Emotional Support for Patients With Advanced Pancreatic Cancer
Managing Rash and Other Most Common Side Effects
Learn how to manage rash and diarrhea, two common side effects
Related Links
Understanding feelings and emotions
When you have advanced or metastatic cancer, it can be a very emotional time for you, your family, and friends. Emotions can include fear, anger, sadness, and grief.
Here are some tips to help you and your care partner deal with the emotional challenges you may be facing:
- Ask for support from those around you.
- Maintain your daily routine as much as possible.
- Try to stay active, eat healthy foods, and get enough sleep.
- Learn how to manage your stress.
Getting support
Many resources are available for you, your family, and friends. Having this support can help all of you to cope with the disease. You may want to consider doing some of these things:
Discuss your fears and concerns. If you are feeling sad or anxious, tell someone about it. Depression and anxiety are very common in people with cancer and may need to be treated. Your healthcare provider (HCP) may be able to help. Or, he or she may refer you to other HCPs in your area who can help.
Join a support group. Talking with other people who have cancer can help you learn how they are managing challenges. It is also an opportunity to support each other.
Keep a journal. Writing about your feelings, emotions, and frustrations can help you cope. It can also help to make a list of the questions you have for your HCP.
Seek support. Talk with your minister, rabbi, or other religious leader. Trained counselors and hospital chaplains can also offer support.
Your family, friends, and others on your support team can help you cope with your disease and treatment. Do not hesitate to ask them to:
- Go with you to your doctor appointments. They can write down what the doctor tells you during your visits. They can also help you put together a list of questions beforehand to discuss with your doctor during the next appointment.
- Help you keep track of and report any side effects you may be experiencing to your doctor. Sometimes, they may notice little changes in your health that you may not have noticed yourself.
- Run errands for you. Use your energy wisely; let others help you with your day-to-day activities.
- Keep others up-to-date on your health either by phone, group email, or with family meetings.
- Listen to you when you feel like talking about your disease.
- Join a support group with you to listen and share experiences with others.
- Help with insurance issues that may come up. For more information, visit our Coverage and Reimbursement Support section.
- Join you in a shared pastime. Whether you both play a mean hand of gin rummy or relish the strategy of chess, spend time together enjoying each other's company.
- Take care of themselves so they can be helpful when you need them.
Emotional support from your family and friends can help make living with advanced pancreatic cancer a little easier. See Care Partner Support for more information on how your care partner can help you.
What does Tarceva treat?
Tarceva is approved for:
Advanced Pancreatic Cancer:
- Tarceva in combination with gemcitabine is prescribed for patients with advanced-stage pancreatic cancer whose cancer has spread, grown, or cannot be surgically removed and who have not received previous chemotherapy.
Important Safety Information
Possible Side Effects
Everyone reacts differently to Tarceva therapy. So it’s important to know what the side effects are. Although some people may have a life-threatening side effect, most do not.
Your doctor will stop treatment if any serious side effects occur. Be sure to contact your healthcare team if you have symptoms related to these side effects.
Interstitial lung disease (ILD)-like events
Problems occurring in the lungs (including deaths). Tarceva may need to be stopped if new or unexplained serious symptoms of shortness of breath, cough, and fever occur.
Liver and/or kidney problems
Some events have included death. Let your healthcare provider (HCP) know if you have a history of liver or kidney disease.
Gastrointestinal (GI) perforation
A hole that develops in your stomach or intestine. Some events have included death.
Serious skin conditions
Some events have included death.
Bleeding and clotting problems
Heart attack or stroke in patients receiving Tarceva plus gemcitabine for advanced pancreatic cancer.
Eye disorders
Eye irritation and damage to the cornea.
Bleeding events when taking warfarin
Some events have included death. Tell your doctor if you are taking warfarin or non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs).
Pregnancy problems
You should not become pregnant while on treatment with Tarceva. DO NOT breast-feed while receiving treatment with Tarceva.
Additional Safety Information
Call your HCP right away if you have these signs or symptoms:
- New or worsening skin rash
- Serious or ongoing diarrhea, nausea, loss of appetite, or vomiting
- New or worsening shortness of breath or cough
- Eye irritation
It is important that you tell your HCP about all of the medicines and herbal supplements you are taking. DO NOT start taking any new medicines or herbal supplements before talking with your HCP. DO NOT eat grapefruit or drink grapefruit juice while on treatment with Tarceva, except under the care of your HCP.
Smoking may affect how well Tarceva works for you. If you smoke, you should stop smoking before starting treatment with Tarceva. If you continue to smoke, you should talk to your HCP before taking Tarceva.
The most common side effects are fatigue (feeling tired), rash, nausea, loss of appetite, and diarrhea.
Always let your HCP know if you have any side effects, and ask about the best way to handle them.
Tarceva is not right for everyone. Ask your HCP if once-daily Tarceva is right for you.
You are encouraged to report negative side effects of prescription drugs to the FDA. Visitwww.fda.gov/medwatch, or call 
1 (800) FDA-1088.
1 (800) FDA-1088.
No comments:
Post a Comment