Earlier, it was thought that cancer is a terminal illness that will never be cured, but advances in medical science have helped to make this condition less of a death sentence. With new treatment methods, patients can extend their life with the disease and may never experience full remission. There are also new therapies for cancer that can prolong the life of a patient, allowing them to live a more normal life. But what is a chronic disease?
A survivorship care plan is a document that can guide survivors through the many ups and downs of a cancer diagnosis. It can include recommended schedules for follow-up exams and tests, suggested physical activities, and a list of possible long-term and late-term side effects of treatment. Some survivors also include recommendations for diet and exercise, as well as reminders to keep appointments with their PCP. Although the road ahead can seem long and tough, it’s an important step to take.
In addition to the new treatments available, survivors can access a database of their discharge information, as well as information about the early and late effects of their illness. With a quality of life survey, survivors can gain a new perspective on the effects of their disease. Cancer survivors with diabetes, for example, are more likely to have diabetes than patients with other chronic diseases, such as heart disease. A patient-centred, proactive approach to their care can benefit them and others in similar situations.
Another important distinction between a chronic and an acute disease is the presence of recurrence. If a cancer has previously been diagnosed, it can recur several times. Once cured, it may not go away for good, but it’s unlikely to return again. In such cases, doctors can prescribe treatments for a number of different conditions. There are even treatments that can help patients with recurrent cancers.
The Canadian Ministry of Health and Social Services has made the prevention of chronic diseases a top priority. It has developed a strategy for chronic disease management and disseminated it to all health agencies. The FRQS is also a significant partner in the program. The meeting was sponsored by Pfizer. We would like to thank the organizing committee of the knowledge transfer meeting, including Manon Pelletier, Genevieve Landry, Sara Ahmed, and Anne-Cecile Desfaits (FRQS). These people made the first draft of the report and gave us valuable input.
If your cancer has spread to muscle and has invaded the bladder, it may have already spread to nearby tissues and distant organs. Treatment for recurrent cancer depends on whether the disease is localized or has spread throughout the body. Treatment options for recurrent cancer depend on whether the disease has spread, the patient’s overall health, and whether or not they want to receive additional treatment. If the cancer is localized, it may be curable, but if it has spread, treatment options will depend on the location of the cancer.
Knowledge transfer is another critical aspect of chronic disease management. Knowledge transfer allows current programs to learn from future ones. Consequently, effective clinical tools can be developed and used by other programs. A network of knowledge translation can facilitate these improvements. It is also critical to include the concept of interdisciplinary teams in the curriculum of health professionals. The following are some examples of strategies for enhancing chronic disease management. When implementing chronic disease management, it is important to engage primary care physicians in the process.
