Living with Cancer

Chronic diseases are the major causes of death and disability in the world. In Canada three out of five people over age 20 live with a chronic disease and four out of five are at risk for developing one. Over 150,000 deaths per year are attributed to chronic diseases, and many Canadian’s quality of life is adversely impacted by them. As well, they are a burden on the Canadian economy as estimated health costs of chronic diseases and other illness total $190 billion per year, with 58 % of health care costs going towards chronic diseases (Chronic Disease Prevention Alliance of Canada, 2017).

Cancer is a chronic disease, just like diabetes or heart disease when it can’t be cured but has ongoing treatment for months or years. Prolonged treatment can be given to control cancer from metastasizing or progressing, to manage cancer once it has metastasized, and to prevent it from returning. Treatment can include chemotherapy, orally or intravenously, radiation therapy or immunotherapy. Type of treatment depends on the type and location of cancer, stage of disease, previous treatments given, availability of new treatments, age, general health of the patient, and patient preference (Living with Chronic Cancer, 2018).

Prolonged treatments can stabilize cancer and put patients in remission and maintenance doses of medication can prevent the cancer from recurring or progressing. Even with progression though, treatment can continue to manage symptoms and improve quality of life (American Cancer Society, 2019).

The focus for chronic diseases should center on prevention as many of them are mostly preventable. Preventative strategies and interventions should be multileveled and span across different levels; individual, community, organizational, political and public policy. Education on risk factors and unhealthy lifestyle behaviours risk factors (smoking, unhealthy diet, inadequate physical activity, obesity and excessive alcohol consumption) is essential (Canadian Cancer Society, Canadian Diabetes Association, Canadian Lung Association, & Heart and Stroke Foundation, 2013).

Elizabeth

References

American Cancer Society. (2019). Managing cancer as a chronic illness. Retrieved from https://www.cancer.org/treatment/survivorship-during-and-after-treatment/when-cancer-doesnt-go-away.html

Canadian Cancer Society, Canadian Diabetes Association, Canadian Lung Association, & Heart and Stroke Foundation. (2013). Call for action on chronic disease. Retrieved from https://www.cancer.ca/~/media/cancer.ca/CW/for%20media/Media%20releases/2013/CallforAction-ChronicDisease-EN.pdf?la=en

Chronic Disease Prevention Alliance of Canada. (2017). 2018 pre-budget submission to the House of Commons Standing Committee on Finance. Retrieved from https://www.ourcommons.ca/Content/Committee/421/FINA/Brief/BR9073636/br-external/ChronicDiseasePreventionAllianceOfCanada-e.pdf

Living with Chronic Cancer. (2018). Cancer.Net. Retrieved from https://www.cancer.net/survivorship/living-with-chronic-cancer