Teenagers and Young Adults with Cancer (TYAC)’s Post

Research shows that nearly 60% of patients with cancer feel that the emotional effects of the disease are more challenging to endure than the medical treatment and physical side effects (1). This highlights a clear need to better support the mental health of patients with cancer.   As patients are at the centre of everything we do at Takeda, we partnered with mental health experts from Maudsley Learning (Gregory Shields and Dr Anna Janssen), and 7 patient organisations* to see how we could do just that.   Together, we have co-created a series of mental health videos aimed at supporting patients, their carers, and family members in managing the psychological impact of cancer. These videos cover a range of topics from managing anxiety to breaking bad news.   Watch the video below to learn more about the skills in breaking bad news to family and friends.   We would like to give our heartfelt gratitude to all our partners for their unwavering support and commitment in developing these videos.   View all available videos here: https://bit.ly/3xn9Jtq   *ALK Positive Lung Cancer UK, Blood Cancer UK, Cancer Research UK, EGFR Positive UK, Lymphoma Action, Myeloma UK, Roy Castle Lung Cancer Foundation   #TakedaAndMaudsleyMentalHealth   (1) Maggie’s. The mental challenge of cancer – 3 in 5 people find it harder than the physical. [Accessed April 2024]

The first week of April is Adolescent and Young Adult (AYA) Cancer Awareness Week. AYA cancer diagnoses account got about 5% of cancer diagnoses in the US per year. The most common types of cancer diagnoses are breast cancer, thyroid cancer, testicular cancer, and melanoma. Cancer during the formative years of a person's life can have lasting impacts on emotional, cognitive, and social development. It can not only cause physical changes, but also devastate current and future plans, education and career opportunities, relationships, and family planning. In addition, AYA patients tend to experience the impacts of financial toxicity more than any other group as they often receive diagnoses as they are transitioning to financial independence. (source: National Cancer Institute). AYA Cancer Awareness Week encourages us as providers to consider the unique challenges that face this population. GA-SWOG is dedicated to helping AYA patients and survivors through their cancer journeys and advocating for the increased support and resources in the community. #AYA #youngadult #adolescent #AYAcancer #cancerawareness #ayacancerawarenessweek #ayaware

JUNE 2 - NATIONAL CANCER SURVIVORS DAY Life after cancer is about more than surviving. It's about LIVING ! It's about CELEBRATING ! Cancer is a painful disease which turns fatal and destroys the lives. Cancer is caused by: •Inherited genes •Lifestyle choices, such as smoking and sun exposure •Environmental factors, such as exposure to radiation or chemicals. The origin of the word cancer is credited to the Greek physician Hippocrates, who is considered the “Father of Medicine.” Hippocrates used the terms 'carcinos' and 'carcinoma' to describe non-ulcer forming and ulcer-forming tumors. NATIONAL CANCER SURVIVORS DAY was first celebrated in 1988 and has grown into a global event. Communities come together to raise awareness and celebrate survivorship. National Cancer Survivors Day is celebrated every year to raise awareness about cancer, it's survivors and their lives. This year June 2, 2024 is celebrated as the National Survivors Day. Cancer survivorship represents a unique phase in the cancer journey, marked by triumph over the disease and the challenges that come with it. It encompasses physical, emotional, and psychosocial aspects of recovery and long-term well-being.Cancer Survivors Day also serves as a reminder of the progress made in cancer research, treatment advancements, and the increasing number of individuals who are living beyond cancer. It’s a day to celebrate the advancements in early detection, improved treatments, and survivorship programs that have contributed to higher survival rates and better quality of life for cancer survivors. REMEMBER: CANCER IS NOT A DEATH SENTENCE BUT RATHER IT'S A LIFE SENTENCE. IT PUSHES ONE TO LIVE #psychology #psychologs #cancersurvivors #sarvodayahealthcare #worldbraincentre #pyschooncology #psychinsights #nationalcancersurvivors #sumona

🗣️ Landmark study of #cancer in #BlackWomen launches in 20 states, aiming to be largest ever Black women die from cancer at higher rates than any other #racial or #ethnic group. The American Cancer Society is beginning a 30-year #study to investigate why. NBC News Aria Bendix + #healthcare #finally #blackamerica "The risk of dying from cancer has steadily declined in the U.S. over the last few decades, but Black women still have some of the lowest #survival rates." + "Although Black women are less likely to be #diagnosed with cancer than white women, they are they more likely to die of it within five years, according to the National Cancer Institute. The #disparity is particularly stark for breast cancer, which kills Black women at a 40% higher rate than white women, even though their rate of #diagnoses is 4% lower." - ... #health #socialcare #breastcancer #cervicalcancer #morbidityrates #earlydiagnosis #healthinsurance #physicians #providers #blackhealthmatters #blackwomenmatter #americancities #healthsystems #women #healthoutcomes #womenofcolor

I've seen quite a lot of commenting online relating to the video released by the Princess of Wales to announce the end of her chemotherapy. Since everyone is entitled to their opinion, here's mine... As someone who has had cancer twice, and who has lost one of her best friends to a rare form of sarcoma, I know all too well how absolutely devastating a diagnosis and treatment can be. I've seen people saying that the video is belittling and trivialising. For me, this couldn't be further from the truth. The one thing that ALL cancer patients (and their families because let's face it, they live this disease just as much as their loved one who has been diagnosed) want and need is hope. When you're diagnosed with cancer, the first question that crosses your mind is "am I going to die?". It doesn't matter what cancer is it, the stage, the severity of your symptoms. We're almost conditioned to believe that death is the most likely outcome. But it's not. It's really not. Thanks to modern medicine, it doesn't have to be. What I see when I watch Kate's video (which I will fully admit reduced me to tears) is hope. Hope for a future that feels incredibly fragile. Hope for a future that sees you having time with your loved ones. Making precious memories with the people you love, that they will hold on to forever, whether it's cancer that takes you, or something else entirely. Light. Optimism. Hope. Three things that are the very best medicine for anyone living with, or loving someone, with cancer. #Cancer #CancerAwareness #Hope #CancerPrevention #CancerTreatment #PrincessOfWales -------------------------------------------------------------------------- Hello! It's me, Dee. The cancery communications specialist for healthcare and tech/cyber/data companies and the one bugging the shit out of everyone to take care of their health and wellbeing. You can see more on my website https://lnkd.in/eNBc3JqV or you can email me on hello@wickedcreative.co.uk Now booking new projects from November 2024 onwards!

The American Association for Cancer Research recently released its 2024 Health Disparities Report, highlighting both progress and ongoing challenges in #cancer care. While the disparity in cancer deaths between #Black and White populations has significantly declined—from 32 percent in 1991 to 11 percent in 2020—there is still much work to be done. For instance, Black persons are twice as likely to get and die from #myeloma, and Black women are 30 percent more likely to die from triple-negative #breastcancer We must continue to shed light on these #racial-ethnic #disparities and work collaboratively to find effective solutions to keep narrowing the survival gap. Help us advance this important work by contributing your research to BMC Cancer's special series on racial-ethnic disparities in cancer care. Dr. Gregory Vidal and I are serving as Guest Editors and we are accepting submissions from around the world. Submit today and be a part of the research engine driving meaningful change in addressing cancer health disparities. Special series information here: https://lnkd.in/eJEPh48N Read the full report here: https://lnkd.in/eMXJKmCW

📢 New article published: Health-related quality of life and supportive care needs in young adult cancer survivors—a longitudinal population-based study   We're excited to share the findings from our recent article that longitudinally investigates the health-related quality of life (HRQoL) and supportive care needs among young adult cancer survivors. Our research, focusing on the first three years of survival, provides valuable insights into the challenges faced by individuals diagnosed with cancer between the ages of 18-39.   🔍 Key Findings: - Despite some improvements over time, many young adult cancer survivors continue to experience supportive care needs up to three years post-diagnosis. - Those diagnosed with testicular cancer showed a lower risk of needing support, compared to lymphoma survivors. - Concurrent health conditions, poor household economy, and being on treatment were factors associated with higher risk of needing support.   📊 Methods: - The study followed survivors of breast, cervical, ovarian, or testicular cancer, lymphoma, or brain tumors, who were diagnosed between the ages 18-39. - Participants completed surveys at 1.5 and 3 years post-diagnosis. - We utilized the EORTC QLQ-C30 to measure HRQoL. Cutoff scores were used to identify poor HRQoL, indicating supportive care needs.   🌟 Implications: - This research highlights the necessity of tailored, age-appropriate support services for young adult cancer survivors. - Addressing supportive care needs is crucial for improving HRQoL and overall well-being during and after cancer treatment. - Our findings emphasize the importance of comprehensive care plans that consider both the medical and psychosocial aspects of survivorship.   🔗 For more details, check out the full article - link in the comments. Johan Ahlgren Karin Ekstrom Smedby Kristina Hellman Roger Henriksson Olof Ståhl Claudia Lampic Lena Wettergren #healthcare  #oncology  #cancer #cancerresearch #cancercare #psychoonology

We spoke with Michael Reid Cramer, an author, social media influencer, motivational speaker, and AYA hepatosplenic T-cell lymphoma survivor. Read on to learn about why he started sharing the story of his rare cancer experience online, how he's getting back into fitness and exercise as he continues to heal, and how he maintains his mental health as a young adult cancer survivor. https://lnkd.in/eBe8ptkz

This caught my attention because, almost a quarter century ago, I lost a spouse to cancer. My takeaways? 1) There is almost always a psychological dimension to being diagnosed with a serious physical health condition. 2) That psychological dimension affects not just the person with the condition, but also those in what I'll call their "circle of closeness"-- which includes, more often than not, their caregivers. It's not just the cancer (or the stroke, or the heart attack, or the neurodegenerative disease, etc etc) that needs to be treated, it's all the collateral damage that comes along with it. Here's the quick digest: Quote Individuals married to patients who are diagnosed with cancer had an increased risk of suicide, according to a nationwide cohort study in Denmark. A study of more than 2 million people found that spouses of cancer patients had an increased risk of attempting suicide (HR 1.28, 95% CI 1.23-1.34) and death by suicide (HR 1.47, 95% CI 1.35-1.60) compared to people with spouses who were not diagnosed with cancer, according to Qianwei Liu, MD, PhD, of Nanfang Hospital and the Southern Medical University in Guangzhou, China, and co-authors. The risk was higher in the first year following a spouse's cancer diagnosis for both suicide attempts (HR 1.45, 95% CI 1.27-1.66) and death by suicide (HR 2.56, 95% CI 2.03-3.22), they reported in JAMA Oncology. ... In an accompanying editorial, Casey Crump, MD, PhD, of The University of Texas Health Science Center, and Weiva Sieh, MD, PhD, of The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, both in Houston, wrote that these findings show spouses of cancer patients need to be considered during follow-up care. "These latest findings add to other recent evidence showing increased risks of depression or hospitalization for new onset psychiatric disorders (especially depression and stress-related disorders) in spouses of patients with any cancer," they wrote. Crump and Sieh concluded that this research shows the need for greater awareness around the psychological challenges faced by the loved ones of cancer patients. End Quote