Deciding About Continued Cancer Treatment
How can you decide about continuing your cancer treatment?
Your Care Instructions
Everyone with cancer hopes that treatment will cure their cancer. Or they hope that their
cancer can be controlled. Everyone hopes for a return to a normal life.
But sometimes the cancer continues to grow. Treatment may not help. Or the cancer spreads
to other organs. Side effects may become too hard to live with.
At some point you may need to decide whether you want to keep trying to cure the cancer.
If you decide to stop trying to cure the cancer, it doesn't mean an end to treatment. You
can still receive treatment, but its focus will change.
You may receive medicine and other treatment to relieve pain, let you do activities you
enjoy, and prolong your life. When you focus on pain and symptom relief instead of a cure, you still see your
doctor and get excellent care. And if your health changes or new treatments become available, you can change
your mind and try again to cure the cancer.
You will make this decision along with your doctor. He or she can tell you if continued
treatment is likely to work and what options you have. Be sure to weigh the pros and cons of any new
treatment. Some treatments may make you feel worse than the disease itself. In some cases, you may be better
off trying to control your symptoms and not have treatment.
Follow-up care is a key part of your treatment and safety. Be sure to make and go
to all appointments, and call your doctor if you are having problems. It's also a good idea to know your test
results and keep a list of the medicines you take.
How can you care for yourself at home?
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Think about talking to your doctor, counselor, family members, or friends about how you feel. A
decision not to try to cure the cancer is very hard. But the decision is yours.
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Hospice care
Think about hospice care if your cancer can't be cured and you have no more than 6
months to live. Hospice care focuses on your symptoms. It provides medical treatment, emotional help, and
spiritual support. It also helps family members care for a dying loved one.
You don't need to be confined to a bed or in a hospital to benefit from hospice care.
You may still be active.
Your hospice team will be available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. You can get care in
your own home or in a hospice center. Some hospice services also go to nursing homes or hospitals.
Hospice can:
Coping with your feelings
End-of-life planning
End-of-life planning is a way to make sure that your wishes are met. It will make it
easier for your loved ones. It also may ease your mind and make your final days more meaningful.
Talk to your family about your wishes so they are not surprised. Advance directives are
papers telling people what kind of medical care you do and don't want. You don't need a lawyer to prepare
these papers. Make sure your doctor has a copy of these on file, and give a copy to a family member or close
friend. You can change these instructions when you want to.
End-of-life planning can include:
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Do-not-resuscitate order, or DNR. This order asks that no extra treatments be used to save your
life if your heart stops or if you can't breathe on your own. Extra treatments include electrical
shock to restart your heart, a machine to breathe for you, and lifesaving medicines. If you decide
to have a DNR order, ask your doctor to write it. Place the order in your home where everyone can
easily see it.
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When
should you call for help?
Watch closely for changes in your health, and be sure to contact your doctor if:
Current as of: October 25, 2023
Content Version: 14.0
Care instructions adapted under license by your
healthcare professional. If you have questions about a medical condition or this instruction, always ask
your healthcare professional. Healthwise, Incorporated disclaims any warranty or liability for your use of
this information.