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Cancer-related distress

Dec 23, 2024 | Angie Murad, Patient Educator | @muradangie | Comments (5)

Article contributed by Shawna Ehlers, Ph.D., L.P., Chun Tao, Ph.D., L.P., ABPP, and Steven Ames, Ph.D. - Mayo Clinic Clinical Health Psychologists

Learning that you have cancer is stressful and upsetting. A cancer diagnosis can come out of nowhere and put your life on hold. Your care team understands how a cancer diagnosis can impact your well-being. The Mayo Clinic offers the Cancer Stress Management Program, which is designed to support cancer patients with the normal stress of cancer, as well as mental and emotional health challenges linked to their diagnosis and treatment. This program applies the BEST (Best Evidence Science Translation) model, which focuses on cancer-related distress management. Cancer-related distress is an unpleasant feeling, emotion, or experience that reduces a person’s quality of life, and sometimes the ability to cope with a cancer diagnosis and cancer treatment. After a comprehensive evaluation, a cancer psychologist will make personalized recommendations designed to reduce distress associated with cancer. The recommendations might include techniques like Cognitive Behavioral Therapies for Cancer (CBT-C), Acceptance and Commitment Therapies (ACT), and Meaning-Centered Psychotherapy (MCP) (“talk therapies”). These recommendations help patients improve their quality of life and ability to adhere to difficult cancer treatments, which benefits overall health outcomes, including survival rates.

The Cancer Stress Management Program is growing to support diverse groups of patients at all Mayo Clinic sites including Arizona, Florida, and Rochester. Some services are available via telehealth, so the patient can remain home and avoid the stresses of travel (as long as the cancer psychologist holds a license within the patient’s state of residence).

Many resources are available at Mayo Clinic, often making it difficult to know all that might be available for you. For example, a social worker can be a team member called upon to provide supportive counseling or help determine if you qualify for financial and social resources. Palliative Care is another care team, who are experts in cancer symptom management during all phases of cancer care and provide support to patients and family caregivers in a variety of ways.

Stephen and Barbara Slaggie Family Cancer Education Center

Classes

All offerings from the Cancer Education Center are free. The Mindfulness: Being Present with Cancer class is a patient educator-led class allowing patients to explore a variety of mindfulness practices and discuss the benefits of mindfulness for coping with cancer. Mindfulness practices are another tool to help deal with difficult emotions and thoughts. Live classes are offered virtually at all Mayo Clinic sites and on-site and virtually in Rochester, Minnesota. Ask your Mayo Clinic care team to schedule this class or call our Center at 507-266-2991. Also, we offer a self-paced online course titled Stress-Management for Cancer providing education any time.

Support groups and online forums on Mayo Clinic Connect  

The Cancer Education Blog offers many resources. The “Support” button on the Resources tab has links connecting you to support groups and Mayo Clinic Connect online forums. These resources can offer comfort, provide insights, and an opportunity to share experiences.

Mayo Clinic resources

Meditation Classes

  • In-Person Chair Yoga for Cancer Survivors (Mayo Clinic Florida) 
    • Location: St. Jude Hall, Cannaday Bldg. 1050, Mayo Clinic Florida
    • When: Mondays at 10:00 am (consult with your physician before attending).
    • Contact: Kristin Lothman (lothman.kristin@mayo.edu) to register.
    • No classes on federal holidays.
  • In-person Practicing Mindfulness: A Community Sit (Mayo Clinic Florida)
    • Location: St. Jude Hall, Cannaday Bldg. 1050, Mayo Clinic Florida
    • When: Mondays at 11:00 am
    • No registration required
    • No classes on federal holidays.

Community resources

  • Local place of worship to offer prayer and spirituality: Spirituality can be described as an awareness of something greater than the individual self. It is often expressed through religion and/or prayer, but there are many other paths of spiritual pursuit and expression.
  • Community Centers: offer a variety of mind-body practices (yoga, Tai Chi) or connection with others.

 

What kind of support did you find helpful after receiving a cancer diagnosis?

 

Connect with others in these online forums:

Adolescent & Young Adult (AYA) Cancer: Discussions | Mayo Clinic Connect

Cancer: Discussions | Mayo Clinic Connect

Head & Neck Cancer: Discussions | Mayo Clinic Connect

Cancer: Managing Symptoms: Discussions | Mayo Clinic Connect

Pancreatic Cancer: Discussions | Mayo Clinic Connect

Bone Marrow Transplant (BMT) & CAR-T Cell Therapy: Discussions | Mayo Clinic Connect

5 Reactions

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isadora2021 | @isadora2021 | Dec 29, 2024

Very interesting - thank you for sharing. I have incurable stage 4 appendix cancer. Diagnosed in 2021 and after aggressive treatment I’ve been NED since mid 2022. I approached my diagnosis and treatment with a head in the sand strategy.

Made peace with the possibility of dying, got a great medical team, did what they told me to do, tried to carry on my life as normally as possible especially working full time from home adjusting for and managing side effects. My mental health was really good, despite everything. I had so much focus and purpose.

BUT it’s been a real struggle since becoming NED and “waiting” for the inevitable recurrence. I chose to retire from my corporate job in mid 2023 to enjoy life and spend more time with my family. I have no regrets whatsoever doing so but it has taken away one of my crutches and forced me to build better coping mechanisms. I am also surveillance scanned/blood tested every 4 months which has its own stress but also gives peace of mind. A new way of living.

This is a very useful article and I hope others add their experiences.

REPLY
1 reply
isadora2021 | @isadora2021 | Dec 29, 2024
In reply to @isadora2021 "Very interesting - thank you for sharing. I have incurable stage 4 appendix cancer. Diagnosed in..." + (show)
@isadora2021

Very interesting - thank you for sharing. I have incurable stage 4 appendix cancer. Diagnosed in 2021 and after aggressive treatment I’ve been NED since mid 2022. I approached my diagnosis and treatment with a head in the sand strategy.

Made peace with the possibility of dying, got a great medical team, did what they told me to do, tried to carry on my life as normally as possible especially working full time from home adjusting for and managing side effects. My mental health was really good, despite everything. I had so much focus and purpose.

BUT it’s been a real struggle since becoming NED and “waiting” for the inevitable recurrence. I chose to retire from my corporate job in mid 2023 to enjoy life and spend more time with my family. I have no regrets whatsoever doing so but it has taken away one of my crutches and forced me to build better coping mechanisms. I am also surveillance scanned/blood tested every 4 months which has its own stress but also gives peace of mind. A new way of living.

This is a very useful article and I hope others add their experiences.

Jump to this post

I should add: 18 years earlier I lost my mother to small cell lung cancer within 30 days of diagnosis. From flu like symptoms to gone. I learnt then the very important lesson of making the most of each day and living in the present - not stressing about what’s gone before or what might lie ahead. My sister was a nurse on a cancer ward and was so right to get us into the mindset of not wasting time in the expectation there was heaps to unfold over the horizon. An extremely valuable lesson for then, and for now.

REPLY
1 reply
Angie Murad, Patient Educator | @muradangie | Dec 30, 2024
In reply to @isadora2021 "I should add: 18 years earlier I lost my mother to small cell lung cancer within..." + (show)
@isadora2021

I should add: 18 years earlier I lost my mother to small cell lung cancer within 30 days of diagnosis. From flu like symptoms to gone. I learnt then the very important lesson of making the most of each day and living in the present - not stressing about what’s gone before or what might lie ahead. My sister was a nurse on a cancer ward and was so right to get us into the mindset of not wasting time in the expectation there was heaps to unfold over the horizon. An extremely valuable lesson for then, and for now.

Jump to this post

I am glad you found the article useful. Thank you for your perspective on how you are coping since becoming NED (no evidence of disease) and as you stated, "“waiting” for the inevitable recurrence." The fear of recurrence is challenging for you and your loved ones. Included are a few links addressing the fear of recurrence and coping when cancer returns.
https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/cancer/in-depth/cancer-survivor/art-20047129
https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/cancer/in-depth/cancer/art-20044575
Losing your mother to small cell lung cancer so quickly sounds like it changed your mindset and how you prioritized work and family. Thanks again for sharing. I would love to hear from others too.

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j0318 | @j0318 | Jan 2 6:47am

Thank you for posting this very helpful article. I finished treatments for an aggressive blood cancer (secondary CNS lymphoma - DLBCL) in 2024 with remission shown on the mid-treatment scans. I successfully completed chemotherapy. However I was unable to proceed with an autologous bone marrow transplant that was scheduled as part of my treatment due to insufficient stem cell collection. The transplant was recommended at the time due to the high rate of recurrence associated with this lymphoma.

Given the many months of remission that have now been achieved since finishing chemotherapy while waiting for bone marrow recovery, my Mayo oncologist has now advised no further treatment. While I am so grateful to my doctor for his treatment this great result, I find myself thinking about the “what if’s” moving forward. I do feel gratitude every day for my recovery but struggle to find the ease and joy in life that I had before this illness. I am working on it and being a member of this community helps my efforts.

@isadora2021 - Your previous post sharing your questions about getting puppies with the uncertainty of your cancer was so inspiring to read. And it generated so many other member statements sharing their choice of embracing life with health challenges. You are a great example of choosing to live fully with the uncertainties of cancer. Hope your furry friends are bringing you joy each day!

Best wishes to all for the coming year.

REPLY
1 reply
Angie Murad, Patient Educator | @muradangie | Jan 2 1:22pm
In reply to @j0318 "Thank you for posting this very helpful article. I finished treatments for an aggressive blood cancer..." + (show)
@j0318

Thank you for posting this very helpful article. I finished treatments for an aggressive blood cancer (secondary CNS lymphoma - DLBCL) in 2024 with remission shown on the mid-treatment scans. I successfully completed chemotherapy. However I was unable to proceed with an autologous bone marrow transplant that was scheduled as part of my treatment due to insufficient stem cell collection. The transplant was recommended at the time due to the high rate of recurrence associated with this lymphoma.

Given the many months of remission that have now been achieved since finishing chemotherapy while waiting for bone marrow recovery, my Mayo oncologist has now advised no further treatment. While I am so grateful to my doctor for his treatment this great result, I find myself thinking about the “what if’s” moving forward. I do feel gratitude every day for my recovery but struggle to find the ease and joy in life that I had before this illness. I am working on it and being a member of this community helps my efforts.

@isadora2021 - Your previous post sharing your questions about getting puppies with the uncertainty of your cancer was so inspiring to read. And it generated so many other member statements sharing their choice of embracing life with health challenges. You are a great example of choosing to live fully with the uncertainties of cancer. Hope your furry friends are bringing you joy each day!

Best wishes to all for the coming year.

Jump to this post

Thank you for your post and for lifting others up! You bring up the conflicting emotions many feel as they end cancer treatment. It is important to acknowledge these mixed emotions and that they are normal. Since some things are out of your control, focusing on what you can control can be helpful during times of uncertainty. This can include what you eat, physical activity, getting good sleep, and seeing your cancer care team for all follow-up visits. The American Cancer Society provides information about what you can do to prevent cancer recurrence. All of these practices also help reduce stress, improve immune function, and improve well-being. https://www.cancer.org/cancer/survivorship/long-term-health-concerns/recurrence/can-i-do-anything-to-prevent-cancer-recurrence.html

Wishing you a happy and healthy new year!

REPLY
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