Life After Cancer: Resources for Former Cancer Patients

Medical information, advice on symptoms, connections to support groups — resources for cancer patients abound to help them deal with a diagnosis and ensuing treatment. But what about the people who have already come out on the other side? The American Cancer Society estimates that there are more than 15 million cancer survivors alive right now — and that’s just in our own country. With advances in screening and technology, more and more people are conquering cancer and living long, healthy lives. But cancer will always be a part of their reality. What does being a survivor mean? The term “cancer survivor” can be a complex one. While it acknowledges the person’s defeat of a deadly disease, it doesn’t encompass the ongoing struggles that may exist in a life after cancer. Fear of the disease’s return is a common theme among people in remission. That’s a worry that can permeate many aspects of one’s life — and can affect interpersonal relationships, daily motivation and plans for the future. Guilt may also surface. A survivor may question the equity of his or her beating the disease, while other patients they met along their journey didn’t. Such ideas can produce feelings of shame that could threaten everything from one’s self-worth to self-esteem. There are also practical complications of being a cancer survivor. How do you resume daily tasks after a body-altering surgery? What modifications do you need to make to your diet to maintain your health? How do you tackle the mountain of hospital bills? Throughout the battle with cancer, patients are likely focused on the end game of beating the...

Cancer Patients Need as Much Support As They Can Get

In the business world, networking is a common practice used to establish connections among professionals. Trading business cards and best practices is an effective way to help workers learn from others in their field. The same holds true for those in the cancer world. Networks can be a crucial support for cancer patients, who can benefit from others’ ideas and input, as well as seeing in action the simple notion that they’re not alone. Network of Loved Ones The front line of support can often be found right in patients’ own homes. Spouses, parents, children, relatives, friends and even neighbors can all play a role in a patient’s fight against cancer. A study by the National Center for Biotech Information found that patients with a strong social support system of loved ones exhibited more resilience to stress, less risk of trauma-related disorders and even lower fatality rates. The National Cancer Institute defines social support as a “network that is available in times of need to give psychological, physical and financial help.” So what does that look like? Support can be anything from a neighbor sitting with a patient during chemo treatment and lending an ear if he or she needs to talk. It could be demonstrated by kids taking over daily chores like laundry and carpooling for an ailing parent. After a grueling day of treatment, the last thing a patient should have to worry about is housework. Or, support could materialize as providing a loved one meals, helping with bills or offering other practical assistance. Social support can come in countless forms — but all actions center on...

MoovCare App Has Been Proven to Help Lung Cancer Patients Live Longer

Modern technology has shown to have a surprising, yet exciting effect on providing help for cancer patients. A recent study found that a web application called MoovCare was highly effective in prolonging the lives of people with advanced lung cancer. The groundbreaking results are making waves in both the cancer-research and web-technology fields — with experts in both areas increasingly working together to offer help for cancer patients. What is MoovCare? MoovCare empowers patients to take control of their own health through self-reporting on their conditions through the medical software device. The app, created by Sivan Innovation, centers on the idea that cancer patients can prevent relapses, and elongate their life expectancy, by keeping track of a fixed set of symptoms each week. Users, or those who care for them, access the system once a week and register how they’re feeling based on 12 clinical symptoms. While most cancer patients attend frequent in-person follow-ups with their physicians, MoovCare relies on a specific algorithm that raises a red flag as soon as a change in symptoms could suggest a relapse — cutting out the wait time some patients may experience in waiting to see if their condition improves. If such an event occurs, the MoovCare team reaches out to the patient’s physician for intervention. The app is accessible on the web, as well as through a smartphone. What Does the Research Say? The French Institut de Cancérologie de l’Ouest conducted a study using MoovCare of 133 patients with lung cancer who were at high risk for a relapse after surgery. Most had stage III or stage IV cancer. Researchers asked...