100 Questions and Answers About Cancer Symptoms and Cancer Treatment Side Effects, Second Edition

250 Pages·2010·1.02 MB·English

by  Joanne Frankel Kelvin

100 Questions & Answers
About Cancer Symptoms
and Cancer Treatment
Side Effects
Second Edition
Joanne Frankel Kelvin,
RN, MSN, AOCN
Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center
Leslie B. Tyson,
MS, APN-BC, OCN
Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center
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Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
Kelvin, Joanne Frankel.
100 questions & answers about cancer symptoms and cancer treatment side effects/
Joanne Frankel Kelvin, Leslie B. Tyson.—2nd ed.
p. cm.
ISBN 978-0-7637-7760-9
1. Cancer—Popular works. 2. Cancer—Treatment—Complications—Popular works. 3.
Antineoplastic agents—Side effects—Popular works. I. Tyson, Leslie B. II. Title. III. Title:
One hundred questions and answers about cancer symptoms and cancer treatment side effects.
RC263.K44 2011
616.99'406—dc22
2010001542
6048
Printed in the United States of America
14 13 12 11 10 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1
CONTENTS
Preface vii
Part One:Cancer and Cancer Treatment 1
Questions 1–15describe cancer and various cancer treatments, including:
• What is cancer?
• Why does cancer cause symptoms?
• What are the treatments for cancer?
Part Two:Getting Information and Making Decisions 31
Questions 16–24discuss strategies for making informed decisions about
treatment, including:
• How can I be sure to get the information I want from my doctor?
• How can I find clinical trials that might be appropriate for me?
• I feel so overwhelmed by all the information I’m getting. How do I make
decisions about my treatment?
Part Three:Comfort,Activity,and Sleep 49
Questions 25–34discuss options for improving your comfort and quality of
life during cancer treatment:
• Will I have pain? What are the options available to treat my pain?
• I feel tired much of the time. What can I do to increase my energy?
• Can I exercise?
Part Four:Blood Counts and Skin Problems 71
Questions 35–45address common concerns about avoiding infection and
caring for your skin and hair, including:
• I have heard that chemotherapy may cause drops in my blood counts.
What does this mean?
• What do I do if my red blood cell count is low?
• What is shingles? Is there a vaccine for shingles, and should I get it?
100 Q&A ABOUT CANCER SYMPTOMS AND CANCER TREATMENT SIDE EFFECTS
Part Five:Problems with Breathing,Nutrition,Digestion,
and Urination 91
Questions 46–61discuss ways to cope with effects of treatment on breathing,
nutrition, digestion, and elimination, including:
• How do I know if I need oxygen?
• What can I do to increase my appetite and maintain my weight?
• What can I do for mouth sores?
Part Six:Appearance and Sexual Issues 127
Questions 62–69discuss changes in personal appearance and sexual health
brought on by cancer treatment, such as:
• I have gained weight from my cancer treatment. What can I do to
lose weight?
• I don’t feel the desire to be sexually intimate with my partner the
way I used to. What can I do to maintain our relationship?
• Will I be able to conceive a child after treatment?
Part Seven:Neurologic Problems,Fluid Retention,
and Blood Chemistry 147
Questions 70–81describe problems related to nerves, blood and blood vessels, and
fluid buildup, including:
• What is cerebral edema? How is this managed?
• Why are my legs swollen? What can I do to minimize the swelling?
• I have heard that some people can get diabetes from their treatment.
How is this diagnosed and treated?
Part Eight:Other Health-Related Issues 175
Questions 82–87address other health concerns not directly related to the
cancer symptoms or treatment side effects, such as:
• I get a flu shot every year. Should I get one now that I am getting
treated for cancer?
• Can I drink alcohol?
• Should I stop smoking?
Part Nine:Emotional and Social Concerns 185
Questions 88–100address emotional effects, social impacts, and caretaker
concerns regarding cancer and cancer treatment, including:
• How can I better cope with having cancer?
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PREFACE
Receiving a diagnosis of cancer presents numerous challenges:learn-
ing about your disease,selecting the physicians who will care for you,
and making decisions about your treatment.Then come the day-to-
day challenges: integrating the treatment schedule into your life,
coping with the symptoms and side effects of the treatments, and
finally making the transition to being a cancer survivor.
We hope that this book will provide information and support to
help you in meeting these challenges.We have included information
about cancer and cancer treatment,but the focus is on managing the
symptoms of the disease and the side effects of treatment. Equally
important is information we hope will help you and your family
cope with the emotional and practical concerns that come up during
this time. We are grateful to Jones and Bartlett for recognizing the
need to offer a book such as this to people with cancer.
Joanne Frankel Kelvin,RN,MSN,AOCN
Leslie B.Tyson,MS,APN-BC,OCN

PART ONE
Cancer and
Cancer
Treatment
What is a cancer?
Why does cancer cause symptoms?
What are the treatments for cancer?
More . . .