How does cancer as a whole affect the patient and surrounding people? The average person may think that cancer only affects the patient and their health, but it spreads a much wider scope than that. While it is true that being diagnosed with cancer does directly affect the patient, it also has a great impact on the surrounding family, friends, and medical professionals. I am interested in this research question because my grandmother was recently diagnosed with cancer of the greater omentum, so I am experiencing this research and knowledge firsthand. The greater omentum is the layer of fat that lies across the midsection of our bodies that protects the organs on the inside. This type of cancer is relatively rare, so there is not a lot of research and knowledge available. Starting in September of 2016, my grandmother began receiving chemotherapy. After six bi-weekly rounds, the doctors ran tests and concluded that this form of chemotherapy was unsuccessful. They decided that her only other option of survival was to go through an intensive surgery, but the surgery would not leave her 100% cancer free. My very reluctant grandma chose that her life was important and agreed to have the surgery, which took place in February of 2017. She is currently recovering from the surgery at home and learning how to live in a new way. To me, a family member on the outside, this is extremely devastating and frustrating. Because of this, I have discovered an interest in researching not just her type of cancer, but how it affects the patient and everyone else on the outside. Most other patients and families going through cancer treatment can relate to this research. It may bring out some controversial points that medical professionals and others may not agree with, but in hopes of helping and improving the cancer treatment experience for everyone affected in the United States. Research and collection of these sources support the claim that cancer affects more than just the patient directly, but also the surrounding family, friends, and doctors. 

In the article “Cancer Treatment Centers of America Reviews - Is it a Scam or Legit?” the author addresses one controversial aspect of cancer care: the difference between receiving cancer treatment at hospitals and at cancer centers. This article focuses on care at Cancer Treatment Centers of America. Cancer centers tend to specialize in the total care of a patient and come up with a personalized plan. They have various doctors that each specialize in different types of cancer, and patients will not find that at community hospitals. The Cancer Treatment Centers of America handle all aspects of cancer care, such as providing insurance benefits, hotels, travel and more all under one roof. This helps show how the surrounding families are affected by cancer and how the centers address people other than the patient. They pride themselves in providing care and services that patients will not get at their community hospital (W. Kathy). My grandma goes to checkups and had her surgery at the Moffitt Cancer Center in Tampa, Florida. They are a specialized cancer center and their services extend much broader than the average community hospital. She was well taken care of by attentive nurses and surgeons and residents for the week that she was there. I visited her with my mom following her surgery, and the staff was very welcoming to us. They gave us complimentary snacks and drinks and invited us to a cafeteria full of food for every type of eater possible. At the cancer center, social workers and chaplains came to visit my grandmother multiple times during her stay. They were actively involved in her surgery and recovery process. Overall, we were very pleased with the quality of her care. I do not believe she would have received care like this at a community hospital, even though it would have been more convenient and local. According to many statistics cited in the article “Cancer-care competition grows as local treatment centers take on hospitals,” cancer centers and the amount of cancer patients around the country are projected to increase within the next 20 years. As these big cancer centers are being opened and marketed, it makes it difficult for community hospitals to stay in business (Greene). Some may think that cancer centers are ruining our local hospitals and putting them out of business. Others may agree with the authors of these articles and see all the benefits cancer centers provide to their patients. Cancer treatment at major community hospitals can be good, but it is important to look for care at a specialized cancer center. Although community hospitals are convenient, cancer centers go above and beyond to provide the best form of care for their patients. For example, if a patient were to have heart problems, they would seek care at hospital that specializes in cardiac care, so it is important and logical for a cancer patient to seek care at a cancer center (Esposito). In attempts to combat cancer centers, community hospitals are looking for ways to attract new patients to their cancer department. To compensate for some of these issues, some community hospitals are affiliating themselves with cancer centers, and others are building their own cancer branches. Even if the patients have the freedom of choice with their cancer care, they will ultimately have to go where their oncologist and primary care doctor suggest and insurance covers (Greene). 

The various types of cancer treatment and the decisions behind which ones to choose are issues that effect more than just the patient and are often overlooked. In another article, “Chemo Controversy: An Inside Look at the 'Hot Chemotherapy Bath,” the author discusses the topic of the actual cancer treatment options itself. There are many options when it comes to cancer treatment, but the hot chemotherapy bath treatment technique is the most important in this context. This treatment is relevant because this is part of the surgery my grandmother had last month. Controversial questions associated with this treatment are “does this ensure long-term survival?” and “does the surgery actually make a difference?” This unusual form of surgery can last up to 13 hours, keep the patient in the hospital for 2 to 4 weeks, and up to 6 months recovery at home. The doctors use a combination of chemotherapy drugs heated to 107.6 degrees Fahrenheit and shake it through the patient’s body for 90 minutes to essentially kill all visible signs of cancer (Incollingo). My grandmother was in the operating room for 10 hours, was in the hospital for one week, and is currently recovering at home. The medical professionals killed all visible, porous cancer cells in my grandmother’s body. If the cells were not porous, then the surgery would be wasteful because the drugs would not be able to penetrate the surface. At the beginning of this surgery, the doctors need to evaluate the patient to see if they have porous cells and the procedure would be worthwhile. Fortunately, my grandmother was a good candidate for this and could proceed with the hot chemotherapy bath. Following the surgery, the pathology report came back and revealed that 50% of the cancer cells were eliminated from her body, and the likeliness of the spread of the remaining ones will be evaluated via CT scans within the next few months. From the point of view of the author, a lot of people disagree with this type of treatment because it is so involved and it is unsure if it even cures the patient completely. Others like my grandma agree with it because it could be their only chance of survival (Incollingo). This shows how patients and their families have to decide between different forms of treatment instead of the well-known chemotherapy or radiation. A TedTalk given by Professor David Joske discusses how he would like to modernize and change cancer care. A lot of patients do not believe that their care is humane or personal, and this TedTalk discusses the importance of that. It helps explain issues and possible solutions to modern day cancer care and the patients experiencing it (TEDxTalks). There are many options for cancer care that most people do not know about, which makes the decision behind choosing treatment difficult and therefore affecting the patient and other people in their life.

Perhaps the most controversial aspect of cancer care is insurance and the overlying cost. Cancer care is very expensive and is usually covered by the patient’s insurance, but patients without medical insurance are usually not able to receive treatment. This is current issue for a lot of cancer patients who do not have insurance or cannot cover the costs of treatment. This source claims that some cancer deaths may occur due to not having proper health insurance. Additionally, the article discusses the potential view that making healthy lifestyle choices, such as not smoking or being active, could decrease the rate of cancer (Jessen). If my grandmother did not have insurance, every round of chemotherapy she received would cost her approximately $9,000. Prior to her surgery, her total would have been around $130,000 without insurance. The total including her surgery has not been calculated yet, but the cost is sure to skyrocket. Even after this surgery, she is not free from the world of cancer care. It is projected that she will have to continue seeing doctors and receiving treatment for the rest of her life, so it is safe to say this unfortunate event in our lives is costing her a fortune. The average American may overlook these insurance and cost aspects of cancer, and it affects more than just my grandmother or the patient directly. The patient and their family have to make the decision of what kind of care they will get based on cost. My family is lucky enough to have good insurance, so she was able to receive the best level of treatment possible unlike every patient. Cancer drug prices have skyrocketed over the past few years and people who are diagnosed with cancer are over 2.5 times more likely to go bankrupt than those who are not. The only reason patients are proceeding with the treatments and paying the drug companies because they keep them alive. This drug battle will most likely continue infinitely unless laws or deals come into play soon (Marsa).  The cost of care puts a major burden on patients and their families, but they accept it because life is worth any battle. 

One of the more obvious effects of cancer is how it affects the patient and their family emotionally. When my grandma received the news of her diagnosis, she was devastated. My grandfather was also heartbroken because he thought of how their lives were about to change forever and he could not imagine life without her. My grandma went into a period of depression, but soon became more optimistic after the cancer center provided information about her cancer and treatment options. Many people would assume that the emotional effects stopped there with my grandparents in Florida, but the worry and sadness spread up north to my family and my aunt and uncle and their families. My mom and her siblings were crushed, but like their parents, they decided to look at the bright side and make the most of this unfortunate situation. According to author Jennifer Giuffre – Donohue in her article “How Cancer Affects Your Family Emotionally,” the emotional impact on the patient and their family can spread for years and essentially changes your life, but therapy and counseling can save you. The author refers to her family and friends as “co-survivors” because their job in the patient’s care is just as crucial. In the author’s personal fight with cancer, she noticed her relationships with her friends and family have grown stronger since she received the life-changing news (Giuffre – Donohue). As a family member affected by cancer, I can agree that my relationship with my grandmother has grown and strengthened since her diagnosis because of the toll it has taken on our emotions. 

The impact of socioeconomic factors on the cancer treatment of patients is addressed as another often-overlooked topic. Many people think that all Americans are entitled to the same level and type of cancer treatment. This is not always true. It addresses modern day issues that are often overlooked by the average person and is organized in an experimental study. The scientists in the source “How Sociodemographics, Presence of Oncology Specialists, and Hospital Cancer Programs Affect Accrual to Cancer Treatment Trials” conduct an experiment examining different demographic groups across the United States. Depending on the demographics of an area, the level of quality of cancer care can vary. According to the study conducted in the article, the quality of cancer care varies based on age, race, sex, and region of the United States. It reflects on considerations not addressed by other sources in the research and provides a new point of view regarding the universal quality cancer care (Journal of Clinical Oncology). 

Unlike what all the sources above agree upon, Dr. Smith and author Charlie Cooper of the British Medical Journal claim that cancer is the “best death” and we should not waste billions of dollars trying to cure it. The doctor believes that cancer is one of the most ideal ways to pass away because it happens peacefully and is a part of the natural cycle of life and death (Cooper). This is important as a counterargument because it brings up a new point of view that most Americans and I have never considered before. Although the source is credible and backed up by facts from a doctor, most Americans can agree that cancer is a negative thing that affects the patient and others and thus develops my own argument. 

The average person may think that cancer only affects the patient and their health, but it spreads a much wider scope than that. While it is true that being diagnosed with cancer does directly affect the patient, it also has a great impact on the surrounding family, friends, and medical professionals. As seen through extensive research and credible sources, cancer has widespread effects. Outside of the direct issue of the patient being diagnosed with cancer, it goes much deeper. Problems including location of cancer care, the type of care, the cost and insurance, and demographic factors related to the quality of care affect not only the patient but also the family, friends and doctors. Most people, especially those without cancer in their lives, often overlook these issues. Prior to my grandmother being diagnosed with cancer, I did not realize everything that happened and changed not just her life, but my family’s lives and mine as well. It is my goal to spread awareness of my new realization to those who are lucky enough to not have cancer in their lives or those who do not realize the effects. 
