Resources for Additional Cancer Information:

Support and Education Groups

Chemotherapy Education
Cancer 411 class for new patients is available the first and third Wednesdays of each month at 10 a.m. Call 670.4488 for reservations.
Sponsored by the Hendrick Cancer Center

Early Detection
Screenings

• Colon Cancer
• Oral Cancer
• Head and Neck Cancer
• Skin Cancer
• Breast Cancer

Contact The Learning Center or 325.670.4488 for scheduling information.

Educational presentations
Cancer facts and prevention presentations are available for any civic, social or church group by contacting The Learning Center at Hendrick Cancer Center.

Risk Assessments
Cancer Risk Profiles are available at The Learning Center at Hendrick Cancer Center and health fairs throughout the region. The risk appraisals will give individual risks for the nine most common cancers in women and the eight most common cancers in men. These assessments are free.

General Information

What is cancer?
Cancer is actually many different diseases with many causes. Scientists have learned that cancer can develop in the body's cells through a series of separate changes that can take place over a period of years. Many things can affect whether of not the changes occur. One factor is the genes that a person is born with. "Environmental" factors include cigarette smoking and cancer causing agents. called carcinogens. Carcinogens include certain manmade and natural chemicals that may be present in air, water, food and the workplace. There are three major kinds of treatment for cancer . surgery, radiation therapy, and chemotherapy. These treatments are used to destroy the cancer cells. Depending on the type of cancer and the individual, one kind of treatment or a combination of treatments may be used.

Is cancer a disease of older people?
Many people think they do not have to worry about getting cancer until they are older. About 60% of all cancers occur in people over 65. People under the age of 40 often think they have no chance of getting cancer. They delay seeing their physician even though they have a warning sign. Cancer can occur at any age.

Can cancer be caused by an injury?
Injuries such as bruises, cuts and broken bones cannot cause cancer. A person may suffer an injury, go to a physician, and the physician may happen to find a tumor. Cancer is a very complex disease. If there were one single cause of cancer, the cure would have been found long ago. Cancer is caused by many factors. No one single cause can explain it.

Can cancer be inherited?
Cancer can run in families. If one family member has it, others may get the disease. Cancer in families is usually of one type. You should suspect familial cancer when:

Is treatment for pain safe and effective?
It is a myth that too much medication for pain will cause a patient to become addicted. Research has shown that this is not true. People with cancer can take pain medication as long as needed, if used properly, without becoming addicted.

Does cancer mean death?
NO! In fact, about half of the patients diagnosed with cancer will be cured with today's treatments. Hundreds of thousands of people have already been cured of cancer and are leading normal lives. Even people who are not cured may still carry on with little change in their lives. Cancer for these people is an ongoing (chronic) illness that might be compared to diabetes. If a cure is not available, we will do everything we can to prevail over this disease. All cancers are not the same. The truth is, there are more than 100 kinds of cancer. The treatment and survival rates for people with each kind of cancer are very different. A cure for cancer means the cancer cells in the patient's body must be eliminated. If a cure is not possible, then the goal is to control cancer. This means, to stop or slow its spread, while preserving the patient's quality of life. The danger in believing the myth cancer equals death, is that persons with cancer will be considered dying and beyond help. The fact is, they may be living with a disease that can be treated. The focus must be always on HOW a person will live with cancer. So remember the good news . about half of the people who get cancer today will survive. Also, there are approximately eight million Americans alive today with a history of cancer.

Chemotherapy Education
A patient can visit the Learning Center and receive information from varied sources, offers opportunity for patients and caregivers to ask questions and clarify individual needs. A great deal of information has been prepared for each patient who is beginning treatment for cancer. This information is available in the Learning Center in the lobby of Hendrick Cancer Center and through the Cancer 411 class.

Clinical Research
Parther with Southwest Medical School and National Institue fo Health for clinical trials.