Dealing With Parental Cancer
Dealing with Parental Cancer: Does your mom, dad or caregiver have cancer?
What is cancer anyway?
Cancer is a term that refers to many different diseases, such as breast cancer, lung cancer, melanoma, brain tumor, etc. Healthy, normal cells in the body grow and divide in an orderly manner to replace old or damaged cells. Cancer cells have lost that capacity and divide out of control. Sometimes they prevent the healthy cells in the body from being healthy and prevent organs in the body from doing their jobs.
What’s the deal with Chemotherapy?
Chemotherapy (kee-moh-THAYR-uh-pee) is a type of treatment for cancer with powerful drugs that destroy cancer cells. Sometimes this type of treatment is called just “chemo.”
Chemotherapy drugs are made to kill fast growing cells, but because these drugs travel throughout the entire body, they can affect normal, healthy cells that divide quickly, such as those that cause hair to grow. This is temporary, and when chemotherapy is completed hair usually grows back within a few months.
There are two main ways chemotherapy is given: intravenously (through a vein) or by taking pills that contain the chemotherapy medicine. While some chemotherapy drugs are used for many different types of cancer, others may be used for just one or two types of cancer. The kind of drugs given is based on what kind of cancer the patient has, the part of the body in which the cancer is found, the effect of cancer on normal body functions and the patient’s general overall health. How often chemotherapy is given and how long treatment lasts depends on the kind of cancer and the goals of cancer treatment.
Chemotherapy treatment is very individual; not every cancer patient receives chemo. The specific drugs or combination of drugs used for each patient receiving chemo are determined by a number of factors. Depending on the type of cancer and how advanced it is, chemotherapy can be used for different goals: to cure the cancer, to keep the cancer from spreading, to slow the cancer’s growth or to relieve symptoms caused by cancer. Chemotherapy affects people in different ways. How someone feels during chemotherapy depends on many factors, including the type of cancer, how advanced it is, the kind of chemotherapy, and the dose.
Why Radiation?
Doctors often prescribe Radiation therapy as a treatment for cancer. Radiation therapy uses a stream of high-energy particles or waves, electrons and protons to destroy or damage cancer cells. It is used in half of all cases of cancer and is the primary treatment for certain types of cancer including lung, bladder, Hodgkin’s disease and cancer of the head and neck. In some situations radiation therapy is combined with chemotherapy.
Radiation therapy is designed to destroy or damage cancer cells by delivering high doses of radiation to cancerous tumors to break strands of DNA molecules inside the cancer cells to prevent those cells from growing and dividing. Although some normal cells may be affected by the radiation, most heal and recover.
Radiation can be delivered in two ways: external and internal.
External beam radiation is delivered by a machine that directs high energy rays at the cancer. This is usually given in an outpatient center in a hospital.
Internal radiation uses radioactive wires or pellet sealed in a container called an implant. This is placed inside one’s body near the tumor or area where the cancer was removed. This is done on an outpatient basis or when a person is hospitalized, depending on the situation.
Side effects of radiation therapy are contained in the area the radiation is delivered. For example, if a person is receiving treatment in the head and neck area, they may have difficulty eating. Hair loss will only occur if the beam is delivered in the area where hair grows. Fatigue (feeling tired) is common for all radiation patients regardless of where the treatment is targeted. Skin irritation (redness/dryness) is another common side effect in the area being treated by radiation. Remember side effects are also very individual and may not be as intense in one person as they are in another person with the same treatment. Everybody is different and responds to treatment in his/her own way.
You Are Not Alone: The Stats
It is estimated that each year, in the United States, 592,000 children under the age of 18 will experience for the first time what it is like to have a parent with cancer. These children will somehow find the strength and courage to continue to go to school, play, and make time for friends, sports and other extra curricular activities, while balancing their home and family time. These children may accompany a parent to the hospital for doctors’ appointments or treatments. They may take on extra responsibilities or chores at home when their parent is feeling too sick. They find a way to cope with their thoughts, feelings and emotions about cancer and all the changes in the family that cancer brings. However, if these examples of balance and coping are not yet happening in your life, there are lots of place and people you can turn to for help and support.
Where Can I Go for Help?
Most hospitals have a social worker or child life specialist who can help you process your feelings and answer questions you may have. Doctors and nurses are also great resources, since you can ask them any questions you have as well. You can speak with friends, family members, teachers, guidance counselors or an outside therapist if you need to talk about how cancer is affecting you and your family.
In addition to theses resources, here is a list of websites where you can go to find information and online support for your journey in dealing with parental cancer:
Cancercare • www.cancercare.org
American Cancer Society • www.cancer.org
Children’s Treehouse Foundation • www.childrenstreehousefdn.org
