Cancer Survivor Program

Cancer Survivor Plan

If you have been diagnosed with cancer and are reading this now, YOU ARE A SURVIVOR. Whether you are in remission, on adjuvant therapy or on active treatment now, as long as you are actively pursuing health, YOU ARE A SURVIVOR.

If you listed a cancer survivor’s tasks they would overwhelm a superhero.

One must:

  • Heal from the immediate side effects of treatment
  • Restore healthy physical functioning
  • Find a new ‘normal life’ in the family, work and social system
  • Live with the fear of recurrence
  • Deal with the existential dilemma of mortality
  • Resolve the emotional issues that accompany the diagnosis: loss of control, anxiety, depression, changing sexuality and body image, etc.
  • Come to grips with the cultural myth that cancer is always fatal
  • All the while trying to live a regular life with all its demands.

Recovering from cancer and its treatment and becoming whole again takes support, additional help, determination, and a clear set of priorities.When the acute cancer-directed treatments are completed, patients are still left with the residual side effects as well as all the other damage that a diagnosis of a potentially mortal disease inflicts. The damage is to the whole person, in all the dimensions of humanity: psychological, spiritual, social, economic, relationships, existential, as well as physical. Only recently has the conventional system addressed these needs in any organized fashion.

A comprehensive cancer survival plan must address multiple issues:

  • Treatment of existing side effects such as neuropathy, fatigue, etc.
  • A schedule of follow up exams to watch for possible recurrence or the development of delayed side effects such as lymphedema or heart disease from radiation or chemotherapy.
  • A specific wellness plan to avoid a new cancer or any other disease.
  • Access to reliable information about new developments and research.
  • Resources to address your own unique physical and psychological needs.

Cancer Survivor Program

Background of Program

Cancer survivorship issues have been neglected for many years. The IOM publication (2006) From Cancer Patient to Cancer Survivor: lost in transition describes this. More cancer organizations (ACS, Lymphoma, Breast Cancer, Prostate Cancer, etc.) are promoting survivorship issues. Oncology groups are organized around the acute diagnosis and treatment of cancer more than chronic care. There is not as much attention to developing a specific survivorship care plan as there is a chemotherapy or radiotherapy plan. Follow up after acute care when the patient is in remission is often limited to detecting recurrence rather than addressing the transition from patient to person.

After acute care, follow-up of survivors is often scattered between oncologists, surgeons, radiotherapists, primary care physicians and other specialists. The coordination of treatments that occurred during acute care (between oncologist and surgeon or radiotherapist, etc.) is lost. Patients may feel abandoned and vulnerable when they don’t have a specific care plan to follow.

By creating a specific program to organize follow up/survivor care patients maintain their connection with the medical system. Their immediate and future needs are defined and a concrete plan developed to coordinate treatments. There is enhanced early detection of recurrence or other problems (e.g., osteoporosis, lymphedema) allowing preventive treatments.

Services Provided

  • Consultation and preparation of cancer survival plan
  • Analysis of prior treatments and summary statement with ASCO guideline summary
  • Assessment of current cancer treatment symptoms
    • Physical
    • Psychological
  • Written plan for treating current symptoms
  • Assessment of current cancer status with guideline approved testing
  • Analysis of future/delayed treatment side effects
  • Testing plan to detect and/or prevent delayed side effects
  • Cancer Prevention Program including diet and exercise
  • Cancer Coping/Emotional Health plan
  • Optional : CAM treatments analysis and recommendations

READING LIST

There is a collection of articles I wrote* that are useful for survivors. They are listed in our publications section of the website. You may download them and share them with others but please cite Dr. Buchholz as source. Some articles are reproduced from medical journals and may not be distributed without permission from that journal.

What is Survival?

Take this quiz: True or False

  • To be a survivor you have to be cured of cancer.
  • To be a survivor you have to fight the cancer and beat it.
  • To be a survivor you need to keep a positive attitude.
  • To be a survivor you have to take special vitamins, antioxidants and herbs to prevent the cancer’s return.

The medical definition of survivor is someone alive without evidence of cancer two or five years after primary treatment. The word survivor comes from the French, “survivre,” meaning to “live beyond” an event or illness. A more practical definition is: If you had a diagnosis of cancer and are reading this now, YOU ARE A SURVIVOR.

How did you do on the quiz? All of these statements are commonly held beliefs. ALL ARE FALSE.

  • You can’t really know if you’re cured of cancer for many years. Some cancer com back 25 years later
  • Some people survive without fighting hard. The cancer may be discovered early or be easy to treat or they may just be lucky.
  • No one keeps a positive attitude all the time. It’s only human to have doubts.
  • In spite of the billions of dollars spent on vitamins and supplements there is no evidence that they increase survival. Research shows it’s the food, not the pills that helps.

So if you can’t be sure you’re cured, don’t know if you’re lucky, do get depressed or anxious once in a while, and don’t eat a bushel of fresh fruit and vegetables each day, what can you do to be a survivor?

Asking the question is the most important step. Each person has their own answer. We have been helping patients survive their cancer since we started practice together 30 years ago. With the combined perspective of a medical oncologist and clinical psychologist we’ve noticed what works and what doesn’t work. The programs and workshops we present are based on our experience and a careful review of the scientific literature.

We will help you find your answer.

First some disclaimers and words of warning.

  1. Not everybody survives. Some people die. Our job is to help you live as long and as well as possible.
  2. Survival requires work. Though some lazy people don’t die of their cancer, if you want to improve your chance you may have to change some things.
  3. Survival isn’t just the persistence of heartbeat and respiration: the Whole Person survives. That includes body, mind, spirit, emotions, relationships, etc. The word “Whole” contains the word “who.” What is that “who” who is trying to survive?
  4. The greatest tragedy is not someone who dies young. It is someone who doesn’t live while they’re alive. Don’t worry about the near death experiences. What you want are the “near life” experiences.
  5. Survival isn’t just not wanting to die. Long term survival needs a purpose or reason to live. At some point you have to answer the question, “why do I want to stay alive?”
  6. Survival needs a plan. After cancer you can’t afford to wander through your life. The plan needs to be inclusive enough to cover the important issues, organized so that it makes sense and you can follow it, and personalized so it is a plan for your life.