How can I better manage my small cell lung cancer?

The type of treatment for SCLC will depend on a few factors. Watch Dr. Christopher Vaughn, Host of Cancer Shop Talk: Behind the Diagnosis with Dr. Vaughn, describe how to best manage your life with small cell lung cancer.

Transcript

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[MUSIC PLAYING] The type of treatment a patient receives for small cell

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lung cancer and how much that does or does not disrupt your life will depend on a few factors. These include the stage of cancer diagnosis,

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as well as others, such as the patient's overall health and medical history. Now, this is important to think about for a couple of reasons,

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namely that each individual patient needs to be treated based on their individual needs. So the first step to really managing your life

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with small cell lung cancer is to thoroughly understand how advanced your cancer is and exactly what your doctor is

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recommending and doing about it. So having a good, open relationship with your doctor or any health care professional you work with

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is a huge help. Do you feel heard? Do you feel like an active participant in your treatment? These are really important factors

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in a doctor-patient relationship and will allow you to benefit by learning the most about what you can and can't do during treatment,

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as well as how to stay as healthy as possible as you recover. Now, assuming you're on the same page about your treatment, think about those things you enjoyed before your diagnosis.

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Did you have hobbies? Did you have groups you participated in? Consider whether you can keep some or all those activities up, even during treatment.

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Remember, we're always caring for the patient inside, so feeling emotionally fulfilled might seem secondary to fighting the cancer,

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but it's really important to try to live your life and keep up with those things you love to do. Finally, ask for help.

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Do you have loved ones, friends, or family that can help manage these responsibilities of treatment? Now is the time to lean on them a little bit.

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And if you find that you could use more help than that, consider joining a support group. They've been found to really help patients' emotional and mental well-being.

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On top of that, there are some really great organizations and resources that provide concrete forms of help to those with cancer, like rides to and from appointments

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and even help with child care. Again, we're not only looking after your physical health, but your emotional and social well-being. So be open about your needs with your health care team

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and start figuring out some solutions that work best for you. [MUSIC PLAYING]