Symptoms & Side Effects Management
Cancer Survivorship Issues
The CDC (the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention) defines the term cancer survivor broadly:
“…those people who have been diagnosed with cancer and the people in their lives who are affected by the diagnosis, including family members, friends, and caregivers.”
Because more and more people every year are surviving cancer, issues concerning cancer survivorship are also very broad. Survivorship issues that affect some individuals include:
- Side effects of treatment
- Stress
- Pain
- Cognitive changes
- Communication problems
- Anxiety and/or fear of recurrence
- Depression
- Fatigue
- Returning to work and/or day-to-day activities
- Finding meaning
- End-of-life issues
- Living with uncertainty
Several internet sites offer information on these and other survivorship issues. A few such sites are:
- VICC.ORG Survivorship Information
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
- Lance Armstrong Foundation
- National Cancer Institute
- National Coalition for Cancer Survivorship
However, if you or a member of your family are concerned about one or more of these issues and would like to speak to someone directly, please contact our Pain and Symptom Management Program office.
