Newly Diagnosed w/Cancer
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But here's a reality check: There are many forms of cancer, most of which are not life threatening. Among the ones that can pose a serious threat to your life, there are effective therapies -- and possibly cures -- for most, especially if diagnosed early. If diagnosed late, there are still very effective treatments for a lot of cancers. In fact, for many cancers, treatments can extend life expectancy such that you are more likely to die of another disease -- such as a heart attack -- than from the cancer. The modern medical arsenal has a vast array of weapons, from surgery, drugs, and radiation to hormones and potent biological treatments. The pace of medical advances in this area is truly breathtaking. There are patients who have been told that there is no cure for their particular cancer only to find out within a few months that a new therapy offers very real hope. However, medicine has made two significant treatment advances that aren't related to curing cancer. First, there are now very, very effective drugs for pain and other symptoms. There is no reason to suffer the way cancer patients once did. If this is your main concern, be confident that the entire approach of cancer treatment now is to minimize pain and discomfort without compromising treatment. The second change in medicine is perhaps even more important. You are now as much a part of treating your condition as your doctors are. You are in control. Your doctor is there to provide you with information and treatments based on what you decide. The more information you get, the more support you have from your family and community, the better those decisions will be -- and the more you will control your own destiny. Yours in health, |
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Day One ...