman received and how her body reacts to it, he says. Some women may also experience anxiety about their future health and how to cope with life after treatment.

'While one is getting treatment, there is a whole infrastructure and network around the patient,' Garcia says. 'This network may disappear when the person completes treatment. Some survivors still need time to adjust to all the changes in their lives.'

After finishing treatment, patients should develop a follow-up plan with their doctor that includes regular physical examinations and mammograms. Other parts of the plan may include lifestyle changes such as increasing physical activity, changing diet or modifying habits like smoking and alcohol intake.

National organizations such as the American Cancer Society, the National Cancer Institute and the American Society of Clinical Oncology organization People Living With Cancer offer resources for survivors, Garcia notes. He also suggests that patients ask their doctor about resources in the community.

'The most common misconceptions are that the need of care for survivors ends when the treatment is completed, that cancer affects only old people and that cancer is the same for everyone,' he says. 'Every survivor should discuss with their doctor what is appropriate for them. The bottom line is that survivorship is different for every person.'

http://www.usc.edu