The Importance of Utilizing Support Networks Following a Cancer Diagnosis

Prior to this year’s World Cancer Day, observed on Feb. 4, Dr. John Oertle sat down for an interview with CURE® to discuss the importance of recognizing World Cancer Day, as well as provided key input on what patients with cancer and their support should know about the current state of the therapeutic landscape.

Oertle, the Chief Medical Officer of Envita Medical Center — Cancer and Lyme Disease Treatment Experts, lead of the Molecular Tumor Board, as well as residency director at Envita Medical Centers, in Scottsdale, Arizona, shared his key takeaways on the benefit of patients and their families connecting with support networks, advocacy groups and resources.

Transcript:

There is much information that's thrown at you when you're a patient. It's hard to navigate the healthcare system alone, especially with something as critical as making a decision for your cancer treatment; this is something that's a terminal illness or can have terminal consequences. It is critical to be able to connect with advocacy groups or people who are in the know of what is best for you or somebody who’s gone through it before.

[Patients will ask their peers questions like], what did you do? This does not just include the medical care, oncology and chemotherapy [portion of things] — which we're happy to be able to provide — but rather includes things like what their diet is, what their lifestyle is, what their exercise looks like. [They may ask], how do you [get] through this?

There's so much to understand in a in a very short period when you're dealing with cancer; you don't have a lot of time to discern or decide. This is where advocacy groups that are relaying this information to patients can be a great support to be able to ask what is available. How do I take this difficult situation and be able to land on my feet and make the best decisions? What is the right next step?

This is why I love connecting with groups like yours and others to raise awareness, especially with World Cancer Day. [It is important to] understand how we make decisions with our difficult situations, to be able to make sure we're giving ourselves the best outcomes and the best chance to be able to either survive or make sure that we're able to treat it and it never comes back.

Transcript has been edited for clarity and conciseness.

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