- Bring a list of any drugs you’re taking, both prescription and over-the-counter. Be sure to include vitamins, minerals, and supplements.
- Organize copies of your information in a loose-leaf binder with pockets. It will become a handy reference kit. Include a written list of questions about your diagnosis and treatment options.
- Photo ID
- Insurance and Medicare cards, along with pre-certification and other documentation required by insurers
- Cell phones. In most cases, these are not permitted in patient care areas as they can interfere with heart monitors and other patient monitoring equipment
- Tobacco products, because smoking is prohibited in health care facilities
- Jewellery & high-end valuables
- Individualized and comprehensive counselling from cancer genetics experts, including medical oncologists trained in cancer genetics, Practiced nurses and board-certified genetic counsellors and social workers.
- Potential for discovering an increased risk of cancer.
- Opportunity to learn about the benefits, risks, and limitations of genetic testing.
- Option to undergo genetic testing, if appropriate.
- Patients and their families can learn how to decrease their risk for developing cancer (screening or medical and surgical approaches).
Regular Follow-up suggested by your Oncologists needs to be taken seriously post treatment to monitor the patient’s progress or any cancer recurrence happening in the body.
Yes. Based on the most recent data, about 40 percent of men and women will be diagnosed with cancer at some point during their lives. Most cancers are caused by genetic changes that occur throughout a person’s lifetime as a natural result of aging and exposure to environmental factors, such as Chemicals, tobacco smoke and radiation. Other factors, such as what kind of food you eat, how much you eat, and whether you exercise, may also influence your risk of developing cancer.
No. Although some studies suggest that alternative or complementary therapies, including some herbs, may help patients cope with the side effects of cancer treatment, no herbal products have been shown to be effective for treating cancer. In fact, some herbal products may be harmful when taken during chemotherapy or radiation therapy because they may interfere with how these treatments work. Cancer patients should talk with their doctor about any complementary and alternative medicine products—including vitamins and herbal supplements—they may be using.