Cancer
Cancer is a group of diseases characterized by either the runaway growth of cells or the
failure of cells to die normally. Cancer cells also have the ability to spread to other parts
of the body. One of every two American men and one of every three American women at some point
in their lives will experience cancer. That’s nearly 1.4 million new cases of cancer diagnosed
annually in the United States, a figure that does not include the 900,000 cases of skin cancer.
Cancer is the second leading cause of death (after heart disease) in the United States,
accounting for 560,000 deaths every year.
There are more than 100 different varieties of cancer, which can be divided into six major
categories. Carcinomas, the most common type of cancer, originate in tissues that cover a
surface or line a cavity of the body. Sarcomas or cancer in the tissues that connect,
support or surround other tissues and organs. Lymphomas are cancers of the lymph system
and Leukemias are cancers of the blood-forming tissues and blood cells. As their name
indicates, brain tumors are cancers that begin in the brain, and
skin cancers,
including dangerous melanomas, originate in the skin. Cancers are considered
metastatic if they spread via the blood or lymphatic system to other parts of
the body to form secondary tumors.
Hearing the words “you have CANCER” changes your life forever. The
diagnosis of cancer, particularly for women, effects the entire family because of the many
rolls women have in our society – wife, mother, daughter . . . and in the larger community
as friend, co-worker and colleague. For both women AND men, professional support can be
critical for survival and time is of the essence.
Researchers have found that intervention for the emotional/logical effects of a cancer
diagnosis can make an important difference in survival rates. The team of Dr. Kirk Warren
Brown (University of Rochester, New York) and colleagues looked at various indicators of
emotional state and coping, including positive and negative mood, anxiety, stress, sense
of control and depressive symptoms among 205 cancer patients over a 10 year period. All
participants were newly diagnosed with cancer; half with breast cancer. The researchers
found that symptoms of depression were the most consistent logical predictor of
shortened survival. They suggest that referrals for intervention to relieve stress are
appropriate and can aid in survival of cancer. This is especially true during the first
year after diagnosis. (Source: Psychosomatic Medicine)
Dr. DeMasters can help cancer patients in ways they know they need and in so many other that
they may never have thought about – including:
- What to do immediately after receiving a diagnosis of cancer
- How to learn about your condition and manage your options - quickly
- How to tell family and friends, especially your children
- How to handle work – and maintain insurance coverage
- Stress management – how to handle the stress that is so much a part of fighting cancer
- What are successful stress management strategies – There’s no time to wade through ineffective, one-size-fits all approaches
- Practical advice on how to handle the side effects and logistics of chemo or radiation therapies
- Nutritional strategies for cancer patients
- Learning how to be a survivor