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Emotional Impact of Cancer

Receiving a diagnosis of cancer can seem overwhelming

Many thoughts rush through your mind. It is probably something you thought or wished you would never hear. You most likely felt a whole range of emotions: anger, hurt, pain, fear, and maybe even guilt. This chapter will discuss some issues that a diagnosis of cancer raises and suggest activities and ideas that might help you cope with your diagnosis of head and neck cancer.

People often cope with a diagnosis of cancer by:

    1. Active thought

    2. Active behavior

    3. Avoidance

Depression

Exploring the link between head & neck cancer and smoking, depression, and alcohol

Cancer is a group of more than 100 different diseases. Cancer occurs when cells become abnormal and divide without control or order. If cells divide in an uncontrolled manner, a mass or tumor develops.

Head and neck cancer can occur in a variety of places including the lips, tongue, mouth and larynx (vocal cords). Head and neck cancer occurs more often in males than females. The majority of people diagnosed with head and neck cancer are between the ages of 45 and 65.

Breaking the Habits Beating Us

Taking control of your moods, smoking and drinking habits

According to the American Cancer Society, there is strong evidence that an individual's risk of developing cancer can be substantially reduced by not smoking. For individuals with head and neck cancer, or those who are at risk of developing head and neck cancer, it is also important to avoid using alcohol.

More women receiving breast reconstruction after mastectomy, study finds

Researchers found that a majority of women who undergo mastectomy for breast cancer go on to get breast reconstruction, with rates rising dramatically over time. There are still geographic variations, and women who also have radiation tend to have lower rates of reconstruction.

New finding points to potential options for attacking stem cells in triple-negative breast cancer

New research from the University of Michigan Rogel Cancer Center and Georgia Regents University finds that a protein that fuels an inflammatory pathway does not turn off in breast cancer, resulting in an increase in cancer stem cells. This provides a potential target for treating triple negative breast cancer, the most aggressive form of the disease.

Resources and Support for Patients

There are a number of services available to support those diagnosed with head and neck cancer.

Patient Education Michigan Medicine

the following open as pdf documents:

Head and Neck Cancer Research

The latest in head and neck cancer research, treatment options, risk assessment, survivorship and more.

Predicting Complications After Larynx Cancer Surgery

doctors looking at a scan of a patient's blood flow

 

Head and Neck Cancer Prevention

The two most important risk factors for developing head and neck cancer are using tobacco (smoking or chewing) and heavy use of alcohol

Not only is tobacco use a major risk factor for developing an initial tumor, it also increases the risk for secondary tumors.

Screening for Head and Neck Cancer

There is no simple screening procedure to diagnose these cancers early. They are difficult to diagnose and require complex procedures.

Because the cancers are not common, and the tests require specialized doctors, neither the American Cancer Society nor any other group recommends screening for these cancers.

Talk to your doctor if you have any of these symptoms (as described in the "Symptoms" section). Many of these signs and symptoms may be caused by other cancers or by less serious, benign (non-cancerous) problems.

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