Being Healthy in the New Year: Preventing Late Effects from Cancer Treatments Healthy for the Holidays: November 14, 2015
Leslie Heron, RN, BSN, MN, APRN, FNP-BC Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center & Seattle Cancer Care Alliance – Survivorship Clinic
Objectives:
Consider what HEALTH means to you
Recognize that cancer and cancer treatments have a variety of late effects, and affect those around you, too
Be aware of a variety of ways to prevent or reduce the late effects from cancer treatments
Consider what might help YOU be healthier in the New Year
HEALTH… is the ability of individuals to adapt and self-manage when facing physical, mental or social challenges
Take a moment - and think of at least one way you feel healthy right now, and one way you don’t
Medical Research What is on the horizon that you might want to know about?
Aspirin: Improved Survival in All Gastrointestinal Cancers
In The Netherlands, a study of nearly 14,000 patients with all types of GI cancers between 1998 and 2011
Patients using aspirin after their GI cancer diagnosis had a chance of survival twice as high as those who did not use it.
Thought to work by antiplatelet effect: Circulating tumor cells hide in a ‘coat’ of platelets. Aspirin inhibits platelets from clumping, and the immune system recognizes the tumor cells and eliminates them.
Aspirin… o Other studies have looked at similar effects on
o Colorectal cancer
o Breast cancer
o Lung cancer
o Prostate cancer – helped treatment medication effectiveness
o And there are some studies on cancer prevention, too
o Aspirin is not safe for everyone! Bleeding risks, drug-to-drug interactions, allergies and potential other concerns.
o Talk to your healthcare provider before beginning any therapy
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3622409/
http://www.oncologynurseadvisor.com/web-exclusives/postdiagnosis-aspirin-improves-survival
Acupuncture for Hot Flashes in Breast Cancer Survivors
Oncology Nursing News, Nursing.OncLive.com
Acupuncture… Multiple studies have been done – most are of 200 or fewer patients, but results are consistent
Acupuncture decreased frequency and intensity of hot flashes, leading to improved quality of life
Sleep, anxiety, memory, and pain improved
Acupuncture, and even ‘sham’ acupuncture (pressure/touch without needles into the skin) worked better than medications in multiple studies
…and had a longer lasting effect
Breathing Exercises o TIME November 16, 2015 o http://www.cancercare.org/publications/54-
relaxation_techniques_and_mind_body_practices_how_they_can_help_you_cope_with_cancer
o http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/22525009
Breathing… “Slowing down and deepening your breath can have a profound effect on well-being.” (Time magazine)
Breath work is part of singing, yoga, mindfulness, meditation, athletics, and multiple other processes
Breathing exercises help the parasympathetic nervous system – quieting the fight-or-flight response to stress
Breathing… Breathing exercises have been effective with
Coping with cancer treatments and medical procedures
Pain management
Stress reduction
Memory and concentration
Anxiety and depression
Blood pressure reduction
Heart rate reduction
Heart failure
Increasing lung capacity and exercise tolerance
Improved sleep quantity and quality
Let’s try it together… Alternate-nostril breathing Or Equal length of in and out breaths
Self Care & Self Advocacy Because being healthy starts with taking care of ourselves!
Three Aspects of Self Care
“It turns out that self-compassionate people are much less likely to be anxious, depressed, and stressed on a day-to-day basis than those who are self-critical.”
Neff, K. (2015). Self-compassion: Why it makes us happier, more resilient, and kinder to others. Shambhala Sun, November 2015; 58-63
Practice Self-Kindness
Instead of self-indulgence o Making the “better
choice” most of the time
Nurture Relationships
o Recognizing our common humanity
o Resisting isolation
o Build “close ties”
o Find a “wellness peer”
o Giving back – is it for you?
Practice Mindfulness
Acknowledging the current moment
o Art, music and mindfulness build neuroplasticity
o Learning and memory improve with decreased stress
Thank you… Q&A Time Please be back from the break by 9:40 for our next speaker
