I thought that you would find this interesting ... Love, Carla
-----Original Message-----
From: lately@mskcc.org <lately@mskcc.org>
To: blessu@worldnet.att.net <blessu@worldnet.att.net>
Date: Thursday, August 06, 1998 5:39 PM
Subject: Lately@MSKCC
>Lately@MSKCC
>--------------------
>What's new at
>Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center
>and its World Wide Web Site
>---------------------
>http://www.mskcc.org
>====================================================
>August, 1998
>
>Welcome to Lately@MSKCC!
>
>Few places cause as much nervousness and fear as a doctor's
>office does. Going into a physician's office can be a
>reminder of problems you would rather not think about. For
>someone with cancer, for whom visits to a doctor's office
>quickly become a regular part of life, the doctor's office
>can be a recurring source of worry. And with more patients
>surviving cancer for longer than ever before, doctor's office
>visits are becoming part of the routine for many more people.
>Your doctor probably understands how you feel. A Memorial
>Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center physician and a social worker
>have some advice to help cancer patients deal with their
>fear.
>
>First, it's important to remember just how important and
>helpful these visits are. Even after completing cancer
>therapy, most patients still must return to their doctor's
>office for regular follow-up visits so that, if the cancer
>returns, it can be found as early as possible, providing the
>best chance for a cure. Follow-up visits can also be a source
>of needed reassurance for patients who are worried about
>possible recurrence. Essentially, you should regard these
>visits as preventive medicine, or true health maintenance.
>
>If doctor's office visits cause you to worry, don't keep
>these feelings to yourself. Share them with your physician
>and his or her staff. Just talking to your doctor, someone
>who truly understands your situation, can help you to relax.
>Input from your doctor can help you put your situation into
>perspective. One thing your doctor can do is help you sort
>out the medical information you may be getting from various
>sources and help you to interpret the sometimes worrisome,
>but often incomplete, statistical information you may hear.
>Another important thing your doctor can do, says Dr. Jonathan
>Lewis, a Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center surgeon, is
>to help reduce the peaks and valleys of tension and relief
>that can come from putting too much emphasis on test results.
>Communication which allows an exchange of ideas, concerns,
>and questions helps build bonds of trust and confidence
>between you and your doctor.
>
>Something you can do to ease the anxiety of visiting a
>doctor's office is to carefully select someone to accompany
>you, says Karrie Zampini, Director of the Post-Treatment
>Resource Program at Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center.
>The best choice might not always be the person closest to
>you. Your companion should be someone who can remain focused
>while helping you to stay calm. He or she must be able to
>provide you with the emotional support you need. He or she
>will also need the ability to listen, remember, and think
>clearly to help you sort through the information your doctor
>will give you.
>
>Understanding what your doctor tells you is important, in
>part because having information about your condition and its
>treatment will add to your sense of control. The feeling of a
>loss of control that comes with cancer, even when the cancer
>itself is in remission, is a major cause of stress, says Ms.
>Zampini. Increasing your own knowledge is a vital strategy to
>help you feel empowered and in charge.
>
>While your doctor is the best source for information about
>your disease, the best time for you to talk to your doctor,
>during an office visit, may not be the best time for you to
>listen. Since you know you'll be experiencing some stress
>during the visit, it helps to prepare ahead of time so you
>can leave the visit with as much good information as
>possible.
>
>Here are some tips that Ms. Zampini and Dr. Lewis offer:
>
>*Write down your questions before going to the doctor's
>office. That way, you don't have to worry about forgetting an
>important question during the visit.
>
>*Take notes during the visit, or have your companion take
>them for you. (Make sure the notes are clear, so you can
>easily decipher them later.)
>
>*Visualize what you're being told. Ask your doctor to show
>you illustrations, if possible, of the tests and procedures
>you're undergoing.
>
>*Ask for explanations in familiar terms. Ask your doctor to
>define any words you don't understand.
>
>*If you still don't understand the doctor's answer, try
>rephrasing the question. Also, try rephrasing the doctor's
>answer in your own words to make sure you've got it right.
>
>*Be considerate of your doctor's needs, as well as your own.
>Your doctor may not always have a lot of time to talk. Make
>sure your doctor knows ahead of time that you want to take a
>few minutes for discussion and, perhaps, schedule another
>time to do that, either on the telephone or in person.
>
>
>
>WHAT'S NEW AT MSKCC.org
>------------------------
>
>*Head and Neck Cancers Overview*
>Cancers that occur in the head and neck area can present
>special challenges. Learn the facts about these cancers and
>treatment options in our new Head and Neck Cancers Overview.
>http://www.mskcc.org/document/wichead.htm
>
>*Colorectal Cancer Overview*
>Colorectal cancer is one of the most common types of cancer.
>The average person, man or woman, has about a 1-in-20 chance
>of being diagnosed with colorectal cancer at some point in
>his or her life. Our newly expanded Colorectal Cancer
>Overview contains information about the disease and options
>for its treatment.
>http://www.mskcc.org/document/wiccolon.htm
>
>*Drugs Show Promise in Breast-Cancer Prevention*
>Two new large-scale studies have shown that it is possible
>to reduce the risk of breast cancer in some women with a
>daily dose of a pill, and demonstrate an innovative approach
>to preventing breast cancer.
>http://www.mskcc.org/document/cn980801.htm
>
>*Cancer Survivors Rejoice in Life*
>Survivors of cancer and those who have helped them gathered
>in June at Phelps Memorial Hospital Center in Sleepy Hollow,
>New York -- the location of one of MSK's regional cancer-care
>centers -- to celebrate National Cancer Survivors Day.
>http://www.mskcc.org/document/cn980802.htm
>
>*MSK's Commitment to Community Cancer Education*
>MSKCC presents many opportunities throughout the year for
>the general public to hear about cancer, its treatment, and
>prevention from MSKCC experts.
>http://www.mskcc.org/document/cn980806.htm
>
>*Researchers Test New Melanoma Vaccine*
>MSK researchers are evaluating a novel vaccine that trains
>the immune system's T cells to attack melanoma cells. The
>investigators exposed melanoma cells to T cells in the
>laboratory, and identified peptides on the melanoma cells
>that the T cells recognize.
>http://www.mskcc.org/document/cn980805.htm#vaccine
>
>*Finding and Treating Stress from Prostate Cancer*
>A diagnosis of prostate cancer, as well as the therapy
>necessary to treat it, can bring on considerable
>psychological distress. This distress often goes unnoticed
>and untreated. MSKCC psychiatrists have developed a simple
>screening approach to identify prostate-cancer patients with
>significant levels of distress and refer them for treatment.
>http://www.mskcc.org/document/cn980805.htm#prostate
>
>*Researchers Discover New Natural Painkiller*
>Center scientists have discovered that a protein called OFQ2
>is a potent natural painkiller and discerned how the drug
>works. Such discoveries may eventually lead to the
>development of new drugs to treat chronic pain.
>http://www.mskcc.org/document/cn980805.htm#pain
>
>In Case You Missed It...
>-------------------------
>These items were mentioned in the last issue of
>Lately@MSKCC, but we wanted to make sure our new subscribers
>didn't miss them.
>
>*Rare Cancers Overview*
>There are many forms of cancer that are so uncommon that few
>doctors have seen more than a few cases, if any at all. Our
>new Rare Cancers Overview provides a list of some of the rare
>types of cancer MSKCC physicians have experience with, as
>well as links to information about the doctors who treat
>them.
>http://www.mskcc.org/document/wicrare.htm
>
>------------------------
>
>*Feedback*
>How do you like our site? Give us a compliment, if you'd
>like, or some suggestions using our feedback form.
>http://www.mskcc.org/feedback.cfm
>
>For more information, contact MSKCC Public Affairs.
>mailto:publicaffairs@mskcc.org
>
>If you experience problems with the Web site, send a message
>to our Webmaster. Please include as much information as
>possible about the problem.
>mailto:webmaster@mskcc.org
>
>You can remove yourself from our mailing list at any time by
>following the directions at
>http://www.mskcc.org/unsub.htm
>
>Note: The information in Lately@MSKCC and at
>http://www.mskcc.org is not intended as a substitute for
>professional medical help or advice but is to be used only as
>an aid in understanding current medical knowledge. A
>physician should always be consulted for any health problem
>or medical condition.
>
>
>
>
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