Mind, Body and Side Effects

There’s a stereotype that only women with breast cancer develop lymphedema, but that’s not true. The lymphatic system is not significantly different between men and women. There’s no difference between men with lymphedema and women with lymphedema. So, any cancer-related treatment that removes of blocks lymph nodes can cause lymphedema. The only cancer treatment that only men need to be concerned about is for prostate cancer.

It’s important to include enough carbohydrates, protein and fat in your meals to maintain weight during treatments because too much weight loss can actually slow down/delay treatment. But, side effects of treatment, including loss of appetite, can make it challenging to eat enough food to get the calories your body needs.

Too often people blame the winter weather and extreme temperatures for their new or increased joint pain and inflammation, also called arthralgia. If these same people are patients being treated with chemotherapy, the pain could be related to treatment. Joint pain can be debilitating, and can cause a decrease in daily functioning and quality of life.

For all our patients, we look at nutrition, pain management and range of motion, and may order tests or treatments to optimize patients’ ability to move and reduce pain or fatigue. Our goal is to improve and maintain function by diagnosing and treating side effects of these various medical conditions.

Every patient copes with cancer diagnosis and treatment differently. The Rogel Cancer Center's Patient and Family Support Services Program meets all types of challenges. Patients can use our services and complementary therapies to take an active role in their treatment.

Integrative oncology is the combination of both conventional and complementary treatments that are evidence-based to bring about the best outcome for each patient. That can be for the prevention or treatment of cancer, the treatment of symptoms, and improvement in quality of life during survivorship.

From insomnia to appetite changes to diarrhea and nausea, stress has a destructive effect on cancer patients. While symptoms of stress may call for specific treatment, the best approach is to get to the source of the stress. It's important for patients -- and in some cases their caregivers -- to develop a stress management practice at any point before, during or after treatment.

The weaving program has been in the Rogel Cancer Center for over 12 years, offering demonstrations and short lessons on the loom. The cloth is used to create hats, pockets and tear cloths for patients and family members.