5 Secrets to Surviving Cancer
A cancer diagnosis is probably the most devastating news any of us
will ever get. In fact, medical parlance describes typical reaction to
it as the “Five Ds”: fears about dying, dysfunction, discomfort,
disability, and dependence.
As the population ages and grows, and survival rates improve, more
people are living beyond their cancer diagnosis. Today, 13.7 million
Americans have a history of cancer, with 18 million expected in 2022,
the American Cancer Society and National Cancer Institute estimate.
In response to this growing number of people, some in medicine have
begun focusing on the quality of life survivors have, not just when
cancer treatment ends but at the start of the journey — at diagnosis.
This is a critical time when patients can be overwhelmed with
information about their cancer and treatment, and have countless
questions about what to expect and whether they will survive.
This also is the time when many patients ask: What can I do now to beat this thing? And how can my loved ones help?
With those questions in mind, Stewart Fleishman, M.D., founding
director of Cancer Supportive Services at Continuum Cancer Centers of
New York, wrote “Learn to Live Through Cancer: What You Need to Know and
Do.” In it, he details the LEARN — Living, Education, Activity,
Nutrition — System, which spells out what people with cancer can do to
not just survive treatment but to promote their own healing.
“The LEARN System gives you a plan instead of staying up late on the
Internet and finding information which may or may not apply to you,” he
tells Newsmax Health. “The message is: Control what you can and in the
long term you’ll be better off. This puts the power and the tools in the
hands of people who want to be able to do something.”
The common-sense system is rooted in basic healthy-living tenets:
live a meaningful life, educate yourself, stay as physically active as
you can, get adequate rest, and eat whole foods. But applying them
during cancer treatment is actually innovative, Dr. Fleishman says,
because most people simply lie low when they are fatigued and wait to
feel better.
There is more than common sense behind each part of the LEARN System,
he notes. Each piece of the plan is supported by the medical
literature, from papers backing physical activity during cancer
treatment to studies underscoring the importance or restorative sleep,
Dr. Fleishman says.
Here’s a summary of the LEARN System:
Living
Living means setting aside time every day or at least once a week to
do something that is important and life affirming to you. Living tops
the list because it is the most important part of the system, Dr.
Fleishman says, even though engaging in what you love to do can hurt
because it is a reminder of what you may lose. But doing something that
is joyful and reminds you of the time before you got cancer can
reinforce why you want to survive. It might be calling a dear friend or
keeping in touch with the world beyond cancer by reading the newspaper
(and skipping the stories about cancer), he says.
Education
Decide what questions you have and prioritize a list, he advises.
Some will likely be answered during an initial consultation with your
practitioner and others on follow-up visits. Decide how much information
you need and want to know. Beyond your practitioner, seek information
from reliable sources such as the American Cancer Society and the
American Society of Clinical Oncology.
Activity
As you’ve likely heard before, physical activity helps maintain
flexibility, strength, heart function, energy level, and positive weight
and body image. During cancer treatment this is particularly important
for promoting a higher quality of life. What’s more, exercise minimizes
the side effects of treatment and reduces the chance of cancer
recurrence or secondary cancers. Small studies also suggest evidence of
improved survival from exercise, Dr. Fleishman notes. Start out slow by
walking or rolling if you’re in a wheelchair. Get a referral to a
physical therapist for specifics for what you can do. Certified cancer
centers have relationships with physical, occupational, and other
therapists.
Rest
Sleep and restorative rest help promote healing. (Restorative rest is
a period of resting that gives us a feeling of being refreshed when we
awaken.) But many medications routinely used during cancer treatment,
such as pain and anti-nausea drugs, disrupt the normal sleep cycle by
promoting sleepiness. Naps can fight fatigue, but keep them less than an
hour so nighttime sleep is not disrupted, Dr. Fleishman advises. Avoid
any sleeping aids, some of which can interfere with cancer medications
like anti-nausea drugs. Instead, try deep breathing exercises to relax
and avoid reading and television before bed which can keep you awake.
Nutrition
Eating a diet of whole foods, healthy proteins and fats, and deeply
colored fruits and vegetables is critical in helping you maintain your
ideal body weight and muscle mass. Many people fighting cancer want to
indulge in high-fat comfort foods like macaroni and cheese, and burgers
and fries, Dr. Fleishman says. But that will add fat, not lean muscle
mass, which the body needs for strength. Because cancer treatments can
lower disease resistance, make sure fresh fruits and vegetables have
been scrubbed clean of any bacteria with a white vinegar and water
solution followed by a cold water rinse.
“People need to keep in mind that if the treatment works, there is
life after cancer,” Dr. Fleishman says. “You can get back to a good
quality of life. But you can’t wait to recover. You sort of have to work
in stereo,” fighting the cancer and promoting good health.
