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Fifth Dimension Table of Contents

 

The Cancer Supportive Care Program and Website 2002, www.cancersupportivecare.com
Joint Breast & Prostate Cancer Retreat at the UCSFComprehensive Cancer Center Poster Session 5:00-7:00 pm, Tuesday, March 12, 2002
Ernest H. Rosenbaum, MD, David Spiegel, MD, Alexandra Andrews, Robert J. Ignoffo, PharmD Holly V. Gautier, RN, BSN, Jean Chan, BA, MA, SEd
Stanford Center for Integrative Medicine, Stanford, CA and The University of California at San Francisco, San Francisco, CA


Abstract: Cancer patients who are recently diagnosed, undergoing therapy or post therapy often face an uncertain future with multiple problems including fear, isolation, anxiety, depression, fatigue and pain. To help meet these needs we have established a free Cancer CSCP at Stanford Center for Integrative Medicine, Kaiser Permanente San Francisco, CA and Oakland CA , Rhode Island Comprehensive Cancer Center, Sheba Medical Center Tel-Hashomer, UMKC Bloch Cancer Center.

The Cancer Supportive Care Website was started May 1999 providing education and support to a world wide audience. The main goal of the CSCP is to improve the quality of life for cancer patients through a rehabilitation program, to help reduce the morbidity and toxicity of cancer and cancer therapy, and regain their physical and functional status.

The program is divided into three parts:
A four-part overview course discussing information including how to use the Internet, a review of psychological problems, nutrition, exercise, reduction of fatigue and pharmacological control of treatment side-effects.

Weekly educational classes and workshops discussing patients needs. Topics include coping with cancer, depression, will to live, sleep problems, intimacy and sexuality, nutrition, pain control and how to reduce fatigue.

There are twenty three educational modules presented on www.cancersupportivecare.com: psychological support, nutrition, exercise, fatigue, anemia, pain control, sleep disorders, sexuality, creativity and coping, spirituality, "end of life", pharmacy issues on drugs used in oncology, second opinions, web and email tutorial, frequently asked questions, cancer risk assessment, immunotherapy, the mucositis program - oral, esophageal and gastrointestinal problems and solutions, physical medicine approaches to pain relief, quality of life with cancer supportive care, the art and science of forgiveness, and clinical oncology issues.

Clinical research is now in progress to evaluate the CSCP assessing quality of life, functional capacity and symptom recovery. An analysis of the results will be presented covering coping skills, controlling pain, improved ability to exercise and better nutrition.

The CSCP programs represent an exciting vision of synthesis recognizing the patient as a whole person. Cancer treatments affect all parts of the body, spirit, and mind. We have experts from different medical specialties providing information on specific topics including physicians, nurses, social workers, pharmacists, physical therapists, dentists, dieticians, artists, etc. We will continue to explore these novel approaches.

Conclusion: The goal of the CSCP is to improve quality of life by implementing a multidisiplinary supportive care program to complement standard medical therapies. A series of lectures, workshops and consultations address subjects related to supportive care. Hopefully this program can become a model for developing similar programs in various parts of the country.

The CSCP website, www.cancersupportivecare.com is an invaluable asset in acheiving our goals. We pioneered website accessibility to allow everyone no matter physical limitation, location or isolation, to improve their quality of life. This outreach enables those touched by cancer to access the Cancer Supportive Care Program world wide. We project by the end of 2002, we will serve close to five hundred thousand web pages to over 80 countries. It is a constantly evolving source of new and timely information.




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