Skin Cancer Whats Next Archives

After cancer treatment ends, you will face a whole new world. Whether you are creating a survivorship plan or an end-of-life plan, nothing will be as it was before your skin cancer diagnosis. You will confront new fears, new opportunities to help others, and new social and physical situations.

 

Advanced Non-Melanoma Skin Cancer: Tackling Obstacles to Care

Advanced Non-Melanoma Skin Cancer: Tackling Obstacles to Care from Patient Empowerment Network on Vimeo.

While advanced non-melanoma skin cancer treatments are available, some patients may still encounter difficulties accessing quality care. Dr. Diwakar Davar discusses common obstacles to care, social determinants of health, and the future of advanced non-melanoma skin cancer research. 

Dr. Diwakar Davar is the Clinical Director of the Melanoma and Skin Cancer Program at UPMC Hillman Cancer Center. Learn more about Dr. Davar.

Download Guide

See More from Evolve Non-Melanoma Skin Cancer

Related Resources

An Expert’s Perspective on Advanced Non-Melanoma Skin Cancer Research

An Expert’s Perspective on Advanced Non-Melanoma Skin Cancer Research

Emerging Treatments for Advanced Non-Melanoma Skin Cancer: What’s Showing Promise

Emerging Treatments for Advanced Non-Melanoma Skin Cancer: What’s Showing Promise?

What Are the Potential Benefits of an Advanced Non-Melanoma Skin Cancer Clinical Trial

What Are the Potential Benefits of an Advanced Non-Melanoma Skin Cancer Clinical Trial? 


Transcript:

Katherine:

It’s not always easy to access the latest treatments or to find a specialist. I’m wondering what the common obstacles patients face in accessing the best care. 

Dr. Davar:

Some of the major issues are access to highly specialized treatment centers. Across the entire United States, there are clearly comprehensive cancer centers where the NCIS designated these places as being areas where patient care can deliver clinical trials available.  

Oftentimes, there is the breadth of research all the way from population research all the way to clinical trials. Not everybody has access to a comprehensive cancer center. Some patients may be living in a geographical location that is remote. Some patients could be living in a location that is not necessarily remote from a comprehensive cancer center, but may have social determinants of health that make it hard for them to access these comprehensive cancer centers. The only way around this is information.  

Patients need to be able to access information in a fashion that is both trusted, and up-to-date, and secure so that they are enabled and equipped with the right information for them to be able to have informed discussions about their care with their providers. 

Katherine:

This is all such great information, Dr. Davar. As we wrap up, I would like to get your thoughts.  

How do you feel about the future of advanced non-melanoma skin cancer research? 

Dr. Davar:

I am actually extraordinary optimistic about this landscape. When I started out as an oncologist, my big focus was in melanoma. I very quickly realized that most of the excitement was certainly, while in melanoma, was being generated, it was actually spilling over into non-melanoma skin cancer and the primary reason for that is the unique patient level challenges that make this disease a difficult disease to treat. The patient age, the comorbidities, the fact that a vast majority of our patients had gotten transplants, and that resulted in a relative contraindication of the administration of the effective agents that were developed that eradicated the majority of this disease.  

What oftentimes is a challenge, what is one man’s challenge is another man’s potential cure and it’s a potential benefit in an area in which it could be studied.  

What we realize about these challenges is they actually give us opportunities and avenues for research. As we think about non-melanoma skin cancer, we realize that this is an area in which there is tremendous potential where you can potentially give people immune therapy and improved outcomes, but not just improve patient outcomes in making people live longer, but also by reducing the burden of care by reducing the amount of surgery and radiation that people need that enables people to not just live longer, but live longer and maintain their quality of life as they age, and allows them to age with dignity. 

Advanced Non-Melanoma Skin Cancer Treatment: Understanding Personalized Medicine

Advanced Non-Melanoma Skin Cancer Treatment: Understanding Personalized Medicine from Patient Empowerment Network on Vimeo.

Treatment for advanced non-melanoma skin cancer is becoming more personalized, but what does that mean exactly? Dr. Diwakar Davar defines personalized medicine and reviews key factors involved in determining skin cancer treatment options.

Dr. Diwakar Davar is the Clinical Director of the Melanoma and Skin Cancer Program at UPMC Hillman Cancer Center. Learn more about Dr. Davar.

Download Guide

See More from Evolve Non-Melanoma Skin Cancer

Related Resources

An Expert’s Perspective on Advanced Non-Melanoma Skin Cancer Research

An Expert’s Perspective on Advanced Non-Melanoma Skin Cancer Research

Emerging Treatments for Advanced Non-Melanoma Skin Cancer: What’s Showing Promise

Emerging Treatments for Advanced Non-Melanoma Skin Cancer: What’s Showing Promise?

Advanced Non-Melanoma Skin Cancer: Tackling Obstacles to Care

Advanced Non-Melanoma Skin Cancer: Tackling Obstacles to Care


Transcript:

Katherine:

You know, Dr. Davar, we often hear this term “personalized medicine.” What does it mean? 

Dr. Davar:

Personalized medicine really means individualizing the patient’s treatment for that particular patient’s tumor. No two tumors are the same. Every tumor is different just as every person is different. Therefore, identifying and crafting the optimal treatment plan really involves identifying the most available and up-to-date information about the person’s tumor and contextualizing the treatment options in that setting.  

For example, in the context of Merkel cell polyoma, the virus associated with Merkel cell carcinoma, the treatment options would certainly include checkpoint inhibitor therapy with the understanding that the Merkel cell polyomavirus status could change both the response to the treatment but also the monitoring of the treatment because there is and acid that uses antibody titers to track the disease.  

In the context of patients with advanced cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma, the presence or absence of intratumoral CD8 T cells very provocatively can affect the response of checkpoint inhibitor therapy. The key thing to understand about personalized medicine is the more information we have about your tumor, the more informed we are about not only your current treatment, but also what future treatments might be available to you if the current treatment stops working. 

Katherine:

Aside from testing, what other factors are involved when choosing therapy? 

Dr. Davar:

These factors include, particularly for non-melanoma skin cancers, the patient’s age and performance status. We do know that as patients get older, their comorbid piece changes. They have a higher risk of having concomitant second illness such as cardiac issues, diabetes, high blood pressure, cholesterol issues, strokes, and coronary artery disease.  

These diseases in and of themselves do not necessarily affect one treatment choice over another, but it may change how you treat the patient. For example, a 60-year-old patient with melanoma may be a great surgical candidate. A 60-year-old patient with squamous cell carcinoma maybe a great surgical candidate. However, an 85-year-old patient with cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma with a tumor near the eye may not necessarily be a great surgical candidate because even though the tumor could be removed, it would result in the removal of that person’s eye.  

If this person has already has got, for example, age-related issues with balance, age-related issues with difficulty and vision and depth perception, removing this person’s eye, which is a very morbid procedure, but can be done at relatively low surgical risk, could really affect this patient’s quality of life and may force you to rethink what you would do and may result in you offering this patient a different treatment modality such as upfront use of systemic therapy rather than a standard surgical approach.  

The idea is that the more information you have about the patient, the easier it is to contextualize the treatment for a particular patient and particularly in the context of non-melanoma skin cancer, which often time happens to patients who are, on average, one decade older than patients with melanoma. Taking their age and taking their comorbid conditions is very important in determining the treatment modality and also in making individualized patient recommendations. 

What Are the Potential Benefits of an Advanced Non-Melanoma Skin Cancer Clinical Trial?

What Are the Potential Benefits of an Advanced Non-Melanoma Skin Cancer Clinical Trial? from Patient Empowerment Network on Vimeo.

Clinical trials are an option for some advanced non-melanoma skin cancer patients, but what are the potential benefits? Dr. Diwakar Davar shares his perspective on why patients should consider trial participation.

Dr. Diwakar Davar is the Clinical Director of the Melanoma and Skin Cancer Program at UPMC Hillman Cancer Center. Learn more about Dr. Davar.

Download Guide

See More from Evolve Non-Melanoma Skin Cancer

Related Resources

Treatment Options for Advanced Non-Melanoma Skin Cancer

Treatment Options for Advanced Non-Melanoma Skin Cancer

What Is Advanced Non-Melanoma Skin Cancer and How Is It Staged?

What Is Advanced Non-Melanoma Skin Cancer and How Is It Staged?

Advanced Non-Melanoma Skin Cancer: Who Is on Your Healthcare Team?

Advanced Non-Melanoma Skin Cancer: Who Is on Your Healthcare Team?


Transcript:

Katherine:

Dr. Davar, thank you for that detailed information. It is really valuable. You mentioned, a few moments ago, clinical trials. What are the benefits of participating in a clinical trial? 

Dr. Davar:

Well, the first and the most important benefit of participating in a clinical trial is that oftentimes, your team is larger. Normally, a patient has a doctor. We have a PA and we have a nurse taking care of them. When you have a clinical trial, at that clinical trial, you have three, four, five times that number of people taking care of you. There are research nurses, research coordinators, nurse navigators, and all of these people are looking over your chart helping the doctor cross-check and check to make sure that nothing falls through the cracks.  

The first and the most important thing is when you enter a clinical trial, your team grows. You have a primary physician taking care of you, but he has more help and more support. That helps ensure that the best possible care is delivered for our patients. The second benefit of taking part in clinical trials is that you oftentimes have access to the latest and the greatest.  

For example, in the context of non-melanoma skin cancer that is transplant associated, these provocative approaches that are being tested, immune augmentation of immune suppression with concurrent systemic immunotherapy without causing allograft rejection, this is only available in the context of an NCI, ECTCN funded trial that Dr. Lipson is leading. If you’re not a member of one of the ECTCN sites, you do not have access to this trial. If you’re not a patient that is being seen at one of these sites, you, unfortunately, do not have access to this trial.  

The key thing here is, entering a clinical trial represents the ability, potentially, to get a treatment that potentially could improve cancer and save one’s life without causing allograft rejection. In the context of the RP1 study, you could potentially be getting a drug that doesn’t cause allograft rejection and causes cancer aggression in a significant number of patients, but again, it is not a standard of care agent. 

Entering clinical trials helps you because it allows you access to the latest and the greatest in terms of treatment modalities, but also, it allows you to receive the best possible care. 

Emerging Treatments for Advanced Non-Melanoma Skin Cancer: What’s Showing Promise?

Emerging Treatments for Advanced Non-Melanoma Skin Cancer: What’s Showing Promise? from Patient Empowerment Network on Vimeo.

Advances in research for non-melanoma skin cancers lead to new treatment options. Dr. Diwakar Davar provides an update on emerging therapies and shares advice for staying abreast of the latest news.

Dr. Diwakar Davar is the Clinical Director of the Melanoma and Skin Cancer Program at UPMC Hillman Cancer Center. Learn more about Dr. Davar.

Download Guide

See More from Evolve Non-Melanoma Skin Cancer

Related Resources

An Expert’s Perspective on Advanced Non-Melanoma Skin Cancer Research

An Expert’s Perspective on Advanced Non-Melanoma Skin Cancer Research

What Are the Potential Benefits of an Advanced Non-Melanoma Skin Cancer Clinical Trial

What Are the Potential Benefits of an Advanced Non-Melanoma Skin Cancer Clinical Trial?

What Is Advanced Non-Melanoma Skin Cancer and How Is It Staged?

What Is Advanced Non-Melanoma Skin Cancer and How Is It Staged?


Transcript:

Katherine:

Dr. Davar, now that we understand approved approaches, can you walk us through ongoing research and developing treatments that patients should know about? 

Dr. Davar:

Yeah. Now, if you think about it, the vast majority of patients with, say, cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma is presenting with large tumors involving the areas of the head and neck region. The average tumor size is approximately 1 to 2 cm.  

There are small groups of patients with much larger tumors and/or tumors with high-risk features. These include tumors that are either anatomically large or 3 cm, 4 cm in size, tumors that involve critical locations, such as the bone, the skull table, the jaw, tumors that are very close proximity to critical structures such as the eye, or tumors involving lift nodes in the neck. 

In these patients, recent work by many groups including ours has demonstrated that perioperative immunotherapy improves outcomes. What is perioperative immunotherapy? In the context of melanoma and lung cancer, giving people immunotherapy before surgery improves patient outcomes. This the same drug that you would normally get after surgery, but giving it before surgery. The very same drug before surgery improves event-free survival.  

It improves the likelihood of cancer not coming back. The primary reason for that is by turning the immune system on even before you take the tumor out, you sensitize the immune system to tumor antigens, you kill more cancer, and you do that while the tumor is present because the immune system acts and recognizes this with the immune therapy acting as a vaccine. This approach has now migrated to non-melanoma skin cancer and is actually transformative, particularly given the location of these tumors which render surgery difficult.  

Therefore, in this disease, not only is perioperative immunotherapy especially transformative in terms in terms of producing dramatic response rates, the median response rate of pathologic perioperative immunotherapy is approximately a path CR rate of approximately 50 percent. In pivotal trials done by Neil Gross, the results of which have been published in prominent journals, neoadjuvant or perioperative cemiplimab (Libtayo), anti-PD-1 inhibitor from Regeneron has shown path response rates of approximately 50 percent. 

Whether it’s given for two cycles over six weeks or four cycles over three months, this drug really dramatically reduces the tumor and improves the likelihood of the cancer not coming back. More interestingly, recent data has also shown that this affects surgical outcomes in other ways. Historically, in melanoma and lung cancer and other diseases where perioperative immunotherapy is a standard of care, we never considered the nature of the surgery. Patients still underwent the same surgery that they would’ve undergone anyway whether or not they got immunotherapy.  

However, given the dramatic effect of perioperative immunotherapy, increasingly, we are turning out attention, particularly in cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma, which involves critical structures, to the role of surgical de-escalation as well as radiation de-escalation.  

We’re trying to see if by using perioperative immunotherapy, you can give people potentially less radical surgery, make people heal faster, undergo less plastic surgical reconstruction, improve functional outcomes, and also reduce the need for radiation, particularly in the patients who have done extraordinarily well to reduce the risk of radiation-related early and long-term toxicity.  

These results, some of which are recently being presented at prominent national meetings by Dr. Zuur from the Dutch NKI as well as Dr. Ascierto from the Italian National Cancer Institute in Naples have shown that firstly, the pathological response rates are high but very provocatively, surgical de-escalation has been achieved and is associated with good quality of life. What we are seeing here is that perioperative immunotherapy really has an increasing role, particularly in this disease, for reasons that have to do with the unique anatomical location of perioperative cutaneous squamous carcinoma.  

Perioperative immunotherapy is also migrating to other non-melanoma skin cancers including Merkel and basal cell carcinoma. Early trials have been done. The drugs appear to be effective. However, trials are still needed to further understand the role of perioperative immunotherapy in these other two entities. However, in cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma, perioperative trials are very advanced, pivotal trials are being designed, and increasingly, this is considered a standard of care for potentially resectable patients.  

You and I have talked about the role of immunocompetent non-melanoma skin cancer but one thing that patients do not necessarily realize that if you have a solid organ transplant such as a liver transplant, a heart transplant, or a kidney transplant, the primary reason for mortality in the first one year is allograft failure. However, if you make it past three years, the primary reason for mortality is cancer, and not cancer of the lung, but primarily, skin cancer. In this instance, the reason that skin cancer is common now, on average, skin cancers in transplant patients are much more common than skin cancer in non-transplant patients.  

In fact, patients with solid organ transplants had 100-fold higher risk of developing skin cancer compared to the general population. It has to do with the immunosuppression that is used. The immune suppression that maintains allograft tolerance also reduces T cell function. 

That reduction in T cell function allows for immune escape and the development of high-risk skin cancers. The most important thing that transplant patients need to do is make sure that they see a dermatologist. Increasingly, as we discover high risk skin cancer, there have been two main approaches that have been identified that are potentially helpful. The first is investigators at two primary sites. One, Dr. Evan Lipson at the Johns Hopkins University and Dr. Glenn Hanna at Mass General Hospital have independently demonstrated, and very provocatively, that in organ transplant patients, very close titration of immunosuppression can be done to allow for the concomitant use of immune modulating therapy.  

Historically, this is a patient population for whom systemic anti-PD-1 immunotherapy was technically contraindicated because the primary risk was allograft failure. What Dr. Hanna and Dr. Lipson have demonstrated is that by carefully modulating the doses of immune suppression, you can co-administer systemic anti PD-1 without allograft rejection, and these transformative results have been publicly represented by Dr. Hanna and Dr. Lipson as a paper under review in a prominent journal.  

Concurrently, work by a biopharmaceutical company known as Replimune has demonstrated that the intralesional administration of an oncolytic virus, a cancer killing virus known as RP1, has provocatively demonstrated anti-cancer effect in high-risk, advanced transplant-associated skin cancers.  

These data have been presented by many colleagues, including myself and others at several recent meetings, and the most recent publication of which was by Dr. Mike Migden of MD Anderson Cancer Center in a recent transplant meeting. This drug, which was injected within the tumor by direct visual injection has dramatic effect in up to about 25 percent of the treated patients without any risk of allograft rejection and/or herpes serial conversion because this is an attenuated herpes virus. These two advances have dramatically altered the potential for patients with solid organ cancers who are developing skin cancers to potentially get novel agents that would otherwise, the absence of which, potentially result in mortality. 

Katherine:

Wow. That’s really exciting news. Research often moves quickly and I think you’re just pointing this out. How can patients stay up to date with what’s going on?  

Dr. Davar:

Well, it’s very difficult. The information is moving at the speed of light in this disease. In fact, the first study of perioperative immunotherapy was done two years ago. Right now, perioperative immunotherapy is on NCCN guidelines. 

It’s not FDA-approved, but it’s a strong Class One recommendation on NCCN given the dramatic data that Dr. Gross and many of our colleagues have generated. Just in the span of three years, much has been achieved. The way to stay up to date is to read and also to seek out information from well-trusted sources. Information such as what has been generated by the Health Content Collective, information that is from WebMD and these other areas are very useful, but do check in with your providers. Please make sure your providers are up to date and do not be afraid of asking questions. No provider would ever feel insulted that you are questioning his or her judgment by asking a question.  

I often welcome patients to ask me questions about whether or not I feel like this is the best therapeutic modality, and do ask if there is a role for novel treatments. This is particularly because when you advance, as I mentioned, at the speed of light, particularly in the context of patients who are immunosuppressed… 

Treatment Options for Advanced Non-Melanoma Skin Cancer

Treatment Options for Advanced Non-Melanoma Skin Cancer from Patient Empowerment Network on Vimeo.

Treatment options for advanced non-melanoma skin cancers are ever-changing. Dr. Diwakar Davar reviews current treatment options and discusses which medical professionals are involved in treating advanced non-melanoma skin cancers.

Dr. Diwakar Davar is the Clinical Director of the Melanoma and Skin Cancer Program at UPMC Hillman Cancer Center. Learn more about Dr. Davar.

Download Guide

See More from Evolve Non-Melanoma Skin Cancer

Related Resources

An Expert’s Perspective on Advanced Non-Melanoma Skin Cancer Research

An Expert’s Perspective on Advanced Non-Melanoma Skin Cancer Research

What Are the Potential Benefits of an Advanced Non-Melanoma Skin Cancer Clinical Trial

What Are the Potential Benefits of an Advanced Non-Melanoma Skin Cancer Clinical Trial?

Emerging Treatments for Advanced Non-Melanoma Skin Cancer: What’s Showing Promise

Emerging Treatments for Advanced Non-Melanoma Skin Cancer: What’s Showing Promise?


Transcript:

Katherine:

What approaches are currently available to treat these more common forms of advanced non-melanoma skin cancer? 

Dr. Davar:

Right now, the most common mode of treatment is typically treating cancer that is localized.  

Again, even with the extremely increasing incidence of these cancers, the vast majority of cancers that we detect are still localized and are amenable to easy surgical eradication by a trained dermatologist or a trained mole surgeon. A trained dermatologist, a trained mole surgeon, a plastic surgeon, these are commonly the physicians that encounter these patients. Surgical removal is still the primary mode of eradications of these lesions. However, increasingly, there is a role for early systemic therapy and local regional therapy to improve patient outcomes for reasons that we can talk about. Still, the vast majority of patients are still treated surgically and then increasingly, there is the role for referral to medical oncologists and radiation oncologists to talk about alternative forms of treatment that may be needed after that. 

Katherine:

What sort of alternative therapies? Are you looking at targeted therapies? Immunotherapies? 

Dr. Davar:

The primary reason for which advances have happened in this disease is really the advent of effective systemic immunotherapy and the spillover of immunotherapy into the patient landscape in these diseases. The reason for that is as follows. Immunotherapy essentially is most effective in tumors that carry a high tumor mutation burden. For example, melanoma has a tumor mutation burden on average of about 15, and the tumor mutation burden in melanoma is driven by the fact that melanoma, cutaneous melanoma is an ultraviolet light-driven skin cancer.  

However, non-melanoma skin cancers have tumor mutation burdens that are many, many magnitudes higher than that of melanoma. For example, the median tumor mutation burden in cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma is 50. Melanoma is 15. The median tumor mutation burden in cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma is three times that of melanoma. Similarly, for Merkel cell carcinoma. A large majority of Merkel cell carcinoma is caused by an unusual virus known as a Merkel cell polyomavirus. Both the viral driven tumors and the non-viral driven tumors have high tumor mutation burdens, and the same is true of basal cell carcinoma because of ultraviolet light exposure.  

The primary reason why immunotherapy has gotten a foothold in these diseases is because the underlying etiologic agent that drives carcinogenesis, ultraviolet light for the majority of these, and the Merkel cell polyomavirus for the subcategory of non-melanoma skin cancer that is Merkel are both associated with a response to immunotherapy.   

As a result of that, immunotherapy, anti-PD-1 immunotherapy is now standard of care for patients with tumors that are either locally advanced undissectible or locally advanced and/or metastatic, that is, that they have spread. They are now available for use and FDA-approved for this indication in both Merkel, basal, as well as non-melanoma cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma. 

What Is Advanced Non-Melanoma Skin Cancer and How Is It Staged?

What Is Advanced Non-Melanoma Skin Cancer and How Is It Staged? from Patient Empowerment Network on Vimeo.

Dr. Advanced non-melanoma skin cancer encompasses several skin cancer types. Dr. Diwakar Davar discusses the most common types of advanced non-melanoma skin cancer and factors involved in staging.

Dr. Diwakar Davar is the Clinical Director of the Melanoma and Skin Cancer Program at UPMC Hillman Cancer Center. Learn more about Dr. Davar.

Download Guide

See More from Evolve Non-Melanoma Skin Cancer

Related Resources

Treatment Options for Advanced Non-Melanoma Skin Cancer

Treatment Options for Advanced Non-Melanoma Skin Cancer

Expert Advice for Newly Diagnosed Advanced Non-Melanoma Skin Cancer Patients

Expert Advice for Newly Diagnosed Advanced Non-Melanoma Skin Cancer Patients

Emerging Treatments for Advanced Non-Melanoma Skin Cancer: What’s Showing Promise

Emerging Treatments for Advanced Non-Melanoma Skin Cancer: What’s Showing Promise?


Transcript:

Katherine:

Today, we’re focusing on the most common forms of advanced non-melanoma skin cancer. What does it mean to have advanced non-melanoma skin cancer? 

Dr. Davar:

Sure. “Non-melanoma skin cancer” is actually a very broad, heterogenous term and includes patients with cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma, which is actually the commonest cancer in the United States with approximately 1 million cases a year, the vast majority of which are actually not necessarily, particularly serious or deep but do indicate predisposition towards further cancers and exposure to carcinogenic ultraviolet light. 

 It also includes the entities of Merkel cell carcinoma as well as basal cell carcinoma. These common cancers ranging from very common cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma to the least common Merkel cell carcinoma and basal cell in between are primarily seen in Caucasian patients. There is a predisposition towards these cancers we discovered in patients who are older, and certainly there is a predisposition in finding these cancers in certain anatomical regions such as the head and neck areas. Most of these cancers happen in older Caucasian patients, typically above the clavicle in the head, neck, around the ears, and on the cheeks and the face. 

Katherine:

Why is that?  

Dr. Davar:

Well, the primary etiologic agent driving carcinogenesis in these cancers is ultraviolet light.  

Again, the vast majority of ultraviolet light exposure happens to people before the age of 12, and it happens predominantly on the head and neck because that is the area that is most exposed to the sun. The cancer takes a while to form because the carcinogenic effects take a while to cause the cancer. So predominantly, patients, as they start hitting their 70s and 80s, it becomes increasingly common and occasionally, these cancers can actually end up being serious and start causing advanced cancers.  

Katherine:

What does it mean to have advanced non-melanoma skin cancer? 

Dr. Davar:

You know, in most cases, the definition of what is considered an advanced cancer is stage IV disease. If you have lung cancer, advanced lung cancer is stage IV cancer that has spread to the opposite lung, or to the brain, or the liver. 

If you have advanced melanoma, it is cancer that has spread to a distant organ such as the lung, the liver, or the brain. Skin cancer is very, very different. Because of its unique anatomical location, even a large tumor that potentially can be cut out but hasn’t necessarily spread can still threaten vital organs. You can have a 3 cm tumor near the eye that is threatening the globe. If it is not shrunk, the surgical resection of this tumor will potentially involve removing the eye.  

Similarly, you can have a very large tumor that is not necessarily spread, but is involving the right side of the cheek near the jaw in which case, the potential surgical removal of this tumor would involve the extremely disfiguring surgery of jaw removal, what is known as mandibulectomy.  

Given the nature of these tumors and the location of these tumors, the definition of locally advanced for this particular cancer has started to incorporate more elements of the location and the ease of which the cancer can be removed, which is very distinct from cancers in other locations, and also the proximity of these cancers to critical structures such as the nose, the lips, the eye, as well as critical vascular and neurovascular structures in the neck, such as the carotid artery, the internal and external jugular veins, and the vagal nerve bundle. 

Cancer Survivors: Managing Emotions After Cancer Treatment

Since the 1980s, doctors have tried to describe the stages cancer survivors normally go through. Most divide them into a version of the three stages described below:

Acute Survival (Living With Cancer) – Covers cancer diagnosis and any subsequent treatment. During this time, patients will undergo treatment and may be invited to participate in a clinical trial to study new cancer treatments. Sometimes services are offered to patients and their caregivers to address emotional, psychological and financial problems.

Prolonged survival (transient cancer): Post-treatment period during which the risk of recurrence is relatively high. Many patients are relieved that treatment has ended, but are concerned that they will not visit the oncologist regularly. During this stage, patients often visit the oncologist two to four times a year, depending on their circumstances.

Permanent survival (living after cancer): survival after treatment and long-term. Although two out of three survivors declare that their lives have returned to normal, a third affirms that they continue to have physical, psychosocial or economic problems. During this stage, most survivors are cared for again by their GP. Ideally, they have developed a long-term follow-up plan with the oncologist for their regular doctor to implement.

Social and Emotional Repercussions of Cancer

In addition to the physical effects of cancer, survivors experience psychological, emotional, and spiritual consequences. Many of them affect quality of life and can manifest many years after treatment. Here are some of the most common problems cancer survivors face:

Fear of Recurrence

Many survivors live in fear that the cancer will return at some point. In some cases, a major event, such as the anniversary of the diagnosis or the end of treatment with the oncologist, can trigger these feelings. Fear can be good if it encourages you to discuss your health changes with your doctor, but it can also cause unnecessary worry. Knowing your own body will help you distinguish between normal changes and more serious symptoms.

Pain

Grief is the natural result of loss. In cancer, losses refer to health, sexual desire, fertility, and physical independence. To overcome your pain, it is important to experience all of these feelings. Support groups and psychological assistance can help you deal with these problems.

Depression

It is estimated that 70% of cancer survivors experience depression at some point. Depression can be difficult to diagnose in cancer survivors, since the symptoms are very similar to the side effects of cancer treatment, such as weight loss, tiredness, insomnia, and inability to concentrate. In a 10-year follow-up study, symptoms of depression have been found to be associated with shorter survival, so seeking treatment for depression is essential.

Body Image and Self-esteem

Cancer survivors who have suffered amputations, disfigurements, and loss of organs such as the colon or bladder often have to overcome their problems to relate to themselves and to others. A negative body image and low self-esteem can affect the survivor’s ability to maintain relationships with their partner, which will have important consequences on their quality of life. Good communication is essential to maintain or regain intimacy after cancer. Consult a doctor if problems persist.

Spirituality

Many survivors feel that life takes on new meaning after cancer and renew their commitment to certain spiritual practices or organized religion. Research indicates that spirituality improves quality of life through a strong social support network.

Survivor’s Fault

Some people feel guilty about surviving cancer when others don’t. You may be wondering “Why me?” Or reevaluate your goals and ambitions in life. If you have a prolonged feeling of guilt, a psychotherapist, a member of the clergy, or a support group can help you express your feelings.

Relations

Possibly the biggest challenge cancer survivors face is how others react to their disease. Friends, coworkers, and family members may feel uncomfortable when discussing the diagnosis of cancer. They can keep silent, avoid you, or pretend that nothing has happened. Others may use humor to try to distract you and not think about your situation, instead of offering to talk about your problems. Cancer can be a long-lasting disease, so it is essential to overcome communication barriers.

Social and Work Life

Social and professional reintegration can be accompanied by many fears: concern about being exposed to a higher risk of infection, lack of enough energy to reach the end of the workday and anxiety about not being able to think clearly due to the so-called “neurological impairment by chemotherapy “or memory loss. In overcoming a life and death situation, many cancer survivors feel alienated from people who have not had the same experience and turn to other survivors for support and friendship.

You may be reluctant to reveal to your bosses and colleagues that you are receiving cancer treatment for fear of being treated differently or even losing your job and health insurance. This creates an atmosphere of uncertainty that contributes to emotional stress. Again, honest communication with your colleagues will help you overcome these feelings.


About the author: Diane H. Wong is copywriter at write essay for me service. She is also a professional nutritionist and plans to start her own blog to share her knowledge with others.

10 Ways of Thriving After Cancer

First and foremost, “surviving” cancer is amazing. After all, cancer is one of the deadliest diseases in the world! So, if you are a survivor, you are indeed worthy of praise. 

There are many types of cancers out there. One thing that they all have in common is that they are a result of uncontrolled growth of abnormal cells anywhere in a body. Early detection of cancerous growth results in a good prognosis as there is nearly no definitive cure for any form of cancer at its late stages.

Again, whether yours was at its late-stage or not and you survived, you are a winner! At this point, you should hold no reserve about cancer resurfacing and instead THRIVE. 

Now that you have survived cancer, the next step is reintegration back into society and doing the best you can to thrive while doing so. 

1. Battle your fear & anxiety head-on 

Long after getting cleared of cancer, survivors have to fight an emotional battle of fear and anxiety. No matter what the medical reports say about their health status, there is the seemingly never-ending fear of the cancer returning. 

This emotional turmoil is insurmountable and almost never avoidable unless you normally just have a strong will. You must quench this fear so that you can thrive.  A chat with your doctor is vital. Disclose whatever concerns you have about your health. Your doctor may even schedule frequent testing and care plans to make you feel better. 

2. Be devoted to your physical therapy sessions 

Cancer is usually for the long term. So, when the health providers eventually manage to get rid of all the cancerous growths, you may be left with a physical limitation like immobility. Such a physical limitation may make life less enjoyable, thus your doctor’s statutory recommendation for physiotherapy.

 Be dedicated to treatment sessions and work closely with the physical therapist as well as your loved ones. Don’t be afraid to ask for continued support as you heal.

3. Try a new hobby 

Don’t rush to get back to your old self before cancer. Try to enjoy the process more by finding new sports or leisure activities that fill your time. 

So, instead of getting mopey and worrying over cancer resurfacing, try knitting for a change, go golfing, try swimming! There is nothing too small or too big to try, and the main goal is to get you taken by any activity other than sitting down and getting paranoid. 

4. Consider returning to work

A defining part of getting reintegrated back into society after cancer is a career. If you were working before cancer, going back to work can help redefine your life. 

If you weren’t, try finding a new skill or going job-seeking. This gives you a sense of normalcy, but even better, it occupies your time! Remember, one of the most important ways to thrive after a battle with cancer is to not dwell on the past and simply enjoy the moment. 

5. Find intimacy with your loved ones 

There is nothing better than speaking to people who genuinely love you. Such emotional talks are sure to renew your confidence and help you build strong emotional support. If you are dating or married, it’ll help a great deal to bear your thoughts before your partner. Keeping it all inside won’t help and may even make you distant from them. 

6. If possible, start exercising

Numerous benefits accompany exercise. These range between boosting your physical endurance to giving your mental health a much-needed boost. 

Aside from that, nothing beats that sense of accomplishment that comes with completing an exercise session every day. Before starting an exercise regime, tell your doctor; and you may have him refer you to a physical therapist with knowledge of care for cancer survivors like you. 

If you are strong enough to exercise independently, start small with home workouts and build your way up to going for a walk at the park and then the gym. 

7. Make A List of Your Fears

This is on emotional terrain. Write down your deepest fears about life after cancer or what you think may prevent you from enjoying this new phase. This may include fear of the cancer returning, fears about your health overall, concerns of satisfying your partner in bed like you once did, fears of losing your job or doing poorly at it, and many more others. 

No matter how many they are, penning these fears down on paper can help you tackle them. After writing, you may even discover that some of these are so insignificant and shouldn’t be any trouble. Either way, you are tackling these problems head-on. 

8. Let go of the past 

This is an essential task if you want to thrive following a battle with cancer. Letting go of the past may be harder for people who have been fighting bouts of cancer over a significant number of years, but there is indeed nothing better than finding a new you. 

Cancer puts a dent in your mental health, so it may pose a challenge to let go of your history. If this is you, speaking to a counselor or even your doctor will be beneficial. 

9. Accept that there are going to be bad days 

It is a part of living to have good and bad days. As a cancer survivor, you can’t escape this, and you may even be more vulnerable, having battled one of the world’s deadliest diseases. As you strive to get back to normalcy, you have to realize that not every day will be good and that the process may be a lot harder than you expect. 

An optimistic attitude and never giving up are crucial to overcoming the dismay or depression that may set in when you’re not successful at something you try to do. You can also create a backup plan for such days e.g., take a walk with your partner, go to the cinema, etc. 

10. Share your experience with support groups 

There is nothing like working closely with people who have had similar experiences with you. Whether they are still battling cancer or not, speaking to others about your own experience surviving the disease will give them a ray of hope. It will equally do you a lot of good. 


Resource links: www.aicr.org, www.curetoday.com, www.inovanewsroom.org

Notable News February 2020

February may be a short month, but there is no shortage of new and exciting cancer research and treatment news. Could cervical cancer be eliminated for good? Are prebiotics the key to stopping melanoma? Well, take a bite of asparagus and read on to find out.

Vegetables are always an option for healthy eating, but you might want to consider adding (or increasing) two, in particular, to your diet. Asparagus and onions are sources of a prebiotic, and scientists have found that prebiotics help the immune system fight cancer in mice, reports genengnews.com. When the prebiotics, mucin and inulin, were fed to mice, they not only boosted the immune system, but they slowed the growth of implanted melanoma tumors, and delayed drug resistance. A delay in colon cancer growth was also noted. Prebiotics are food for bacteria and they cause growth of the good gut microbial communities, changing their make up, and thus causing the anti-cancer effect. The researchers say the study highlights the importance of the gut microbiome in treating cancer. Mucin is a protein found in intestinal mucus, and inulin is a plant fiber found in asparagus and onions. Learn more here.

With some perseverance and dedication, the World Health Organization (WHO) and other professionals believe cervical cancer could indeed be eliminated by 2120 reports, medicalnewstoday.com. Elimination could occur even sooner in some areas of the world. There are two separate studies that indicate the possibility. One study finds that vaccinating girls against the human papillomavirus (HPV), especially in low and middle income countries, could lead to an 89.4 percent reduction in the cancer. HPV is the top risk factor for cervical cancer. The other study shows that screening is another way cervical cancer could be eliminated. Experts say that if women have cervical cancer screenings just twice in their lifetimes, that could reduce the occurrence by 96.7 percent. The findings of the two studies are being used to establish the WHO’s cervical cancer elimination strategy, which will be presented in Switzerland in May. You can find more information here.

Screenings for cervical cancer may save lives, but could other screenings end up doing more harm than good? Early detection could be leading to over diagnosis of cancers, reports sciencealert.com. Believe it or not, not all cancer cells pose a health threat. Sometimes people have abnormal cells in their bodies for their whole lives and those cells never cause a problem. So, detection and treatment of these cells can potentially do more harm than good if people are being unnecessarily exposed to cancer treatments that can be stressful to the body, say scientists in Australia who have studied the risks of over diagnosing cancer. The researchers determined that breast and prostate cancers are the most over diagnosed and found that both cancers saw a 50 percent increase in occurrence when early screening tools, such as mammograms, were introduced. In the UK research shows that for every woman whose life is saved from breast cancer screening, three women will be diagnosed unnecessarily. The challenge is in finding balance between diagnosing and over diagnosing. More details about what the Australian researchers discovered can be found here.

When cancer is diagnosed and needs to be treated, it’s important to have options. The United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved a new treatment for high-risk nonmuscle invasive bladder cancer, reports urotoday.com. Approved in early January, pembrolizumab (known as Keytruda), gives the 80,000 bladder cancer patients diagnosed each year, another possible treatment option. In trials, researchers found that 40 percent of patients had a complete response to the medication. Learn more about Keytruda’s journey to approval by the FDA here.

Another possible option may be available to women who want to have children, but are infertile after cancer treatment, reports cbsnews.com. A technique called in vitro maturation (IVM) recently resulted in the birth of a baby to a 34-year-old cancer survivor. The technique is still considered experimental, but you can learn more about it here.

Knowing your options is what patient empowerment is all about. Keep reading the Patient Empowerment Network blog to stay informed, and you’ll find more Notable News right here next month. Until then, don’t forget to eat some asparagus!

Fertility Preservation in People with Cancer

This podcast was originally published by Cornell Weill Cancer Cast, on March 22, 2019, here.

Young Woman’s Melanoma Sparks Advocacy

This podcast was originally published by I had Cancer on July 16, 2019, here.

Jessica Rogowicz got her first melanoma diagnosis three days before her 25th birthday and another at age 29. Jessica, now 36, talks about her treatment and how she started a foundation for melanoma research and awareness. The I Had Cancer podcast provides personal and truthful conversations with cancer survivors along their journeys. Each episode will feature a different person with their unique perspective on their own fight against cancer. They are sharing their stories to help others who might be facing similar challenges and to say they went from “I Have Cancer” to “I Had Cancer.” If you would like to be a guest on a future I Had Cancer Podcast, send an email to IHadCancer@highmarkhealth.org with your name and phone number. The views and opinions expressed in this program are those of the participants and do not reflect the views or opinions of AHN, its subsidiaries or affiliates. You should not use this information to diagnose or treat a health problem or disease without consulting with a qualified healthcare provider. Please consult your healthcare provider with any questions or concerns you may have regarding your condition.

Melanoma – Online Resources

Caregiver Resources

Caregiver Action Network

1130 Connecticut Ave, NW
Suite 300
Washington, DC 20036

Phone: (202) 454-3970
www.caregiveraction.org

Caregiver Action Network works to improve the quality of life for the more than 90 million Americans who care for loved ones with chronic conditions, disabilities, disease, or the frailties of old age. CAN (the National Family Caregivers Association) is a non-profit organization providing education, peer support, and resources to family caregivers across the country free of charge.

Family Caregiver Alliance

785 Market Street
Suite 750
San Francisco, CA 94103

(415) 434-3388
(800) 445-8106
www.caregiver.org

FCA seeks to improve the quality of life for caregivers through education, services, research, and advocacy. FCA’s National Center on Caregiving offers information on current social, public policy and caregiving issues, and provides assistance in the development of public and private programs for caregivers.

The Caregiver Relief Fund

900 South Wabash Avenue
Suite 603
Chicago, IL 60605

https://caregiverrelieffund.wordpress.com/

A social venture committed to caring for caregivers. Provides resources, assistance and a voice to over 50 million Americans who are currently caregivers to the chronically ill, aged and disabled.

4th Angel

9500 Euclid Avenue R36
Cleveland, OH 44195

(866) 520-3197
www.4thangel.org

The 4th Angel Program is part of the Scott Hamilton CARES Initiative. This is a free, national service which provides a one-to-one supportive relationship (phone or email based) to cancer patients and their caregivers. The program has over 400 patient and caregiver mentors who are at least 6 months post treatment, and continues to train more mentors.

Caregivers4Cancer

P.O.Box 153448
Irving, Texas 75015

(800) 787-2840
(972) 513-0668
Caregivers4cancer.com

Organization strives to educate and assure caregivers and oncology teams there are ways to ease the journey’s relentless demands. Goal is to help caregivers emerge on the other end with less stress, more energy and a feeling of accomplishment that they did all they could for their loved ones.

Caregiver.com

3350 Griffin Road
Fort Lauderdale, FL 33312

954-893-0550
1-800-829-2734
www.caregiver.com

A leading provider of information, support and guidance for family and professional caregivers. Founded in 1995as a producer of Today’s Caregiver magazine, the first national magazine dedicated to caregivers. Caregiver Media Group and all of its products are developed for caregivers, about caregivers and by caregivers.


Clinical Trials

ClinicalTrials.Gov

The National Cancer Institute at the National institute of Health
Bethesda, Maryland

1-800-4-Cancer
www.clinicaltrials.gov

A registry and results database of federally and privately supported clinical trials conducted in the United States and around the world. ClinicalTrials.gov gives you information about a trial’s purpose, who may participate, locations, and phone numbers for more details.

Oncolink

The Perelman Center for Advanced Medicine
3400 Civic Center Blvd
Suite 2338
Philadelphia, PA 19104

215-349-8895
www.oncolink.org

Comprehensive information about specific types of cancer, updates on cancer treatments and news about research advances. Information is updated every day and provided at various levels, from introductory to in-depth.

Dermatology & Early Detection

Center for Disease Control (CDC) Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
4770 Buford Hwy NE
MS K-64
Atlanta, GA 30341

800-232-4636
cdcinfo@cdc.gov
www.cdc.gov

Federal agency that provides information on cancer prevention and control.

American Academy of Dermatology

930 E. Woodfield Road
Schaumburg, IL 60173

1445 New York Avenue, NW, Suite 800
Washington, DC 20005

(866) 503-SKIN (7546)
International: (847) 240-1280
www.aad.org

Founded in 1938. With a membership of more than 17,000, it represents virtually all practicing dermatologists in the United States, as well as a growing number of international dermatologists. Find free screening locations as well as information on research, diagnosis and treatment.

DermWeb

The Department of Dermatology and Skin Science
University of British Columbia
835 West 10th Avenue
Vancouver, B.C.
Canada V5Z 4E8

604-875-4747
www.DermWeb.com

DermWeb is a premier destination for dermatology links and resources on the Web. There are several areas of interest for practicing dermatologists, for dermatology students, and for the general public.

The Skin Cancer Foundation

149 Madison Av.
Suite 901
New York, NY 10016

212-725-5176
1-800-754-6490 (1-800-SKIN-490)
www.skincancer.org

Educates about skin cancer and its prevention by means of sun protection; as well as the need for early detection, and prompt, effective treatment. It is the only international organization devoted solely to combating the world’s most common cancer, now occurring at epidemic levels.

National Cancer Institute

6116 Executive Boulevard, Suite 300
Bethesda, MD 20892

1-800-422-6237 (1-800-4-CANCER)
TYY: 1-800-332-8615
www.cancer.gov

The NCI coordinates the National Cancer Program, which conducts and supports research, training, health information dissemination, and other programs with respect to the cause, diagnosis, prevention, and treatment of cancer, rehabilitation from cancer, and the continuing care of cancer patients and the families of cancer patients.


Prescription Drug Assistance

Needy Meds, Inc.

P.O. Box 219
Gloucester, MA 01931

(800) 503-6897
www.needymeds.org

This service provides information on drugs and offers applications (if available) for financial assistance, coupons for drugs, discount drug cards, free/low cost clinics and government program information.

Together Rx Access Card

One Outlet Lane
Bald Eagle Court
Lock HavenPA 17745

(800) 444-4106
http://www.togetherrxacces.com

Free prescription savings program for qualified enrollees, which provides savings on more than 300 FDA-approved prescription drugs.

Partnership for Prescription Assistance

1-888-4PPA-NOW (1-888-477-2669)
www.pparx.org

This program helps uninsured and financially struggling patients get access to nearly 500 healthcare and prescription assistance programs that offer medicines for free or nearly free.

National Conference of State Legislatures

State Pharmaceutical Assistance Programs
http://www.ncsl.org

More than 30 states have programs that will give discounts on prescription drugs, often for free. Visit web site to learn more about the various programs state legislatures have developed.

RxAssist

111 Brewster Street
Pawtucket, RI 02860

401-729-3284
www.rxassist.org

Patient assistance programs run by pharmaceutical companies to provide free medications to people who cannot afford to buy their medicine. RxAssist offers a comprehensive database of these patient assistance programs, as well as practical tools, news, and articles.

RxHope

P.O. Box 42886
Cincinnati, OH 45242

1-877-267-0517
www.RxHope.com

Advocate in making the patient assistance program journey easier and faster by supplying vital information and help.


Support

The Cancer Support Community

1050 17th Street, NW
Suite 500
Washington DC 20036

202-659-9709
cancersupportcommunity.org
help@cancersupportcommunity.org

An international non-profit dedicated to providing support to people affected by cancer. Services are available through a network of professionally led community-based centers, hospitals, community oncology practices and other non-profits, as well as online.

CanCare

Fighting Cancer with Hope
9575 Katy Freeway, Suite 428
Houston, Texas 77024

713-461-0028
1-888-461-0028
www.cancare.org

Cancer survivors of more than 50 different types of cancer volunteer for CanCare to provide emotional support to those currently facing a battle with cancer. Family members of survivors provide emotional support to family members of cancer patients.

Caring Bridge

1715 Yankee Doodle Road
Suite 301
Eagan, MN 55121

651-452-7940
651-681-7115
www.caringbridge.org

Free, personal and private websites that connect people experiencing a significant health challenge to family and friends, making each health journey easier.

MyLifeLine.org Cancer Foundation

55 Madison St., Ste. 750
Denver, CO 80206

303-549-0405
www.mylifeline.org
support@mylifeline.org

A 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization that encourages cancer patients and caregivers to create free, customized websites. Our mission is to empower patients to build an online support community of family and friends to foster connection, inspiration, and healing.

CancerCare

275 Seventh Ave. Floor 22
New York, NY 10001

1-800-813-HOPE (4673)
info@cancercare.org
www.Cancercare.org

National Office serves people with cancer and their loved ones throughout the entire 50 states, Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands.

US Dept of Health & Human Services

P.O. Box 1133
Washington, DC 20013-1133

healthfinder.gov
healthfinder@nhic.org

Write to healthfinder.gov at Health and Human Services Department for easy entry point to trustworthy health information.

National Cancer Institute (NCI)

1-800-4-cancer
www.cancer.gov

Very comprehensive information from the US Government agency wing of the National Institute of Health (NIH).

Web MD

A medical education site from a company that helps both consumers and healthcare providers navigate the healthcare community.


Hospice

HFA Hospice Foundation of America

1710 Rhode Island Ave, NW
Suite 400
Washington, DC 20036

National Hospice Foundation

1731 King Street, Suite 200
Alexandria, Virginia 22314

Caring Connections

800-658-8898
Multilingual Line: 877-658-8896


Hotlines and Forums

Dana Farber Cancer Institute

Family Studies Cancer Risk Line
Voice: 1-800-828-6622
www.dana-farber.org

Information regarding familial cancers

Patient Advocate Foundation

1-800-532-5274 (Mon.-Thurs., 8am-8pm; Fri., 8:30am-7pm EST)
www.patientadvocate.org

Provides education and legal counseling to cancer patients (relative to a diagnosis) concerning managed care, discrimination, insurance and financial issues.

Hereditary Cancer Center

Creighton University School of Medicine
2500 California Plaza
Omaha, NE 68178

1-800-648-8133 (Mon.-Fri., 8am-5pm CST)
http://medschool.creighton.edu/centers/hcc/

Studies family-linked cancer. Counseling, information on clinical trials, cancer and hereditary factors.

Cancer Information Service

Sponsored by National Cancer Institute.
1-800-422-6237
www.cancer.gov

Provides information about cancer and cancer-related resources to patients, the public and health professionals. Offers one-on-one smoking cessation counseling and literature. Free publications.

Skin Cancer Foundation

1-800-754-6490 (Mon.-Fri., 9am-5pm EST)
www.skincancer.org

Provides educational materials and information on skin cancer and treatment.

Cancer Research Institute

1-800-992-2623 (Mon.-Fri., 9am-5pm EST)
www.cancerresearch.org

Provides general cancer resource information. Supports leading-edge research aimed at developing immunologic methods of preventing, treating and curing cancer.

Cancer Information and Counseling Line

1-800-525-3777
(Mon.-Fri., 8:30am-5pm MST)

Provides current medical information and counseling for cancer issues.

Cancer Hope Network

1-877-467-3638 (Mon.-Fri., 9am-5:30pm EST)
www.cancerhopenetwork.org

One-on-one support offered to cancer patients and their families undergoing cancer treatment from trained volunteers who have survived cancer themselves.

BLOCH Cancer Hotline

1-800-433-0464

Networks persons with cancer and home volunteers with same type of cancer. Free books about cancer.


Insurance/Financial Assistance

Good Days

6900 N Dallas Pkwy,
Suite 200
Plano, TX 75024

(877) 968-7233
(972) 608-7141
http://www.mygooddays.org/

Good Days exists to improve the health and quality of life of patients battling chronic disease, cancer or other life-altering conditions who cannot afford the medications they so desperately need.

HealthWell Foundation

P.O. Box 4133
Gaithersburg, MD 20878

800-675-8416
www.healthwellfoundation.org

The HealthWell Foundation® provides full or partial financial assistance to eligible individuals who cannot afford their insurance co-payments, premiums, deductibles for certain treatments, and other out-of-pocket health care expenses.

Medicare & Medicaid

7500 Security Blvd
Baltimore, MD 21244-1850

800-318-2596
www.healthcare.gov/medicaid-chip/

800-MEDICARE
www.medicare.gov

Medicare is a federal system of health insurance for people over 65 years of age, and Medicaid assists low-income individuals and certain younger people with disabilities.

National Patient Advocate Foundation (NPAF)

725 15th St, NW, 10th Floor
Washington, DC 20005

202-347-8009
www.npaf.org

NPAF provides professional case management services to individuals facing barriers to healthcare access for chronic and disabling disease, medical debt crisis and employment-related issues at no cost.


Lodging

Joe’s House

505 E 79th Street
New York, NY 10075

877-563-7468
www.joeshouse.org

Joe’s House website lists thousands of places to stay across the country near hospitals and treatments centers that offer a discount for traveling patients and their loved ones.

Healthcare Hospitality Network, Inc.

P.O. Box 1439
Gresham, OR 97030

(800) 542-9730
http://www.hhnetwork.org/

The Healthcare Hospitality Network, Inc. (HHN) is a nationwide professional association of nearly 200 unique, nonprofit organizations that provide lodging and support services to patients, families and their loved ones who are receiving medical treatment far from their home communities. The mission of HHN is to support homes that help and heal to be more effective in their service to patients and families.

Hope Lodge –American Cancer Society

(800) 227-2345
WEBSITE

Hope Lodge offers cancer patients and their caregivers a free, temporary place to stay when their best hope for effective treatment may be in another city. Currently, there are 31 Hope Lodge locations throughout the United States. Accommodations and eligibility requirements may vary by location.


Lymphedema

National Lymphedema Network

116 New Montgomery Street, Suite 235
San Francisco, CA 94105

1-800-541-3259
415-908-3681
www.lymphnet.org

A non-profit organization founded in 1988 to provide education and guidance to lymphedema patients, health care professionals and the general public by disseminating information on the prevention and management of primary and secondary lymphedema.


Other Types of Melanoma

Mucosal Melanoma

Oral Cancer Foundation
3419 Via Lido #205
Newport Beach, CA 92663

949-723-4400
www.oralcancerfoundation.org

The Oral Cancer Foundation is a non-profit 501 (c) (3) public service charity that provides information, patient support, sponsorship of research and advocacy related to this disease. At the forefront of our agenda is to promote solid awareness in the minds of the American public about the need to undergo an annual oral cancer screening and an outreach to the dental community to provide this service as a matter of routine practice.

Ocular Melanoma Foundation

P.O. Box 29261
Richmond, VA 23242-0261

www.ocularmelanoma.org

OMF aspires to be the top destination for up-to-date OM-related educational information, a meeting place, and advocacy resource. For doctors and researchers, OMF strives to be the connective tissue, facilitating interdisciplinary cancer research.


Pain Management

American Academy of Pain Management

The largest pain management organization in the nation and the only one that embraces an integrative model of care, which is patient-centered, focuses on the “whole” person, is informed by evidence, and brings together, all appropriate therapeutic approaches to reduce pain and achieve optimal health and healing. The Academy offers continuing education, publications, and advocacy.

American Chronic Pain Association

PO Box 850
Rocklin, CA 95677

1-800-533-3231
https://theacpa.org

Since 1980, the ACPA has offered peer support and education in pain management skills to people with pain, family and friends, and health care professionals. The information and tools on our site can help you to better understand your pain and work more effectively with your health care team toward a higher quality of life.


Radiation

RT Answers

American Society of Radiation Oncology
8280 Willow Oaks Corporate Drive, Suite 500
Fairfax, VA

703-502-1550 or 1-800-962-7876
www.rtanswers.org

Web site explains to patients, their families and the public how doctors called radiation oncologists use radiation therapy to treat cancer safely and effectively.

Radiation Therapy Fact Sheet

National Cancer Institute
www.cancer.gov

A fact sheet that defines the different types of radiation therapy and discusses scientific advances that improve the effectiveness of this treatment.

Melanoma: Learning to Live With It

This video was originally published by American Cancer Society on May 15, 2015, here.

Tom Crawford’s battle with melanoma has been a long one. He shares some of the wisdom he’s learned along the way.

 

After Cancer, Ambushed By Depression

At some stage in all our lives there comes a time when feelings of sadness, grief or loneliness gets us down. It is part of being human. And after all, what’s more human than feeling down after such a life-changing and stressful event like cancer? Most of the time, we bounce back; but what happens when the blues stick around and start to interfere with our work, our relationships and our enjoyment of life?

Dana Jennings, whose writings in the New York Times about his treatment for prostate cancer, so eloquently captured the mix of feelings which cancer survivors face after treatment ends, wrote that while he was “buoyed by a kind of illness-induced adrenaline” during treatment, once treatment ended, he found himself “ambushed by depression.”

Jennings’ words will have a familiar ring to many of us who have struggled with that unexpected feeling of depression and loneliness that creeps up on us after treatment is finished. For some survivors, depression kicks in shortly after diagnosis or at some stage during treatment; for others it may ambush them weeks, months or even years after treatment ends.

What Causes Depression?

Depression is a word that means different things to each of us; people use it to describe anything from a low mood to a feeling of hopelessness.  However, there is a vast difference between clinical depression and sadness. Sadness is a part of being human; it comes and goes as a natural reaction to painful circumstances, but it passes with time. Depression goes beyond sadness about a cancer diagnosis or concern about the future.

In its mildest form, depression doesn’t stop you leading your normal life, but it does make things harder to do and seem less worthwhile. At its most severe, the symptoms of clinical depression are serious enough to interfere with work, social life, family life, or physical health.

Incidence of Depression in Cancer Survivors

Research shows that cancer survivors are more likely than their healthy peers to suffer psychological distress, such as anxiety and depression, even a decade after treatment ends. Although estimates of the frequency of depression in cancer patients vary, there is broad agreement that patients who face a disruptive life   event like cancer have an increased risk of depression that can persist for many years.  While most people will understand that dealing with a chronic illness like cancer causes depression, not everyone understands that depression can go on for many months (and even years) after cancer treatment has ended.

The Challenge of Identifying Depression in Cancer Patients

Some research has indicated that depression has been underdiagnosed and undertreated in cancer patients.  This may result from several factors, including patients’ reluctance to report depression, physician uncertainty about how best to manage it, and the belief that depression is a normal part of having cancer.

Several of the characteristics of major depression listed below– like fatigue, cognitive impairment, poor sleep, and change of appetite or weight loss—are hard to distinguish from the common side effects of cancer treatment. This makes it harder to tease apart the psychological burden of cancer, the effects of treatment, and the biochemical effects of the disease.

Are You At Risk of Depression?

Depression can occur through a combination of factors, with some of us being more prone to depression than others.  Factors such as a history of depression, a history of alcohol or substance abuse, and a lack of social support can increase the risk of depression in both the general population and among cancer patients.

Even if a person is not in a high-risk category, a diagnosis of cancer is associated with a higher rate of depression, no matter the stage or outcome of the disease.

Distress over a cancer diagnosis is not the same thing as clinical depression – it is important to recognize the signs and get treatment. The first step is to identify if you are experiencing symptoms of depression.

Try answering the following two questions.

Have you, for more than two weeks (1) felt sad, down or miserable most of the time? (2) Lost interest or pleasure in most of your usual activities?

If you answered ‘YES’ to either of these questions, you may have depression (see the symptom checklist below). If you did not answer ‘YES’ to either of these questions, it is unlikely that you have a depressive illness.

Depression Checklist*

(Tick each of the symptoms that apply to you)

  • Trouble sleeping with early waking, sleeping too much, or not being able to sleep
  • On-going sad or “empty” mood for most of the day
  • Finding it hard to concentrate or make decisions
  • Feeling restless and agitated, irritable or impatient
  • Extreme tiredness and lethargy
  • Feeling emotionally empty or numb
  • Not eating properly; losing or putting on weight
  • Loss of interest or pleasure in almost all activities most of the time
  • Crying a lot
  • Losing interest in your sex life
  • Preoccupied with negative thoughts
  • Distancing yourself from others
  • Feeling pessimistic about the future
  • Anger, irritability, and impatience

Add up the number of ticks for your total score: _______

What does your score mean?

  • 4 or less: You are unlikely to be experiencing a depressive illness
  • 5 or more: It is likely that you may be experiencing a depressive illness.

NB This list is not a replacement for medical advice. If you’re concerned that you or someone you know may have symptoms of depression, it’s best to speak to your doctor.

Depression – The Way Forward

It’s common to experience a range of emotions and symptoms after a cancer diagnosis, including feelings of stress, sadness and anger. However, some people experience intense feelings of hopelessness for weeks, months, or even years after diagnosis. If you continue to experience emotional distress from your cancer, it’s very important to know that help is available, and to get the help you need.

The first step on the path to recovery is to accept your depression as a normal reaction to what you have been through –don’t try to fight it, bury it or feel ashamed that it is there.  Think of your depression as just another symptom of cancer. If you were in physical pain, you would seek help, and it’s the same for depression.  There are many people willing to help you but the first step is to let someone know how you are feeling. Finding the courage to talk to just one person, whether that’s a loved one, primary care physician, or specialist nurse will often be the first step towards healing.

The psychological effects of cancer are only beginning to be studied and understood. In time, doctors will not only treat the body to kill the cancer, but will treat the mind which suffers the consequences of the disease long after the body has healed. When you’re depressed it can feel like you are barely existing. By obtaining the correct medical intervention and learning better coping skills, however, you can not only live with depression, but live well.

A Note on Helping a Loved One with Depression

Perhaps you are reading this because you’re concerned about a loved one who might have depression.   You may be wondering how you can help. For people who have never experienced the devastating depths of major clinical depression, it may be difficult to understand what your loved one is going through. Depressed people find it hard to ask for help, so let your friend or family member know that you care, you believe in them and that you’re there for them.

The best thing you can is to listen. Don’t offer preachy platitudes about things never being as bad as you think, or suggesting the person snap out of the depression. Our culture doesn’t encourage people to talk about their emotional pain. We’re taught to suppress our feelings, not to show weakness, to get over things quickly. Most people, when they feel upset, benefit greatly by talking to someone who listens with empathy and without judgment. Most of the time the person who is depressed is not looking for advice, but just knowing that someone cares enough to listen deeply can make all the difference.


*References: American Psychiatric Association. Diagnostic and statistical manual of mental disorders, 4th ed (DSM-IV). Washington, DC: APA, 1994; and, International classification of diseases and related health problems, 10th revision. Geneva, World Health Organisation, 1992-1994.