• Online
• Organizations
• Print
• Video

• Clinic
• Audiotapes
• Print

Pain and symptom discomfort

Managing Cancer Pain
http://www.ahcpr.gov/clinic/
US Government's Agency for Health Care Policy and Research, 1994. These extensive guidelines, written for physicians, can be accessed from the web page under the link "Clinical Practice Guidelines Online" and clicking on the documents for managing cancer pain. Can also be ordered from AHCPR Publications Clearinghouse, PO Box 8547, Silver Spring, MD 20907-8547; (800) 358-9295.

National Cancer Institute, NCI/PDQ Physician Statement: Pain
http://www.oncolink.upenn.edu/pdq_html/3/engl/304470.html
Intended for physicians, this Quick Reference Guide focuses on pharmacologic, physical, and psychosocial ways to manage cancer pain, and is adapted from the more extensive "Clinical Practice Guidelines" (see the previous resource, Managing Cancer Pain).

Questions and Answers About Pain Control: A Guide For People With Cancer and Their Families.
http://pain.roxane.com/library/PatientLibrary/NCI/
A good basic introduction on pain and pain control. American Cancer Society publication #4518-PS, 1992; (800) ACS-2345.

Radiation Therapy and You: A Guide To Self-Help During Treatment.
http://wwwicic.nci.nih.gov/Radiation/radintro.html
A basic introduction to the topic of radiation treatment, how and why it is done, and coping with the side effects. NCI publication # 94-2227, 1993; (800) 4-CANCER.

Roxane Pain Institute
http://pain.roxane.com/index.html

Talarian Index
http://www.stat.washington.edu/TALARIA/index.html

**Many of the organizations which follow also have an online site, and some of the publications in the Print sections have links as well.

American Hair Loss Council
(800) 274-8717
World Wide Web: http://www.ahlc.org/
The American Hair Loss Council (AHLC) is a non-profit organization designed to provide the public with non-biased information on treatments and options for men, women and children experiencing hair loss. The Website has extensive links.

Cancer Care
1180 Avenue of the Americas
New York, NY 10036
(212) 221-3300
Free counseling hot line: (800) 813-HOPE or (800) 813-4673
World Wide Web: http://www.cancercareinc.org/
A social service agency dedicated to helping patients and families cope with the emotional impact of cancer. Provides services in the New York area, and referrals elsewhere. Ask for Cancer Care's Pain Resource Center. Educational teleconferences in Real Audio format are available for listening at http://www.cancercareinc.org/audio/teleconferences.htm.

Chemocare
Hot line: (800) 55-CHEMO or
(908) 233-1103 in New Jersey
CHEMOcare is a non-profit, voluntary program whose chief goal is to encourage people undergoing treatment for cancer to continue despite adverse side effects. Support is given by people who have survived a similar experience and have resumed living normal lives.

Encore
YWCA of the USA
Office of the Women's Health Initiative
624 9th St., 3rd Floor
Washington, DC 20001-5394
(202) 628-3636
Encore is a program of peer support and exercise for women who have had breast cancer surgery. Operated through local YWCA member associates.

Look Good...Feel Better
(800) 395-LOOK or
(800) ACS-2345
World Wide Web: http://nysernet.org/bcic/numbers/look-good.html
A collaboration of the American Cancer Society, the Cosmetic, Toiletry and Fragrance Association, and the National Cosmetology Association, the "Look Good...Feel Better" program is a community based, free national service which teaches female cancer patients beauty techniques to help enhance their appearance and self-image during chemotherapy and radiation treatments.

National Lymphedema Network
1611 Telegraph Ave, Suite 1111
Oakland, CA 94612-2138
Phone: (510) 208-3200
Fax: (510) 208-3110
Info Line: (800) 541-3259
Email: nln@lymphnet.org
World Wide Web: http://www.lymphnet.org
Provides patients and professionals with information about prevention and treatment of this complication of lymph node surgery. Offers guidelines and referrals for medical treatment, physical therapy, and support. Publishes a quarterly newsletter and sponsors national conferences. They will send out an information packet.

In addition to the following publications, some of the resources in the above Online section are also available in print. Contact information for ordering is included in those listings.

Chemotherapy and Radiation Therapy for Patients and their Families, by Marylin J. Dodd, R.N., Ph.D. Third edition. UCSF Nursing Press, 1996. Offers detailed coping strategies and information.

The Chemotherapy and Radiation Therapy Survival Guide, second edition, by Judith McKay, R.N., Nancee Hirano, R.N., and Miles Lampenfeld. Oakland, CA: New Harbinger Publications, 1998. A basic guide to understanding and coping with treatment.

Choices, by Marion Morra and Eve Potts. Third edition. Avon Books, 1994. A classic in the field, this well-thought-out basic compendium of treatment and resources, written in a clearly understandable format, is for all cancer patients. Sections on basic understanding of cancer and its treatments are particularly useful.

Coping with Chemotherapy, by Nancy Bruning. Ballantine Books, 1993. Paperback. Very good book on all aspects of coping with treatment, both practical and emotional, from a breast cancer survivor.

Handbook of Psychooncology: Psychological Care of the Patient With Cancer, Jimmie C. Holland and Julia H. Rowland, editors. Oxford University Press, 1989. Written for professionals working with cancer patients, this anthology of scholarly articles concerns all aspects of emotional and psychological care for persons coping with cancer. Particularly useful for its review of the literature of psychooncology, an emerging discipline.

Home Care Guide for Cancer: How to Care for Family and Friends at Home. Published by the American College of Physicians. Softcover, 276 pages. To purchase, contact the ACP Customer Service at (800)523-1546, extension 2600, or (215) 351-2600. View a sample article on fatigue at The Cancer Care website: http://www.cancercareinc.org/campaigns/fatigue2.htm.

The Beauty of Control. Videotape created by Laurie Feldman, a member of the Breast Cancer Discussion List until her death in 1996. Narrated by Jill Eikenberry, this 17 minute videotape helps patients emotionally during treatment through advice on improving physical appearance with cosmetics and other aids. Medical Video Productions, 450 North New Ballas Road, Suite 266, St. Louis, MO 63141. (800) 822-3100 or (314) 991-5510.

Complementary treatments

Source Cassette Learning Systems, Inc. Beautifully made audiotapes by Emmett Miller, M.D. and Steven Halpern, PhD. offer soothing music with meditation, visualization, self-healing, and pain control. One example: An Answer to Cancer Side 1: The Healing Image; Side 2: Targeting your Treatment. Call or write for a list of offerings: PO Box W, Stanford, CA 94309; (800) 52-TAPES.

Full Catastrophe Living: Using the Wisdom of Your Body and Mind to Face Stress, Pain, and Illness, by Jon Kabat-Zinn. This book has a companion set of Sress Reduction Tapes. Full information is given with the book listing, below.

Cancer Therapy: The Independent Consumer's Guide to Non-Toxic Treatment and Prevention, by Ralph Moss, Ph.D. Equinox Press, 1992. A widely respected review of 100 nontoxic or relatively non-toxic treatment options. Of particular interest is his review of the evidence that some of these substances can enhance conventional therapy or reduce its side effects. Moss's website is at: http://www.ralphmoss.com/

Choices in Healing: Integrating the Best of Conventional and Complementary Approaches to Cancer, by Michael Lerner. Cambridge: MIT Press, 1994. Lerner, Director of Commonweal, a California retreat center for cancer patients, gives a lucid, unbiased, thorough and thoughtful presentation of this complex and confusing topic. The entire book is now available online in searchable format at the Commonweal website: http://www.commonwealhealth.org/choicescontents.html

Full Catastrophe Living: Using the Wisdom of Your Body and Mind to Face Stress, Pain, and Illness, by Jon Kabat-Zinn. New York: Delacorte Press, 1990. From the pioneering work done in the Stress Reduction Clinic of the University of Massachusetts Medical Center, this innovative and comprehensive book is about using mindfulness meditation and yoga to cope with pain and illness. These easy to learn techniques have been taught to many thousands of medical patients, referred by their physicians. Also, try the companion set of Stress Reduction Tapes, available from P.O. Box 547, Lexington, MA 02173. Simple, easy to do yoga, relaxation and meditation tapes that are used in the Clinic.

Head First: The Biology of Hope and the Healing Power of the Human Spirit, by Norman Cousins. New York: E. P. Dutton, 1989. Reviews some of the evidence on the influence of attitudes and beliefs on illness, and has excellent material on the doctor-patient relationship.