At Home with Dr Christian Jessen - 175

CANCER R EPO R T

at appointments. Those you rely on
most could be your partner, parent,
child or a close friend.
Bringing your go-to people with
you to appointments will not only
support you, but they will be there
to absorb any information that your
doctor says to you, given that it'll
be difﬁcult for you to retain and
understand anything that's been said
while you're in such an inevitable
heightened emotional state.

Do your research

Let the internet be your friend. Use
it for searching the best doctors and
specialists in that ﬁeld of expertise.
If you're not satisﬁed with your
NHS doctor, there's nothing
stopping you from going elsewhere
and getting second, third and even
fourth opinions - and that includes
looking at experts and treatment
options in different countries, too.
Choosing private healthcare will
obviously cost more than the care
available on the NHS, but if it means
a better chance of treatment, it's
worth it. See Assess Your Finances (below).

Establish your
coping mechanism

There are three different types of
cancer patients: those who bury their
heads in the sand and hope it all goes
away, those who face the challenges
head on and want answers, or
somewhere in between. The latter is

WORDS: LYNNE MAXWELL
PHOTOGRAPHS: GETTY IMAGES

'LET YOUR FAMILY
SUPPORT YOU,
BOTH EMOTIONALLY
AND LOGISTICALLY,
SUCH AS SHUTTLING
YOU BETWEEN
APPOINTMENTS
AND SCANS'
probably where most people ﬁt. 'It's
normal to feel that one's coping
resources are being outstripped by
the stress of what you're facing,' says
Barbara Murphy, director of the
cancer supportive care programme
at Vanderbilt-Ingram Cancer
Center in Nashville.
However, if depression or anxiety
symptoms are getting on top of you,
seek professional help from your GP.

Find a treatment plan
The plethora of treatment options
is probably already familiar to you,
but being absolutely clear about
what is best suited to you and your
diagnosis is vital...

effect of chemo - feeling tired, sick,
and feeling weak during treatment.
SURGERY: Cutting away diseased

tissues, known as a biopsy,
can not only help to
diagnose which form
of cancer it is, but
RADIOTHERAPY:
also treat - and
Literally means the
Good news
sometimes cure
use of radiation to
HALF OF ALL PEOPLE
- the cancer.
destroy the cancer
Surgery may
cells in the treated
DIAGNOSED WITH
be the only
area by damaging
CANCER SURVIVE
treatment you
the DNA within
THEIR DISEASE FOR AT
need if the
these cells. While
cancer is
'normal' cells will
LEAST 10 YEARS
completely
also be affected by
contained in one
radiation, they are better
area and has not
at repairing themselves than
spread. Your surgeon will
the cancer cells.
remove the tumour and some
Around 40% of people with
surrounding tissue (known as a clear
cancer choose to have radiotherapy
margin). The tissue is sent off to be
as part of their treatment, according
examined and helps doctors to
to Cancer Research UK.
decide whether any further treatment
It can be given as external
is needed to reduce the risk of the
radiotherapy, using X-rays from
cancer coming back. This is called
linear accelerator machines
adjuvant treatment, and is usually
or electrons, and as internal
chemotherapy or radiotherapy.
radiotherapy, by drinking a liquid
that is taken up by cancer cells
or by putting radioactive material
HORMONE THERAPY: Usually
in - or close to - the tumour.
only used for hormone sensitive
The radiotherapy team plans each
cancers such as breast, prostate,
person's radiotherapy individually.
ovarian, womb and kidney cancer.
The aim is to give the highest
As these areas are hormone
chance of curing or shrinking
dependent, the therapies can work
the cancer while reducing the risk
by stopping hormones being made,
of side effects. These include
or preventing hormones from
tiredness, nausea, loss of appetite
making cancer cells grow and divide.
which results in dramatic weight
Tamoxifen is one of the most
loss, skin reactions and hair loss.
common hormone therapy used for
breast cancer, while luteinising
hormone (LH) blockers and
CHEMOTHERAPY: This term
anti-androgens are used for prostate
means treatment with cell-killing
cancer. Again, side effects are fatigue
(cytotoxic) drugs. You may just have
and hair thinning, as well as digestive
one or a combination of different
problems, menopausal symptoms,
chemotherapy drugs. There are
muscle effects and blood clots.
currently over 100 varieties, with
new drugs being developed all the
time. Whether chemo is suitable
Assess your ﬁnances
for you depends on the following:
Addressing money issues before they
get out of hand is important for
What type of cancer you have
both you and your family. While
Where abouts in the body the
private healthcare can cost you
cancer started
thousands, should you choose that
The grade of the cancer cells
route for treatment, you also need to
Whether it has spread
understand how your treatment will
Your general health
affect your ability to work, even if
Chemotherapy can be used along
you aren't the main breadwinner.
with other cancer treatments to
Check with your employer to see if
make them work better, including
you can claim sick pay, get state
radiotherapy or before surgery.
beneﬁts, or other ﬁnancial help.
While it is a hugely effective
For more support, contact
cancer treatment - it's helped save
Macmillan Cancer Support on
millions of lives - there are side
0808 808 0000 or visit the website:
effects to consider. These include
www.macmillan.org
hair loss - the most common side
www.athomemagazine.co.uk MARCH 2015 | 175
http://www.macmillan.org http://www.athomemagazine.co.uk
At Home with Dr Christian Jessen

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