CANCER AND ADOLESCENTSContemporary Health 2

Caroline MontagnaMatt Lorup

Overview• What is cancer?

• Incidence

• Predisposition

• Treatment

• Adolescent Cancer and the Dimensions of Wellness

• Future Impacts

• References

What is Cancer?• Disease caused by an uncontrollable division of abnormal

cells in a part of the body

• Caused by both internal factors and external factors. These causal factors may act together or in sequence to initiate or promote the development of cancer. Ten or more years often pass between exposure to external factors and detectable cancer.

Incidence of Cancer• According to the American Childhood Cancer

Organization, more than 1.6 million people were expected to develop cancer in 2012 in the United States.

• According to the National Cancer Institute, about 70,000 adolescents and young adults are diagnosed with cancer each year in the United States.

Common Adolescent Cancers• Lymphoma • Cancer of immune system• lymph system, lymphocytes• Symptoms:

• unexpected weight loss• Fullness in abdomen• Night sweats

• Hodgkin Lymphoma (most common)

Leukemia• Cancer of blood cells• Starts in bone marrow• Makes abnormal white blood

cells grow faster than normal cells,

• Symptoms - bone pain, lump on neck, swelling on left side of belly

Common Adolescent Cancers (cont’d.)

• Germ Cell Tumor• Masses of tissue formed by

immature cells, which in a healthy body would develop mature eggs or sperm

• 90% of GCT’s are gonadal, meaning they begin in the reproductive system

• Can develop in CNS• Symptoms - Excessive hair

growth, early entry to puberty, frequent urination

• Melanoma• Skin cancer• Unrepaired DNA damage to

skin cells• Develops moles (black or

brown)• Genetically disposed +

constant UV rays• Symptoms - change in size,

shape, or color of a mole or other skin growth, such as a birthmark

Treatments

Lymphoma:

• Chemotherapy

• Radiation therapy

• Induction therapy

• Biological therapy Leukemia:

• Stem cell transplantation

• Radiation therapy

• Chemotherapy

• Immunotherapy

Treatments (cont’d.)Germ Cell Tumor:• Chemotherapy• Surgery

Melanoma:• Depends on stage• Surgery• Target therapy• Chemotherapy• Radiation therapy

Adolescent Cancer and the 7 Dimensions of Wellness

Cancer and the Physical Dimension• Chemotherapy

• Nausea and vomiting• Fatigue

• Radiation Therapy• Damage of normal, healthy cells near the cancer

• Anemia• Deficiency of red blood cells

• Pain• Tumor compression• Surgery

Cancer and the Intellectual Dimension

• Some cancers and treatments can result in cognitive changes that affect thinking, learning, processing or remembering information. These changes can affect many aspects of life such as the ability to work or even to do everyday tasks.

Cancer and the Emotional Dimension• Distress

• Anxiety

• Fear

• Depression

• Guilt

Cancer and the Social Dimension• Patients with cancer and their families often experience

an enhanced need for social support. Social support has been found to be related to influencing health outcomes.

• Social support may reduce:• Anxiety and stress, emotional distress and depression, fatigue

• Social support may improve:• Mood, self-image, ability to cope with stress, feelings of control

Cancer and the Spiritual Dimension• Many survivors find that life takes on new meaning after

cancer, and will renew their commitment to spiritual practices or organized religion. Research suggests that spirituality improves quality of life through a strong social support network, adaptive coping, lessened depression and better physiological function.

Cancer and the Occupational Dimension• Reluctance to reveal that you are undergoing cancer treatment to your employer or coworkers for fear of being treated differently or even losing your job and health insurance.

• Re-entering social and professional life can be accompanied by many fears: • worry about being out in the world with an increased risk of

infection• not having enough energy to get through a workday• anxiety about not being able to think clearly because of

"chemobrain" or memory loss.

Cancer and the Environmental Dimension

• Exposure to radiation

• Exposure to smoking

• Being around an environment that does not enhance your risk of further spreading the cancer.

Future Impacts

Future Impacts• The number off adolescents with cancer will increase

because of link with obesity.• Programs will continue to be made to help adolescents

cope with their cancer.

• Cure Search - leader in funding children's cancer research.• Cure rates have increased from approximately 40% to 80%. • American Childhood Cancer Organization - The 5 year

survival rate for childhood cancer is close to 80%. • Currently there are estimated to be 270,000 survivors of

childhood cancer in the U.S.

References• American Childhood Cancer Association

• http://www.acco.org/information/aboutchildhoodcancer/childhoodcancerstatistics.aspx

• National Cancer Institute• http://www.cancer.gov/cancertopics/cancerlibrary/what-is-cancer

• Children’s Cancer Research Fund• http://www.childrenscancer.org/main/germ_cell_tumors/

• National Library of Medicine• http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/lymphoma.html

• American Cancer Society• http://www.cancer.org/cancer/skincancer-melanoma/detailedguide/melanoma-skin-

cancer-treating-general-info• American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO)

• http://www.cancer.net/coping-and-emotions/managing-emotions• Susan G. Komen Foundation• http://ww5.komen.org/BreastCancer/BenefitsofSocialSupport.html