Coping with Treatment of Brain Stem glioma

Executive Summary

Brain stem glioma treatment evolves various side effects and alterations to the patient’s body. The results of treatment show variations as per the child’s age. Sometimes the same treatment strategy used for a particular disease condition evolves with different effects. Hence, it is difficult for predicting the outcome and impact of a specific treatment on people. Therefore, coping-up strategies are adopted to mitigate the treatment’s side effects. Open communication with the expert regarding new signs or symptoms experienced by the patients helps plan ways to manage and relieve these symptoms and side effects effectively.

The parents of the children can seek professional therapies for mitigating the adverse emotional impacts during brain stem glioma treatment. General physical side effects of each treatment option for diffuse and focal brain stem glioma are addressed by adopting supportive or palliative care provided by the healthcare team. Parents and other families are motivated to communicate with the medical team about their financial concerns. Several services help children manage such a group of children treating brain stem glioma. Caregivers play an essential role in caring for children with brain stem glioma. Effective communication of the children with the healthcare team is maintained regarding the side effects by implicating related questions.

Coping-up with the Treatment for Brain Stem Glioma- Childhood

A cancer diagnosis can be overburdening, but you can find ways for Coping with Treatment of Brain Stem glioma with stress and uncertainty with time.

Whether chemotherapy or radiotherapy, every cancer treatment has its side effects that can cause changes in the body, either physically or mentally. Any treatment for brain stem glioma can cause aftereffects or modifications to the child’s body and how they feel. Children do not experience the same side effects even though they receive the same treatment because everybody responds differently.

Coping with physical side effects 

Communication with your health care team about how you feel is very important, so they know any new side effects or changes in the existing ones. If your health care team know about how you are feeling, they can help relieve and manage your side effects to make you feel more comfortable and prevent the side effects from worsening. 

Sometimes, physical side effects can stay after treatment ends, and these are long-term side effects. The side effects that occur months or years after treatment are called late effects. Treatment of long-term side effects and late effects is an essential part of survivorship care. 

Coping with emotional side effects

After cancer diagnosis, you may experience emotional and social effects that include dealing with difficult emotions, such as sadness, anxiety, anger, or managing your stress level. Sometimes, people find it difficult to convey how they feel to their loved ones. Talking to an oncology social worker, counsellor, or clergy member can help them develop more effective coping methods and talking about cancer ^​1​.

Coping with cancer cost

Coping with Treatment of Brain Stem glioma can be costly. It can become a reason for stress and anxiety for the family and a person with cancer. Cancer cost includes not only treatment costs but also unplanned expenses related to the care. The high medical care cost stops some people from completing their cancer treatment plan, which puts their health and life at risk and can cause higher prices in the future. Patients and their families can talk about financial concerns with a member of their health care team.

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Caring for a loved one with cancer

A caregiver is a person that plays a vital role in taking care of a person with bladder cancer. A family member or friend can be a caregiver providing physical, practical, and emotional support to patients, even if they live far away.

The responsibility of caregivers may include:

• Giving medications
• Providing support and encouragement
• Helping manage symptoms and side effects
• Talking with the health care team
• Assisting with meals
• Coordinating medical appointments
• Providing a ride to and from appointments
• Handling insurance and billing issues
• Helping with household chores

Taking with your child’s Health care team about the side effects

Ask: 

• Which side effects most likely to happen?
• What can we do to prevent or relieve them?
• When are they likely to happen?

Always make sure to tell your child’s health care team about any side effects that happen during treatment and afterwards, too. Inform them even if you do not think the side effects are severe ^​2​. This discussion should include the physical, emotional, social, and financial impact of a brain stem glioma diagnosis.

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