Supportive care therapies
In addition to delivering sophisticated therapies to treat your cancer, your personalized treatment plan may include supportive care services. Supportive care is designed to help you stay strong, support your immune system, combat side effects and maintain your quality of life.
Behavioral health
Behavioral health, an important part of integrative cancer care at City of Hope, recognizes the powerful ways in which emotional, mental, social and behavioral factors may directly affect a patient's physical health.
Our licensed mental health and allied professionals offer therapeutic practices and techniques designed to help cancer patients cope with anxiety, depression and other psychological stresses that may affect their immune system, digestion, sleep and concentration.
Our behavioral health team is available to help you deal with concerns such as:
- Issues with intimacy
- Sleeplessness
- Poor concentration
- Stress over loss of ability to work
- Concerns about relationships
Since caregivers play a major role in enhancing your quality of life and the healing process, they can attend on-site support groups offered at City of Hope to help them manage their emotions and concerns.
Nutritional support
Treatment for cancer can cause side effects, including weight loss, fatigue, nausea, diarrhea, constipation, low blood counts and increased risk of infection. These side effects can inhibit your ability to stay nourished and interfere with your treatment.
At City of Hope, a registered dietitian works closely with the other members of your care team. Together, they may suggest supplements and other therapies designed to support healthy digestion and nutrition, and to help you manage side effects.
Pain management
If you have pain, its severity and prevalence may depend on many factors, including the type and stage of cancer, your treatment plan and your tolerance for pain. You may experience pain from the cancer itself, or as a side effect of cancer treatment.
Throughout your treatment, the pain management team is on call 24/7 to help you anticipate and proactively manage cancer-related pain.
We ensure you are comfortable and continually receiving the pain relief you need. We also troubleshoot any side effects of pain medication, such as nausea, drowsiness and constipation. The goal is to find a balance between controlling pain and preserving quality of life.
Naturopathic support
A naturopathic provider may provide suggestions to help assist with normal metabolism and digestion during cancer treatment and help manage side effects, such as nausea or fatigue.
Patients may explore options to help manage side effects including herbal and botanical preparations, dietary supplements, and lifestyle counseling such as sleep strategies, smoking cessation and stress reduction techniques.
Oncology rehabilitation
Oncology rehabilitation includes a wide range of therapies designed to help you build strength and endurance, regain independence, reduce stress and maintain the energy to participate in daily activities that are important to you. Here are a few of the rehabilitation therapies we offer patients:
- Physical therapy
- Occupational therapy
- Speech and language therapy
- Manual therapy (which may include massage and chiropractic therapies)
- Lymphedema prevention and treatment
- Support programs related to healthy living, weight management and sexual intimacy
Spiritual support
Sometimes, a cancer diagnosis can make you question your faith. Some patients experience feelings of hopelessness, depression, guilt or anger after being diagnosed. Our chaplains provide spiritual support for you and your family to help you cope with the disease and its treatment.
Throughout your cancer treatment, our chaplains are available for visitation, counsel, prayer, patient rights issues and grief and bereavement counseling.
The pastoral care team treats you with great sensitivity and respects your religious background and traditions. If you are more comfortable seeing clergy from your own faith affiliation, we are happy to contact local clergy to meet your specific religious needs.
Survivorship support
Studies have shown that a significant percentage of cancer survivors deal with chronic health problems that may be related to their cancer treatment. At City of Hope, promoting optimal health begins with your first visit. We work with you to assess your health and identify potential short-term, long-term or late effects of your specific cancer treatment.
After the assessment, you receive an individualized wellness plan that includes help with managing medications and side effects, as well as nutritional, physical and emotional education and support. The plan may also include recommendations for healthy lifestyle behaviors tailored to your specific goals.
