Cancer Nutrition:

How is diet for people with cancer different? Is a special plan needed?
The right type of diet is extremely important during cancer care. It will help provide the required calories and nutrients to the person’s body, so that they can fight the cancer and stay strong. A special diet plan will help to add all the required nutrients to the meals, and also ensure that the patient eats something they like.
Eating healthy meals before, during and after the cancer treatment can help to improve energy and also improve overall health. However, cancer treatment can sometimes make it difficult for the person to be able to eat properly, and in the right quantities.
A special diet plan can help keep all these things in mind, and still enable the person to get all the nutrients through carefully planned meals.

Are the diet recommendations different for each cancer?
No. These are not different.
These are decided based on patient’s comorbidities (Diabetes, Hypertension, Cardiac Disease etc.). Also, sometimes site of cancer mandates diet like in Head and neck cancers – liquids or semisolids. But usually all diet plans are patient specific and not cancer specific

What kind of diet support does Sunrise Oncology center provide?
All hospitals where Sunrise Oncology has centers have dieticians which give individual plans.

Psychological Counselling:

What kind of counselling services does Sunrise Oncology centre provide to patients and their families?
We have clinical psychologists and palliative specialists who counsel the patients and caregivers.

Why is counselling required and for whom?
Counselling is of crucial importance for those with cancer, as well as for their family members or caregivers.
• Counselling can help to cope with the diagnosis.
• It can help the person and the family come to terms with the condition and accept it, thus enabling to move on better with the treatment plan.
• Counselling may help reduce anxiety and depression.
• It can also help to improve will power so that the person is better able to fight the cancer.
• Enables better communication between the person and the medical care team.
Counselling can be done for the individual, for the couple, for the family, and even as group counselling.

Physiotherapy:

How is physiotherapy helpful in people with cancer?
Physiotherapy can be a very effective tool in helping a cancer patient before, during and after the treatment.
• Physiotherapy and regular exercise can improve the overall quality of life.
• It can help treat the physical symptoms that are often associated with different types of cancer.
• It may reduce, as well as prevent, disabilities.
• It can also help to reduce problems of fatigue.
• It is also a great way to maintain a healthy weight and prevent any muscle-wastage.
• Physiotherapy can also reduce physical health issues in the future and may improve overall health.

Which type of cancers benefit most from physiotherapy?
People with almost all types of cancer can benefit from physiotherapy treatment. Your oncologist and cancer medical care team will be able to help you find the most suitable physiotherapy treatment.

What does SOC offer in terms of cancer physiotherapy?
All centers have physiotherapist attached to hospital which provide physiotherapy advice. We also have ties with physiotherapist which provide OPD services for physiotherapy.

Pain Management in Cancer:

What causes pain in cancer?
• While there are many reasons that cause pain during cancer, one of the biggest reasons for the pain is the cancer itself.
• As the cancer grows, it starts damaging the tissues in the nearby areas, and as a result, it leads to pain.
• The cancer also releases chemicals that can irritate the surrounding areas near the tumor.
• As the tumor grows, it can put undue pressure and stress on the organs, nerves and bones around, causing more pain.

How is pain in cancer managed?
Make sure to speak to your doctor about any pain and discomfort that you may be having, even if they do not always ask you about it.
• Oral or IV pain medication is usually given to counter pain
• In some cases, the doctor may recommend other ways to reduce the pain, instead of medicines, such as using a nerve block, massages, acupuncture, reiki, yoga, meditation and so on.

How should you tell your doctor about your pain?
While describing your pain to your doctor, make sure to talk about the following points:
• Where exactly do you feel the pain?
• Is it a sharp or dull pain? Do you feel it all the time or does it come and go?
• Is it a constant or a throbbing pain?
• Is the pain a shooting kind of pain or is it steady?
• Does the pain vary in intensity or does it stay the same throughout?
• How long does the pain usually last?
• How strong is the pain on a scale of 1 to 10, with 1 being the least and 10 being the strongest?
• Is there anything you have tried out that makes the pain feel better?
• How often do you feel the pain? Every day? Every other day? Few times a week? Once a day? More than once a day?
One of the best ways to be able to give your doctor the right information about your pain is to maintain a journal where you write down about all details related to your pain, so that you don’t miss out on any important information.

What medicines are used for cancer pain?
The medicines that are used to treat pain during cancer usually fall under these three categories:
1. Over-the-counter medicine: These are the types that you take for mild pain, fever, body ache and so on.
2. Prescription medicine: Weak or strong opioids are usually given when the pain is intolerable.

Are there any non-drug pain treatment options available at SOC?
No

Are there any procedures offered at SOC to relieve pain?
In attached hospitals, there are pain specialists available who can address your problems.