Transitions Throughout the Cancer Experience: Diagnosis, Treatment, Survivorship, and End of Life

Abstract

Transitions are associated with life events that require individuals to consider the direction and meaning of their lives while moving from one stage or state to another. For most individuals, a diagnosis of cancer is such an event. Success in transitioning from one cancer related event to the next is dependent on a number of factors, including: prognosis, ability to cope, social support, and the care provided. While statistics on morbidity and mortality related to cancer are less than positive, progress has been made and an increasing number of individuals are living longer, more productive lives in remission from their disease. As a result, it is now more important than ever to understand the kinds of transitions that cancer patients face as they cope with the challenges of their condition. Estimates provided by the American Cancer Society (2008a) suggest that 1.4 million new cases of cancer will be diagnosed in the United States in 2008 and approximately 1,500 Americans will die each day from the disease. The terms cancer and malignancy refer to more than 100 diseases characterized by the uncontrolled growth and spread of abnormal cells. Specific causation is difficult to determine, in part because both internal (e.g., genetic predisposition) and external factors (e.g., tobacco, radiation) are involved and they may occur alone or in sequence. To add to the complexity of causation, various immune conditions can lead to a diagnosis of cancer. In addition, a number of years can pass between the initiation of the malignant process and diagnosis of the disease.