Imagine that a family friend or colleague has just been diagnosed with cancer.

1. Imagine that a family friend or colleague has just been diagnosed with cancer. Explain how the American Cancer Society might provide education and support. What ACS services would you recommend and why?

Unfortunately, cancer is not something rare in our society. Everyone knows someone diagnosed with cancer. Therefore, organizations like The American Cancer Society (ACS) are very useful and needed. Working as an Adult Oncology nurse I encounter patients diagnosed with this horrible disease on a daily basis. ACS is engraved in our floor and representatives come every day to see our patients and families as needed. They provide very needed information. Patients are usually so overwhelmed when they first learn about their disease. Talking to ACS representatives gives them opportunity to learn more about their new diagnosis and what steps they need to take from now on. ACS can help with setting up chemotherapy schedule and support between treatments. In that emotional time conversation with  counselor can be very beneficial. ACS can connect patients with support groups; talking to survivors and their journey might give patients a lot of hope.

When patients are ready, they can learn about treatments and what to expect after. Look Good Feel Better program helps dealing with physical changes, offers wigs, fitted breast jackets etc.

Sometimes, patients and their families want to give back and they can contribute to research. They can also learn about experimental treatments.

 

1. According to statistics published by the American Cancer Society, there will be an estimated 1.5 million new cancer cases diagnosed each year over the next decade. What factors contribute to the yearly incidence and mortality rates of various cancers in Americans? What changes in policy and practice are most likely to affect these figures over time

Statistics show that cancer is predicted to be rising. Much research has proven that there are factors that contribute or can accelerate speed in which cancer would grow. Some factors like genetics cannot be modified (at least not yet) but there are multiple factors that we can influence. ACS lists things we can do to lower our probability to get that disease:

• Staying away from tobacco
• Being safe in the sun
• Eating healthy
• Staying active
• Avoiding environmental carcinogens
• Following preventive screening guidelines (ACS, 2017).

1. Select a research program from among those funded by the American Cancer Society. Describe the program and discuss what impact the research will have on the prevention or treatment of cancer.

According to ACS: “We’ve invested more than $4.6 billion in cancer research since 1946, all to find more – and better – treatments, uncover factors that may cause cancer, and improve cancer patients’ quality of life”.

One of research that ACS is conducting is “Epidemiology Research Program”. It focuses on reduction”…  the cancer burden by conducting large, nationwide prospective studies that advance our understanding of cancer etiology, survival and long-term survivorship and inform cancer prevention and control programs, policies and guidelines”(ACS, 2017).

I find this program extremely important as it focuses, among other factors, on finding why the cancer starts. Prevention and being able to avoid factors that start the disease on the first place seems to give us the best chance to fight the disease.

References:

American Cancer Society. (2017). Stay Healthy. Retrieved from: https://www.cancer.org/healthy.html

American Cancer Society (2017).Epidemiology Research Program. Retrieved from https://www.cancer.org/research/we-conduct-cancer-research/epidemiology.html