Role of American Cancer Society in Cancer Management
Various healthcare association help to provide information and support to patients afflicted by the ailments that fall within their objects. Among these organizations is the American Cancer Society (ACS) which offers support to cancer patients and their caregivers. After a cancer diagnosis, the ACS supports the patients by helping them understand the meaning of the diagnosis and providing answers to all their questions. The patient and the family are educated about the disease, its causes, treatment options, length and cost of treatment and the side effects from the treatment. This makes the patient and family less worried thus facilitating better management of the disease (American Cancer Society, 2014). The patient and family are also educated by the ACS to understand the meaning of their pathology report. They also learn about their prognosis based on how much cancer had spread in the body and its location. ACS also provides support programs to cancer patients such as online communities, free rides to treatment, lodging service for patients seeking treatment away from home, products for patients who have undergone mastectomy and hair loss and online cancer classes (American Cancer Society, 2014). All these services enable individuals to cope better with cancer and ensure that people from all social classes can access cancer treatment. The cancer patients feel that they are not dealing with the problem alone and that there are people concerned about their wellbeing.
In the next decade, approximately 1.5 million cancer diagnoses will be made annually. There has been a drop in the number of deaths as a result of cancer during the last two decades. The most common cancer death causes include prostate, lung, breast and colon cancers. The reduction in major cancer types’ rate of incidence is due to improvements in the prevention and control of cancer. The decline in the new cases of colorectal cancer is due to screening and a change in risk factors (Siegel, Ma, Zou, & Jemal, 2014). Moreover, improved testing of prostate cancer has led to a decline in new cases. The rate of new colon cancer diagnosis has also dropped because many people are using colonoscopy. There is also a reduction in lung cancer cases because of reduced smoking among Americans (Siegel et al., 2014). Changes that can ensure the continued decline in cancer incidence and death include the application of the knowledge on cancer control in all population segments. Greater emphasis should be focused on disadvantaged populations such as those in low socioeconomic status (Siegel et al., 2014). Changes in practice include maintaining a healthy diet, healthy weight and increasing physical activity (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), 2013). Other measures include avoiding alcohol, tobacco and seeking medical care regularly. Ensuring that everyone can access services such as cancer screening and referral services can help in reducing the rates of cancer prevalence among Americans (CDC, 2013).
One of the research programs funded by the ACS is the extramural research grants program. The ACS provides funding to researchers in order to improve the understanding of cancer and help in the prevention and treatment of the disease. The researchers also investigate the effect of cancer on various aspects of the patients’ lives. These researchers are selected and awarded grants based on merit after approval by Peer Review Committees comprising of members from different fields (American Cancer Society, 2014). The new discoveries made by the researchers on the disease will facilitate the innovation of better treatments in future, improved quality of life, more cures, increased early detection rates and longer lives for the patients (American Cancer Society, 2014).
With cancer becoming a core health concern in the contemporary world, the ACS will continue to play a critical role to help alleviate the suffering of those affected. This will be ensured by continuing its education and patient-support programs that help those afflicted to manage their conditions better. Further, through its support of research on cancer treatment and management, the ACS helps in the identification and development of novel approaches that will better the quality of life for cancer patients.
References
American Cancer Society. (2014). After Diagnosis: A Guide for Patients and Families. Retrieved January 13, 2014 from http://www.cancer.org/treatment/understandingyourdiagnosis/afterdiagnosis/index
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). (2013). Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion. Retrieved January 13, 2014 from http://www.cdc.gov/chronicdisease/resources/publications/AAG/dcpc.htm
Siegel, R., Ma, J., Zou, Z. & Jemal, A. (2014). Cancer statistics, 2014. CA: A Cancer Journal for Clinicians, 1-21.
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