Ask the CIS : Cancer Information Service : December 2006
"Ask the CIS" is a short, easy-to-read cancer column providing answers to cancer related questions. The column is based on the latest cancer information from the National Cancer Institute. The Cancer Information Service of the Mid-South produces four columns, in question-and-answer format, monthly.
Q: I’m trying to quit smoking, but it’s so hard to be around other smokers. What can I do?
A: Many people who quit smoking report that it’s hard to be around friends and family members who still smoke. Being around the people you usually smoked with can trigger the urge to smoke. Try these tips to be around other smokers without lighting up.
- Ask others to help you in your quit attempt. Give them specific examples of things that are helpful (such as not smoking around you) and things that are not helpful (like asking you to buy cigarettes for them).
- Post a small “No Smoking” sign by your front door. Provide an outside area where smokers may go if they wish to smoke.
- If you are in a group and others light up, excuse yourself, and don’t return until they have finished.
- Do not buy, carry, light, or hold cigarettes for others.
- Try not to get angry if family, friends, or coworkers hassle you about quitting.
For free one-on-one help with quitting, call the National Cancer Institute’s Smoking Quitline at 1–877–448–7848.
Q: I recently found some bright red patches inside my mouth, and it hurts when I swallow. Are these signs of oral cancer?
A: Oral cancer can cause several symptoms. Common symptoms of oral cancer include:
- Patches inside your mouth or on your lips that are white, a mixture of red and white, or red
- White patches are the most common. White patches sometimes become cancer.
- Mixed red and white patches are more likely than white patches to become malignant.
- Red patches are brightly colored, smooth areas that often become cancer.
- A sore on your lip or in your mouth that won’t heal
- Bleeding in your mouth
- Loose teeth or problems wearing dentures
- Difficulty or pain when swallowing
- A lump in your neck
Anyone with these symptoms should see a doctor or dentist so that any problem can be diagnosed and treated as early as possible. Most often, these symptoms do not mean cancer. An infection or another problem can cause the same symptoms.
For more information about oral cancer, call the NCI’s Cancer Information Service at 1–800–4–CANCER.
Q: My mother’s cancer is not responding to treatment, and her doctor suggested hospice care. How could it help her?
A: Hospice provides special care for people who are near the end of life, and for their families. Choosing hospice care doesn’t mean that you’ve given up. It means that the treatment goals are different now. The goal of hospice is to help patients live each day to the fullest by making them comfortable and as symptom-free as possible.
Hospice doctors, nurses, chaplains, social workers, and volunteers are specially trained. They are dedicated to managing their patients’ medical symptoms and supporting their patients’ and families’ emotional, social, and spiritual needs.
Services for cancer patients may include:
- Doctor services
- Nursing care
- Short-term inpatient care
- Drugs for managing cancer-related symptoms and pain
- Medical supplies and equipment
Services for family members may include:
- Respite (RES-pit) services to give you a break from caring for your loved one
- Grief counseling and support
More information about hospice care is in the NCI publication When Someone You Love Has Advanced Cancer: Support for Caregivers. You can get a copy from the NCI’s Cancer Information Service at 1–800–4–CANCER. You can also view and print it from http://www.cancer.gov/cancertopics/When-Someone-You-Love-Has-Advanced-Cancer on the Internet.
Q: I’m looking after my mother during her cancer treatment. What are some things I can do to take care of myself?
A: Many caregivers put their own feelings and needs aside while they are caring for a loved one. They try to focus on the person with cancer. But taking time to recharge your own body, mind, and spirit can help you be a better caregiver. By taking care of yourself, you will be able to take care of your loved one.
You can take care of yourself by taking a short break from caregiving every day. Here are some ideas:
- Nap
- Exercise
- Keep up with a hobby
- Take a drive
- Work in the yard
- Catch up on phone calls, letters, or e-mail
More tips for caregivers are in the NCI’s publication When Someone You Love Has Advanced Cancer: Support for Caregivers. You can get a copy by calling the NCI’s Cancer Information Service at 1–800–4–CANCER. You can also view and print it from http://www.cancer.gov/cancertopics/When-Someone-You-Love-Has-Advanced-Cancer on the Internet.
The National Cancer Institute’s Cancer Information Service (CIS) is one of the country’s most trusted resources. Ask the CIS is distributed by the (region) CIS, which serves (list states). Call the CIS toll-free at 1–800–4–CANCER (1–800–422–6237) between 9:00 a.m. and 4:30 p.m. Monday through Friday.
