The patient-to-patient support section relies on the input of lay
persons, primarily. We seek reputable sources of
information. As with all material on this site, please consider
it a starting point for discussions with your physician. We
welcome input from patients, caregivers and medical
professionals. What follows is an excerpt from the Report of the
Leukemia, Lymphoma, and Myeloma Progress Review Group. It fits well, we
think, in this section as it speaks to the need for timely
information. - Karl Schwartz
From the Progress Review Group Report
"The time is ripe to identify and develop
strategies for providing information to patients to improve medical
decision-making, quality of care during active treatment and
follow-up, and quality of life. The need is especially great for
patients with hematological malignancies.
First, the hematological malignancies affect a
diverse patient population in terms of age, sex, and race.
Second, short- and long-term side effects and
complications vary by disease. For example, myeloma patients often
experience severe bone pain, whereas leukemia and lymphoma patients
face secondary cancers and the long-term health consequences of
treatments.
Third, treatments for hematological malignancies
are evolving rapidly due to new scientific discoveries and advances.
Recent research shows that hematological malignancies are even more
diverse than previously thought and that tailoring treatment to the
specific disease subtype can ensure that patients receive treatments
that are more effective and less toxic than earlier ones.
Finally, longer life for LLM survivors creates a
need for more information about coping with cancer. This is
especially true for the many LLM patients who are young and for
those who are advised to "watch and wait" rather than
pursue aggressive treatment. For all of these reasons, treatment and
follow-up care information must be up to date, easily accessible,
and tailored to the circumstances of the patient."
- From the Report of the Leukemia,
Lymphoma, and Myeloma Progress Review Group, May 2001 full
text
Support
& Survivorship
