What strategies can you use to address patient concerns during cancer education?

As a cancer care giver and a medical professional, a physician has to develop a team that can provide emotional, social, financial, physical rehab, nutritional, speech, swallowing and follow up support. Besides the actual treatment it is required to rope in other specialists as well as cancer support groups. Cancer survivors, who are willing can hold hands and provide moral support for a new patient; engage with community leaders to extend social support for the family near their residence. The caveat that "it takes a village to raise a child" is applicable to patients with cancer as the diagnosis and treatment are protracted and can test the patience of anyone. Providing education for childhood cancer patients is another felt need.

While addressing the patient concerns during cancer diagnosis, its very critical to treat not just the disease but also to provide psychological, spiritual, financial and social support. The most essential attributes for a doctor are availability, empathy, compassion, patience, confidentiality, listening capabilities and transparent and honest communication skills. Listening to their fears about the diagnosis, alleviating the anxiety through reassurance,detailed explanations about the disease, investigations and treatment, financial implications, care during and after treatment, rehabilitation, fertility issues, job and social relationships, follow up plan all constitute a very important part of cancer care. Convey: he matters.

Do not limit education to the current situation or clinical status of the patient. Advance Care Planning should be part of the information, as it is essential and substantial to get insight in patient's needs.

Cancer is a diagnosis that opens multiple fronts for the patient. All of them need to be closed for the patient’s prognosis to remain positive. Though medicine is important however Integrated cancer care management through Holistic healing is what every cancer patient needs to completely heal himself from the disease.

I had a wife who had breast cancer and i learnt this 1. A cancer patient needs to be resured all is well 2. How you begin to address a cancer patient matters or builds trust and assurance. 3. offer a open communication that she or he can call to consult anytime if any thing new comes up 4. good time to visit friends and family to cheer up 5. If possible have the cancer patient open up and share experience 6. share cancer information and meet other cancer patients especially the surviours

Offer to record the informational session, so patients can listen back at home. If online information or leaflets are available, share them.

In India, it will be highly likely that the cancer patient has travelled many miles to a city for cancer care. Empathy and compassion are key to have patience in holding the hand of the patient and assisting them to navigate the management plan as well as social services needed to reside in the city and afford the treatment. The patient is confused, scared, away from home so providing bite size information in a culturally sensitive manner will help them feel hopeful and cope with uncertainty of their medical condition.

In my experience, it’s important not to provide the menu of options without ensuring the provider educates on a recommendations based on medical conditions and history. Once a treatment choices are narrowed then listen to the patient to ensure understanding and support for decision making. Upon placing on a treatment plan, education on side effect profiles and mitigation of side effects is critical to success to avoid unnecessary ED visits.

Involvement in decision making is important, but it is also essential that the patient understands he/she is not alone in decision making. It is a shared process, where pro's and con's are weighed.

i believe anyone can go through tough moments if there are moral support and follow up during the process. positive affirmation and words of hope and faith is one way i believe will help.

Educating the Care-givers Frequently, in the clinic with traditional patient-centric approach, the care-givers’ quest for information goes unaddressed. Also, it may be difficult to educate the patient himself/herself everytime about the intricacies of disease status and various treatments, especially in under-privileged section. While it is prudent to use discretion to disclose the right amount of information depending upon the patient’s capacity to handle and process the same, there is always a care-giver who needs to use the entire information in order to take decisions on behalf of the patient. This is coupled with the mental burden of a relative facing cancer. Addressing these can go a long way to assist them in decision making.