Dr. Sue Hwang is extremely aware of the misconceptions that come throughout a interval of most cancers survivorship.
Hwang, a radiation oncologist specializing in breast most cancers, is the part chief of breast radiation oncology on the AdventHealth Most cancers Institute in Orlando, Florida, and is an affiliate professor in radiation oncology on the College of Central Florida Faculty of Drugs. She can be a breast most cancers survivor.
The creator of the brand new e book, “From Each Sides of the Curtain: Classes and Reflections From an Oncologist’s Breast Most cancers Journey,” Hwang sat down for an interview with CURE to make clear the fact of breast most cancers survivorship.
Transcript
What are some widespread misconceptions associated to most cancers survivorship you want to dispel?
I believe folks suppose that when you get via definitive remedy — and for breast most cancers, I outline it as surgical procedure, chemo, radiation; after which, as a result of 80% of breast most cancers sufferers are hormone receptor-positive, a big proportion of the sufferers are going to be on upkeep remedy. And when persons are going via definitive remedy, that is when everybody has their help, as a result of they see you getting knocked down. The chemo knocks you down. You get drained from the radiation. You are recovering from surgical procedure. There are bodily modifications that you simply get from the definitive remedy.
After which while you went to the upkeep area and also you ring that bell, everybody’s type of like, “OK, you are carried out,” after which your help fades away. After which, since you look good — and here is the factor, with breast most cancers remedies, we do a very good job of creating our sufferers look good, however mentally you are simply in a special area.
And I believe what I need extra folks to understand about survivorship is it does not finish when that bell rings for the affected person. If something, I really suppose the survivorship journey, most likely for me personally, has been the tougher side of getting recognized with most cancers, as a result of that is while you actually should cope with, “OK, what occurs now?”
Once you’re underneath remedy, you see your medical doctors day-after-day. You are underneath actually good watch, you are getting remedy. You’re feeling such as you’re doing one thing proactive to guard your self towards the most cancers. After which while you go into survivorship, and also you simply type of go on upkeep, and you do not see your medical doctors as a lot, after which each little ache that you simply get, it is actually arduous to suppose that is not one thing.
Transcript has been edited for readability and conciseness.
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