If you or somebody you know has a record of cancer, it is vital to be conscious of the potential health effects from cancer and its treatment. Often, patients and families are not informed or don’t recall consultations which happened in the stress-filled days after diagnosis about such potential difficulties as discomfort, depression, sterility and other emotional and physical changes.

Irrespective of whether issues are brief or permanent, most can be managed. To start to address the various health-related wishes of long term cancer survivors, the Yank Book of Nursing ( AJN ) recently released a dispatch, based primarily on a July 2005 symposium, that offers action secrets and suggestions. Haylock, MA, RN, symposium co-director, cancer care specialist and doctoral student from College of Texas Medical Branch Faculty of Nursing in Galveston, TX. ‘Yet up to 75 % of survivors have some health holes related to their cancers and treatments.

• Schedule regular health checkups.
• Ask your oncology team for a written outline of your cancer diagnosis, treatments, tests and suggested follow-up once treatment is complete.
• Make a folder to organize diagnostic and lab reports, and give it to your present medical care supplier to make a copy for their records.
• Ask your nurse or consultant to help and your carers find out about possible long term effects of your cancer care and strategies to stop or minimize them.
• Look for resources to help with any physical, emotional or fiscal issues that you may experience.