Surviving Adult Cancers. Part 2: Psychosocial Implications

Abstract

The continuation of a rehabilitation effort begun around the initial diagnosis of cancer would be instrumental in providing post-therapy evaluation and guidance needed by adult long-term survivors of cancer. Education, research, and support interventions need to be mobilized for this population of adults with a history of cancer.

Cancer and beyond: the question of survivorship

“…Survivors of serious illnesses such as cancer seem to share similar themes as those described by Lifton and others above (Smith, 1981;Hassey Dow, 1990;Welch-McCaffrey et al, 1989). Cancer survivors also seem to experience recurrent dreams and nightmares; and a loss of a sense of being invulnerable, recognising their own mortality (Hassey Dow, 1990).…”

“…(Wallace, Reiter and Pendergrass, 1987;Welch-McCaffrey et al 1989). These questions are not meant to be answered at this point, but they have served as useful guides for reflection as I reviewed the literature on survivorship.…”

“…In order to understand survivorship it needs to be broken down into smaller and smaller fragments for study. To date, most of the research and discussion of the parts has been limited to physical, psychosocial and demographic factors of long term survivors (Quigley, 1989;Welch-McCaffrey, et al, 1989;Loescher et al, 1989;Wroblewski, 1994;Bushkin and Bushkin, 1993). Some studies have focused on the needs of adult long term survivors (Gambosi and Ulreich, 1990;Halstead and Fernsler, 1994), while others have concentrated on survivors of childhood cancers (Wallace, Reiter and Pendergrass, 1987;DeLaat and Lampkin, 1992).…”

“…A secondary cancer can be found years after an apparent cure in organs and body sites far distant from the original growth. This threat of recurrence is never far from the thoughts of people who have had cancer (Camevali and Reiner, 1990;Welch-McCaffrey et al, 1989). The threat of recurrence and spread occurs in the body and in this sense it may be that the body becomes for those who survive cancer, a constant source of suspicion, the house of suspicion.…”

Predicting and Treating the Sexual Difficulties of Gynecologic Cancer Survivors

“…When endometrial and cervical cancer survivors are combined, they surpass breast cancer survivors as the largest number of survivors for a specific site (1,701 survivors vs 1,332 survivors per 100,000 population, respectively). [1] Among the medical concerns for these women include long-term/late effects of therapies (eg, recurrence, second malignancies), [2] emotional distress (eg, mood disturbance, traumatic stress), disrupted interpersonal relations, [3] sexuality concerns,4 and employment and occupational difficulties. [5,6] An evaluation of changes in quality of life following gynecologic cancer indicates that sexuality issues undergo the greatest disruption.…”