quality of life in cancer

1. Quality of life in
Cancer By Sanish Sebastian

3. Meaning
Under normal circumstances, most of us would
probably define quality of life as healthy living or
healthy lifestyle.
Under the abnormal circumstance of receiving a
cancer diagnosis and undergoing treatment
diminishes the healthy lifestyle.

5. The initial phase is the pre treatment phase, the
symptoms experienced by the patients include
anxiety, fatigue, and pain.
The second phase is the primary treatment
phase, during this time patient's experience, in
addition to the above mentioned symptoms, other
disease-specific symptoms.
The third phase is the post treatment phase. In
this phase, patients often experience treatment-
related symptoms. Decreased movement, loss of
strength, anxiety, and depression...

6. The fourth phase is the recurrence phase. Shock,
disbelief, anxiety, fear, grief and a feeling of
betrayal and anger are common in this phase
along with loss of appetite and depression.
The fifth and final phase is the end-of-life phase.
During this phase there may be a feeling of
alienation or isolation. Fear of impending
death and concern over the events preceding
death.

8. Physical Psychological
Aspect Aspect
Social Spiritual
Aspect Aspect

10. Physical Aspect
Involves variety of aspects that supports physical
well-being
By maintaining good physical health during your
course of cancer treatment helps you better cope
with your treatment, boost your immune
system, better nourished and experience
improved quality of life.

12. Pain
People with cancer can experience pain from
different sources: the tumor itself can cause pain
the treatment too can cause pain.
Severe pain is associated with decreased
function, increased interference with daily
activities, depression, and anxiety.

13. Pain Management Methods
Hot and cold packs, to relieve painful
areas of the body.
Massage and physical therapy.
Hypnosis and diversional therapy.
Stretching and range-of-motion
exercises, to maintain strength,
flexibility, and mobility.
Acupuncture.

14. Transcutaneous electric nerve stimulation
(TENS).
Progressive muscle relaxation (PMR).
Guided imagery.

16. Fatigue
Fatigue is a feeling of tiredness or not having
enough energy after rest or a good sleep.
Fatigue is most common, as well as one of the
most debilitating, side effects experienced by
cancer patients.
Fatigue is also a frequent side effect of surgery,
radiation, chemotherapy, or immunotherapy.

17. Common signs of fatigue include:
Feeling tired even after a good night's sleep
Feeling sleepy throughout the day
Feeling too weak to stand
Finding it difficult to start routine activities
Needing to stop in the middle of activities to
rest
Not being able to do activities for long
Difficulty in concentrating
Irritability

18. Methods to reduce fatigue
Eat a balanced diet.
Delegate activities.
Sit if you need to when doing tasks.
Rest in bed on a very bad day.
Use assistive devices to help you reach.
Sleep when you are tired.
Remember that exercise and moving are ways to
lessen fatigue, the more you move the better you
will feel overall.

20. Sleep disorders such as insomnia, multiple
awakenings and early waking can be attributed
to many side effects of cancer or its treatments.
These include depression, anxiety, stress, pain
and medication side effects.

21. Sleep disorders can be reduced by following
methods
Go to bed and get up at about the
same time every day.
Don't eat or drink large amounts before bedtime.
Avoid nicotine, caffeine and alcohol in the evening.
Exercise regularly.
Make your bedroom cool, dark, quiet and
comfortable.
Avoid daytime naps.

22. Choose a comfortable mattress and pillow.
Make sure you have a bed that's comfortable.
Go to bed when you're tired and turn out the
lights.

24. Nutrition
Nausea, loss of appetite and changes in taste
perception are common side effects of cancer and
its treatment.
Diarrhoea and constipation also negatively affect
your ability to obtain adequate nutrition.
A well-balanced diet also prevents the breakdown
of body tissue, helps rebuild the tissue that cancer
may harm, and helps maintain the body's immune
system.

25. Healthy eating tips in cancer
Eat smaller meals more frequently.
Keep fat levels low.
Increasing protein.
Increasing calories.
Eat all types of fruits and vegetables a day.
Drink lots of water.
Multivitamin tablets.

26. Foods to avoid in cancer
 Foods containing acrylamide, such as french fries
and potato chips.
 Trans fats.
 Soda.
 Processed meats.
 Fried foods.
 Foods containing the preservatives BHT, BHA.
 Smoked and pickled foods.

28. Exercise
Many patients find that their level of physical
activity diminishes due to their disease, its
treatment, or some combination of both. This is
particularly true for patients who are hospitalized
or bedridden. It can also be an issue for all patients
suffering from pain, lethargy or depression.
One of the best ways to combat these symptoms is
to exercise. No matter how seemingly
insignificant, move your body!

29. It will help to tolerate the side effects of
chemotherapy, radiation, and surgery.
Cancer, as well as cancer treatments can increase
the risk of blood clots, exercise will help to
prevent clot formation.
Weight-bearing exercises will help to keep bones
strong and healthy and will help to prevent
osteoporosis which is a side effect of steroid
therapy

30. Exercises

31. Exercises

34. Cognitive Functioning
Cancer patients undergoing chemotherapy
or brain radiation experience increased
forgetfulness, a decreased attention
span and problems concentrating.
In most cases, cognitive dysfunction is
minimal and limited to simple
forgetfulness or loss of coordination.
Mental exercises such as doing mind
games, crossword puzzles, playing chess
or other games of strategy can keep the
mind sharp and focused.

36. Stress
The mind's natural tendency is to run off in an
infinite number of directions, each with its own
stress and fear.
 Stress reduction techniques such as self-
hypnosis, yoga, biofeedback, meditation, and
acupuncture, acupressure, healing massage, or
keeping a journal cultivate inner peace and may
even benefit to reduce your stress.

38. Anxiety
Anxiety is a normal reaction to cancer. Anxiety
associated with cancer may increase feelings of
pain, interfere with one's ability to sleep, cause
nausea and vomiting, and interfere with the
patient's quality of life.

39. Tips to reduce Anxiety
Whenever possible, lower your risk (for example,
avoid alcohol to relieve symptoms).
Find a technique that works for you to lower your
anxiety & use it (like slow deep breathing, in & out,
15 times).
Follow your treatment plan.
Take guidance.
Keep a diary or journal.

41. Depression
People who face a diagnosis of cancer will
experience different levels of stress and emotional
upset.
 Issues in the life causing anxiety in cancer may are
Fear of death.
Interruption of life plans.
Changes in body image and self-esteem.
Changes in social role and lifestyle.
Money and legal concerns.

43. Coping
Coping refers to the attitudes you develop and the
actions you take to maintain your equilibrium and
adjust to the stresses caused by cancer.

44. Tips for Coping
Relying on others for support and assistance.
Sharing your feelings with others.
Seeking professional counseling.
Setting realistic goals and readjusting them when
necessary
Controlling fear and anxiety with stress reduction
techniques
Adopting a mantra, or a reassuring phrase
Giving yourself time to adjust to and recover from
bad news

45. Tips for Coping
Accepting your limitations
Recognizing that you still have control over many
aspects of your life
Moving on from mistakes rather than letting them
debilitate or destroy you
Alleviating day-to-day stress

47. Social Aspect
The society where a person live plays a important
role in shaping the person's perception about the
life.
Socializing allows you to share your ideas,
believes, values and provides an equal opportunity
to listen to what others have to say and have a
positive attitude towards problems you may face
in everyday life.

49. Family and Friends
The support of family and friends is an essential
part of maintaining your quality of life.
Family and friends provide you with emotional
support, physical comfort, spiritual guidance, a
welcome diversion and assistance.
Spending quality time with your friends and
family will enrich your life. Share a meal, play a
game, or look through an old photograph album
together.

51. Support groups provide patients with an
opportunity to see the problems they are
confronting through the eyes of others.
This can give patients a new perspective on their
situation, reduce the inappropriate guilt felt by
some, and help patients to recognize that their
problems are the result of the cancer.

53. Spiritual Aspect
Being spiritual helps in more than one way. It is
good to keep your faith on supreme being whom
you trust.
We may seek this liaison through prayer and a
renewed devotion to God. In the event of
treatment failure and progressive disease,
spirituality can help ease the pain of separation
from loved ones and the things of this world.

54. Collaborative religious coping- Seeking control in
solving problems through a partnership with God.
Active religious surrender- Turning control over
to God after all else has failed.
Pleading for direct intercession- Seeking control
indirectly by praying for a miracle or divine
intercession
Passive religious deferral- Waiting for God to
control the situation
Self-directing religious coping- Believing that God
gives individuals the tools and resources to solve
problems