After Treatment: What does it mean to be a Survivor?

According to a report released by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the National Cancer Institute (NCI), the number of cancer survivors in the United States increased to 11.7 million in 2007. To put that in perspective - consider the fact that there were 3 million cancer survivors in 1971 and 9.8 million in 2001. Since 1999, the rate of cancer in the U.S. has dropped .5 percent each year. The death rate of adult cancer patients has also annually dropped by about 1.5 percent since that year, according to the Annual Report to the Nation on the Status on Cancer, 1975-2008.

More good news that accompanies those numbers... Study findings indicate:

• Breast cancer survivors are the largest group of cancer survivors (22 percent), followed by prostate cancer survivors (19 percent) and colorectal cancer survivors (10 percent).
• Among all survivors, 4.7 million received their diagnosis 10 or more years earlier.

All three of those of those cancers in the first bullet point are able to be found with a cancer screening. What this information tells us is that those screenings we keep encouraging you to have are working. And not only are people surviving - they're surviving longer, which can be attributed to increasingly effective treatments. Those treatments are discovered through research trials - valuable, but under-utilized tools in the fight to rid our world of cancer.


Of course, more survivors mean an increasing need for support after the battle. Survivors often deal with long-lasting effects of their treatments that can be uncomfortable, annoying, or even physically debilitating. When a patient and their family is in the middle of their treatment, it's hard to think past what they are doing right then, so the work that comes after - staying healthy, recovering and maintaining pre-cancer activity levels, and learning to accept the limitations that they may have to live with - is often nothing they want to discuss or even consider.

Support groups and information focused on survivorship are in demand more and more by patients and their families. We work to meet that demand in the support groups we facilitate and also with our licensed Social Workers on staff. They work with individuals to determine specific emotional needs, and find sources of information and support to make sure that transitioning into the new life post-cancer treatment is as smooth as possible. If you or someone you know needs some assistance and information about being a cancer survivor please contact us at 479-361-5847.

More information about cancer survivorship can be found on these websites:

• National Coalition for Cancer Survivorship
• The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has information, podcasts, and even the ability to send an e-card here.
• The National Cancer Institute lots of information grouped by survivorship topic here and a long list of publications and resources here. 
• American Cancer Society covers a lot of information about being healthy survivors here.

Some of the information in this posting was found in this press release on the National Cancer Institute website.

What is SPOHNC?

Support for People with Oral, Head and Neck Cancers isn't the easiest support group name to remember, but if you spoke to the people who have been helped through the monthly meetings of this group, led locally by Jack & Temple Igleburger, you'd know that the value of the support provided by group is worth the trouble.

Jack is himself a survivor of oral cancer and started the local chapter of the organization in 1991 Here is some information taken from the organization's newsletter:

"[SPOHNC] is a non-profit organization dedicated to meeting the emotional, physical and humanistic needs of oral and head and neck patients and their caregivers. The group is patient-directed, offering peer advice and encouraging self-help for patients in need. SPOHNC chapters hold monthly meetings offering information, support and encouragement to newly diagnosed patients, survivors, family members and friends in a friendly, non-threatening forum. Survivors discuss situations, experiences, coping strategies and hopes. Educational programs are also presented as part of the group program."

The local SPOHNC support group meets every third Saturday of the month at 10:00 a.m. at the Cancer Support Home in Fayetteville. Attendees share successes and concerns, ask questions and get advice from others who have dealt with challenges similar to their own. Current news about cancer is also shared, and issues such as prescription medicine expiration and new studies in oral, head and neck cancer treatment are popular topics of discussion. It's an extremely supportive group, and the fact that it's still going after 21 years speaks to the dedication of Jack and Temple to their mission of helping others who are going through what they did. For more information, contact Jack or Temple at 479-876-1051 or 586-4807 or tmplnjak@cox.net.

April is National Oral, Head and Neck Cancer month, and this week - April 22-28 - is dedicated to sharing information about the multiple types of cancer that the month encompasses. To that end, we'll do our part and provide some information here:

Tobacco (including smokeless tobacco, sometimes called “chewing tobacco” or “snuff”) and alcohol use are the most important risk factors for head and neck cancers, particularly those of the oral cavity, oropharynx, hypopharynx, and larynx. Eighty-five percent of head and neck cancers are linked to tobacco use. People who use both tobacco and alcohol are at greater risk for developing these cancers than people who use either tobacco or alcohol alone.

Head and neck cancers account for approximately 3 to 5 percent of all cancers in the United States. These cancers are more common in men and in people over age 50. It is estimated that about 12,000 men and 9,000 women will develop these cancers each year. If you are a smoker, or know someone who is, it's important that you are aware of the following symptoms and visit your physician as soon as you see any of them develop.

Symptoms of several head and neck cancer sites include a lump or sore that does not heal, a sore throat that does not go away, difficulty swallowing, and a change or hoarseness in the voice. Other symptoms may include the following:

• Oral cavity. A white or red patch on the gums, tongue, or lining of the mouth; a swelling of the jaw that causes dentures to fit poorly or become uncomfortable; and unusual bleeding or pain in the mouth.
• Nasal cavity and sinuses. Sinuses that are blocked and do not clear, chronic sinus infections that do not respond to treatment with antibiotics, bleeding through the nose, frequent headaches, swelling or other trouble with the eyes, pain in the upper teeth, or problems with dentures.
• Salivary glands. Swelling under the chin or around the jawbone; numbness or paralysis of the muscles in the face; or pain that does not go away in the face, chin, or neck.
• Oropharynx and hypopharynx. Ear pain.
• Nasopharynx. Trouble breathing or speaking, frequent headaches, pain or ringing in the ears, or trouble hearing.
• Larynx. Pain when swallowing, or ear pain.
• Metastatic squamous neck cancer. Pain in the neck or throat that does not go away.