ORLANDO, Fla. (Ivanhoe Newswire) -- Cancer will hit one in two men and
one in three women in their lifetime. That means it's one of the top killers in
the United States, and you or someone you know will likely battle the disease.
How would you react in the hours after a diagnosis? Doctors say your actions
could save your life.
This year, 1.4 million Americans will get the news Josh Sommer received.
"The closest feeling I can describe it as is right after 9/11, just that
complete feeling of helplessness and hopelessness, not knowing what to do next,"
cancer patient Josh Sommer told Ivanhoe.
Today, cancer will take the lives of more than 1,500 people. This year, it will
take the lives of more than half a million. When you hear "diagnosis cancer,"
what do you do? There is no official roadmap for navigating the disease. Top
oncologists say start by making a plan. Step one is to find a doctor you can
call anytime.
"Sometimes, bad things happen in the middle of the night, and you need to know
who you can call," Amy Abernethy, M.D., assistant professor of medicine at the
Duke University School of Medicine in Durham, N.C., told Ivanhoe.
Step two is to get a second opinion. Ask for copies of your x-rays and test
results and bring them to each appointment. Step three is to get a long-term
view of your treatment.
"First, you're going to have surgery, then you're going to have chemotherapy,
then you're going to have radiation therapy … approximation of how long this is
all going to take," Freya R. Schnabel, M.D., professor of surgery at NYU Langone
Medical Center in New York, N.Y., told Ivanhoe.
Your cancer roadmap should include a support network. For Michael Perry, support
came from a stranger.
"[I was] scared to death, didn't know how long I was going to live," Perry told
Ivanhoe.
Michael has a rare inoperable brain tumor. He traveled 3,000 miles alone for
treatment.
"I didn't know what I was going to do," Perry said. "I didn't know where I was
going to go."
The American Cancer Society matched Perry up with Abby Losordo. Although she's
blind, she became Perry's patient navigator. Abby leads him through the medical
maze, finding the best doctors. She also helps with practical issues like
housing and hobbies.
"I'd say it saved my life," Perry said of Abby's assistance.
The next stop on the map is to know what questions to ask your doctor. What
stage is the cancer in, and what does that mean? What clinical trials are
available? Are there alternative medicines? What is your backup plan? Dr.
Abernathy said another important question to consider is if your cancer will
affect your children.
Doctors encourage patients to take an active role by taking notes and doing
research, but believing everything online may do more harm than good.
"We all make that big huge mistake, and I scared the living daylights out of
myself," breast cancer patient Marilyn Wattman-Feldman said.
There are three websites doctors recommend. The American Cancer Society at
www.cancer.org, the National Institutes of Health at www.cancer.gov and the
American Society of Clinical Oncology at www.asco.org.
"You're right, cancer really sucks!" Wattman-Feldman said.
Some of the best advice comes from patients themselves. Feldman schedules time
to laugh.
"I sat down, and I watched some of the funniest movies created on the planet,"
Wattman-Feldman said.
She also sets aside time to cry.
"[I] look at the clock and I go, 'Alright, you've been doing this for 15, 20
minutes,'" Wattman-Feldman said. "'Alright, shut the water works off.'"
Cancer is a bumpy, winding road -- but no patient is alone.
"I'm in this with a lot of other people," Wattman-Feldman said. "I'm not alone."
By taking charge of the journey, patients have a greater chance of reaching the
desired destination: the land of survivors.
FOR MORE INFORMATION, PLEASE CONTACT:
The American Cancer Society
http://www.cancer.org
The American Society of Clinical Oncology
http://www.asco.org
The National Institutes of Health
http://www.cancer.gov
