Mind, Body and Side Effects

Sheron Williams was trying to cope with her breast cancer diagnosis and an inflammatory disease called sarcoidosis. Sarcoidosis is a chronic illness that impacts her liver, lungs, skin and requires portable oxygen. The stress of both of these issues sent her looking for help -- and she found it when she began using guided imagery.

If you are having major abdominal surgery including gynecologic, urologic or colorectal surgery, you may have some issues with eating afterward. Problems with digestion can arise due to the inflammatory response to intestinal manipulation and trauma during surgery. This may lead to more gas production when eating, which can be painful if you are unable to pass it or at the very least embarrassing if you can. In addition, some people can become nauseous or have diarrhea shortly after meals. This is just a sign that your stomach is feeling stressed with the burden of your meal and temporary adjustments will need to be made to ease that burden.

Once cancer treatment ends, a challenging and lasting side effect can remain: peripheral neuropathy, a tingling feeling usually felt in the toes, feet, fingers and hands. For about 30 percent of breast cancer patients, peripheral neuropathy is a painful sensation. People treated for gastrointestinal, urologic and other cancers can also be affected.

Anxiety is the body’s natural response to situations with a perceived threat. As anyone with a cancer diagnosis knows, nothing threatens the balance of your day-to-day life more than cancer. Patients may struggle at the time of diagnosis, during treatment, waiting for test results or even after treatment ends when they’re faced with fears about recurrence.

Anyone who has been diagnosed with cancer or has a loved one with cancer understands the number of concerns it raises. Hearing “it’s cancer” brings forth big-picture worries about life and death, how to pay for treatment, telling family or friends and whether you’ll be healthy in the future. Then there are day-to-day concerns like how to get to treatment, coping with side effects and how to cook meals when you feel unwell. It’s a lot to deal with. Social workers understand and are here to help you get through it.

Up to half of cancer patients experience some form of emotional distress related to their cancer diagnosis or treatment, says Michelle Riba, M.D., M.S., director of the PsychOncology Program at the University of Michigan Rogel Cancer Center. That can come in the form of anxiety, depression and post-traumatic stress disorder.

Cancer treatment can impact fertility in women and men. However, many young cancer patients are not yet thinking about starting a family or are focused on treatment and getting well. As the rate of younger patients who survive cancer increases, studies show they often regret not having more information on steps to preserve their fertility. We sat down with two key members of Michigan Medicine’s Fertility Preservation Program: Molly Moravek, M.D., MPH, the medical director; and Erin Ellman, LMSW, fertility preservation coordinator.

Every time you turn on the news, browse the web or reach for a magazine, there is a new study about what foods are good (or bad) for your health. Many are focused on foods that prevent cancer, cause cancer or fuel cancer. It is easy to become confused. Striving for the perfect anti-cancer diet can be stressful. We say SIMPLIFY. Fueling your body during cancer treatment is crucial, but not complex. And, no single food is going to dramatically change your path to wellness

Radiation therapy treats cancer by using high energy to kill tumor cells. Many people who get radiation therapy have skin changes and some fatigue. Side effects vary from person to person; depend on the radiation dose, and the part of the body being treated. Some patients have no side effects at all, while others have quite a few. There is no way to predict who will have side effects.

We’re offering 5 different strategies you can use to reclaim a sense of control when you feel overwhelmed with emotions or anxiety. These strategies are shown by research to be effective and, just as importantly, the patients we serve in the Rogel Cancer Center tell us these tips help.