At all stages of your cancer treatment you need to feel as well as possible. This can be achieved through palliative care. Palliative care focuses on improving quality of life for you and your family.
Palliative care can be given at any time during your treatment pathway. In some countries, palliative care has been more appropriately renamed ‘supportive care’. Palliative/supportive care includes a wide range of services.
At all stages of your cancer treatment you need to feel as well as possible. This can be achieved through palliative care. Palliative care focuses on improving quality of life for you and your family. Palliative care can be given at any time during your treatment pathway. In some countries, palliative care has been more appropriately renamed ‘supportive care’.
Palliative/supportive care includes a wide range of services, including:
- Treatments and support to relieve cancer symptoms
- Treatments and support to help manage pain
- Treatments and support to reduce medication side effects
- Emotional and social support
- Specialised support at the end of life.
Palliative/supportive treatments and services include but are not limited to:
- Medication – to control symptoms such as pain and nausea
- Radiotherapy – to control growth of the tumour and relieve symptoms caused by the RCC or the metastases.
For example, a low dose of palliative radiotherapy can reduce pain from cancer in the bones or control symptoms such as bleeding - Blood transfusions – to treat anaemia
- Oxygen – to help with breathing difficulties
- Relaxation techniques, meditation and massage – to help support your mental health and make you feel better
- Counselling and support – to manage emotional problems such as anxiety and depression
- Nutritional advice to help with cancer-related weight loss or side effects
- Practical help with tasks of daily living
- Help and advice regarding issues, such as powers of attorney and advanced care planning, according to your
personal wishes.
Palliative/supportive care not only provides support to you, but it also aims to support others involved in your care, such as your family and friends.
Many people wrongly think that palliative/supportive care is just for people who are dying. In fact, people with any type of metastatic cancer can benefit from palliative/supportive care at any time during their treatment. For this reason, palliative/supportive care is often recommended early in your treatment plan.
If palliative/supportive care is started early, you can have your needs addressed quickly, which can improve your quality of life immediately and help prevent or reduce problems later on. Early palliative/supportive care can also improve your survival.
Cancer and its treatment can have a huge physical and emotional effect on you. It is important to look after yourself. This includes eating a well-balanced and healthy diet, not smoking, doing regular exercise, and seeking help if you
feel depressed or anxious.
I am a kidney cancer patient. Where can I get support?
Cancer and its treatment can have a huge physical and emotional effect on you. It is important to look after yourself. This includes eating a well- balanced and healthy diet, not smoking, doing regular exercise, and seeking help if you feel depressed or anxious. There are professionals who can help guide and support you with these aspects of your life.
Family and friends are an invaluable source of support, whether it’s helping with the shopping, coming to doctor appointments with you or simply being with you. Let your family and friends support you. Your cancer diagnosis will also affect your family and friends. It is likely that your closest family member or main caregiver may need help and support as well as you.
Many people find that it’s helpful sharing their experiences and knowledge with other people who have kidney cancer, or talking to someone trained in supporting people with kidney cancer. You may consider contacting a patient support organisation to get information about kidney cancer and to help you navigate your way around the healthcare system in your country.
I am a carer for someone with kidney cancer. What can I do?
Being a carer for a loved one with cancer can be rewarding, but it can also be tiring, stressful, and cause you a lot of worry. It is important that you look after yourself and take some time just for you. And it’s important that you get some help and support too.