Psychosocial

We asked our audience of patients, survivors and caregivers to those with cancer about their feelings on cancer awareness months. Here's what they had to say.

“Integrative therapies can be utilized at any point along the cancer spectrum from diagnosis, throughout treatment and into survivorship,” an expert said.

The recent publication of a guideline recommending mindfulness-based interventions highlight how important it is as a tactic to address symptoms of anxiety and depression in patients with cancer.

Constantly replaying scary cancer situations or drowning in anxiety isn’t only depressing it wastes valuable energy that could be used for healing.

In patients with cancer, psychological distresses such as anxiety and depression are associated with slower time from receiving a diagnosis until the first session of treatment.

Social isolation has become prominent among young cancer survivors, though social connectedness may be beneficial to wellbeing, a recent study showed.

When my daughter was going through cancer, I realized that connecting with one her peers going through a similar experience was incredibly helpful.

Patients with inherited cancer genes who are undergoing fertility preservation before treatment may be able to learn if their embryos have the mutation as well.

Palliative care can benefit patients with advanced cancer by integrating advanced care planning, pain and symptom management and counseling, among other aspects.

Patients 60 years and older with gastrointestinal cancers who reported inadequate emotional support were more likely to have poorer physical and mental quality of life, although no effect was observed in overall survival.

Patients with depression or anxiety at the time of a diffuse large B-cell lymphoma diagnosis tended to have worse survival, recent research showed.

I experienced unexpected rewards of decluttering.

We asked our audience what life hacks they learned to make cancer treatment a bit easier. Here’s what they had to say.

After being diagnosed with an incurable cancer, I had to reframe my thinking to focus on the positive.

I learned that finding the right kind of support during and after a cancer diagnosis is truly invaluable.

I’ve learned that “survivor’s guilt” can be another symptom of our disease.

Mindfulness meditation can make a big difference in the treatment experience of patients.

Cancer taught me not to worry about the little things.

Lasting guilt gets no one anywhere — especially when it comes to cancer.

Participants in the RESTORE study, results of which were presented this weekend at ASCO, saw “significant improvements” in depression and anxiety symptoms after using the Attune app.

Before every cancer scan, I used to prepare myself for the worst.

Patients with cancer often experience loneliness, and the COVID-19 pandemic helped the general public better understand what that isolation felt like, an expert said.

Living with a hereditary cancer diagnosis, it is crucial that I prioritize my physical and mental health.

Integrating a metastatic breast cancer diagnosis with the life you have takes time and effort.

Hospice care can be a valuable resource for patients with late-stage cancer who want to improve the quality of the rest of their life.

Many cancer centers and nonprofit organizations offer resources for patients with cancer and their caregivers to see the support they need to navigate diagnosis, treatment and survivorship.

For the past nine years, I’ve struggled with waves of overwhelming fear of cancer recurrence. I knew I had an issue, but until recently, wasn’t aware of how much fear was affecting my life.

From music to poetry and dynamic storytelling, the first installment of CURE®’s Open Mic Showcase highlights the talents of patients and survivors of cancer.