Staying On Treatment: Why Adherence To Medication Is So Important
- Keeping cancer patients on medication that can help them is a huge issue. Everything from side effects to finances can lead to problems with what doctors call “adherence & compliance.” Some patients also choose to skip rounds of toxic treatments such as chemo so that they might feel better for a milestone event such as a birthday or graduation.
- Britain’s King Charles appears to have a decision to temporarily suspend treatment for an old style royal tour.
- Doctors strongly advise against skipping treatment, as medication protocols are key to achieving better outcomes
- At the same time, it’s crucial to acknowledge how hard it can be for patients with horrible medication side effects.
We understand that taking a break from treatment can be arduous, but doing what’s best for you, with the advisement of your healthcare team and doctors should always be a priority.
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As per a Monday report by the Daily Mail, doctors have informed the King he’ll is permitted to take 11 days off of his cancer treatment with his loving wife, Queen Camila, along with a traveling doctor included in his group of associates.
King Charles is set to embark on his Royal business trip on Oct. 18 and return on Oct. 26. He and Camilla will be visiting Australia, specially the cities Sydney and Canberra, prior to attending the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM) in the Independent State of Samoa, an island country in Polynesia.
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The King will return to his normal treatment schedule once he returns home. And although it’s unclear what type of treatment he is getting, we’d like to point out that one type of chemotherapy that offers weekly treatments and can be given on on-off-cycles, are chemo infusions.
We certainly admire the King’s ability to balance his work responsibilities amid his cancer journey, and his adherence to his treatment schedule, even though he is somehow able to take 11 days off.
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According to the Daily Mail, sources say the Royal couple’s upcoming trip includes 10 engagements a day, with only one “down day” to relax.
Insiders also tell the news outlet that King Charles’ schedule has been put in place with his doctors’ advice, keeping his health a priority along his ongoing recovery.
Although King Charles has remained in positive spirits while immersing himself in his work, something his advisors and wife prefer him to do less of, sources told the Daily Mail the King feels “energized” by his normal work routine.
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Thankfully it appears King Charles is making time to rest before this trip, as a source also said, “The fortnight in the run up to the royal tour has been kept deliberately light for His Majesty. He will still be undertaking meetings, doing his paperwork and still come down for treatment.
‘Australia is a big deal and he wants to be fighting fit. As soon as he returns he is also straight into a really intense programme all the way up to Christmas.”
The source continued, “The late Queen would stay in Scotland into October and he’s decided to do the same. It’s a place of peace for him and that’s more imperative than usual this year because of what he has coming up.
‘For a workaholic [like him] it’s the chance to have a small breather.”
Expert Resources On Coping With Emotions Through Cancer Treatment
The King was treated for an undisclosed type of cancer in January 2024, which doesn’t appear to be prostate cancer from what the Palace has shared. It was confirmed he had an enlarged prostate procedure on Jan. 17.
“During The King’s recent hospital procedure for benign prostate enlargement, a separate issue of concern was noted. Subsequent diagnostic tests have identified a form of cancer,” the palace said in a statement around that time, reported by PEOPLE.
According to the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases, benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH), also known as benign prostatic hypertrophy or benign prostatic obstruction, is “a condition in men in which the prostate gland is enlarged and not cancerous.”
The NIDDKD explains, “The prostate goes through two main growth periods as a man ages. The first occurs early in puberty, when the prostate doubles in size. The second phase of growth begins around age 25 and continues during most of a man’s life. Benign prostatic hyperplasia often occurs with the second growth phase.
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“As the prostate enlarges, the gland presses against and pinches the urethra. The bladder wall becomes thicker. Eventually, the bladder may weaken and lose the ability to empty completely, leaving some urine in the bladder. The narrowing of the urethra and urinary retention, the inability to empty the bladder completely, cause many of the problems associated with benign prostatic hyperplasia.”
Patient Adherence To Treatment Plans
Although we can’t confirm what type of cancer treatment King Charles is undergoing, we do want to point out the importance of patient adherence to treatment plans is crucial in battling disease or disease management. A regular treatment plan is also imperative to one’s health and overall happiness.
However, for anyone undergoing chemotherapy treatment via infusion, those types of medications are often delivered on a weekly basis.
According to Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, “If you have chemotherapy by infusion, the medication is delivered to your bloodstream through a needle in a vein from your arm or a central line. You might also receive supportive medications or treatments (such as hydration) by infusion.”
The American Cancer Society (ACS) explains, “Many types of chemo are given as an infusion or injection. With chemo infusions, chemotherapy drugs are put into your body through a thin tube called a catheter that’s placed in a vein, artery, body cavity, or body part. In some cases, a chemo drug may be injected quickly with a syringe.”
As for where a patient has to go for chemotherapy infusion or injection, it all depends on the types of drugs, doses, hospital policies, and insurance coverage.
ACS says this type of chemotherapy may be administered at home, in your doctor’s office, in a clinic, in a hospital’s outpatient infusion center, or in a hospital.
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When it comes to how often the treatment is needed, it all depends on the type of cancer, drugs being used, treatment goals, and how your body reacts to the treatment.
The ACS explains further, “You may get treatments daily, weekly, or monthly, but they’re usually given in on-and-off cycles. This means, for example, that you may get chemo the first 2 weeks and then have a week off, making it a cycle that will start over every 3 weeks. The time off lets your body build healthy new cells and regain its strength.
“Your cancer care team can tell you how many cycles are planned and how long they expect your treatment to last.”
“Many people wonder how long the actual drugs stay in their body and how they’re removed. Your kidneys and liver break down most chemo drugs which then leave your body through urine or stool. How long it takes your body to get rid of the drugs depends on many things, including the type of chemo you get, other medicines you take, your age, and how well your kidneys and liver work. Your cancer care team will tell you if you need to take any special precautions because of the drugs you are getting,” the ACS adds.
“If your cancer comes back, you might have chemo again. This time, you could be given different drugs to relieve symptoms or to slow the cancer’s growth or spread. Side effects might be different, depending on the drugs, the doses, and how they’re given.”
Additionally, we admire how King Charles has a travel doctor during his getaways, which remind us about the importance of a doctor-patient relationship.
Although there will always be limitations on how much time a doctor can spend with any given patient, the doctor-patient relationship is extremely important after a cancer diagnosis says Dr. Nina Shah, a hematologist at UCSF Medical Center. You’ll want to make sure you are working with a doctor you trust, who will respect your opinion and keep you informed about all of the treatment options for your particular diagnosis.
The Doctor-Patient Relationship
You’ll also want to know about your doctors credentials. It’s very important that your doctor is board-certified in treating cancer. This proves that your doctor has special expertise in cancer.
And you may even want to find someone who is board-certified in treating your specific cancer. Experience is also important. You want a doctor who has seen and treated a lot of people with your cancer. Such a doctor is more likely to be up-to-date on the standard and experimental treatments currently available.
WATCH: What should you consider when choosing your care team?
Working Through Cancer
SurvivorNet experts say working during cancer treatment, if you’re able to continue performing your regular duties as King Charles continues to do, can help your prognosis.
Doctors and social workers in the oncology field have told SurvivorNet that they recommend working during cancer treatment because work can establish a sense of normalcy in a person’s life.
WATCH: Working during cancer treatment.
It provides a needed source of income and reminds you that you have a life apart from cancer as a valued employee, a great boss, or a trusted co-worker.
A work-life also encourages regular contact with others. Sometimes, cancer can make you feel isolated and lonely, and being around people can be a great comfort.
It’s important to talk with your doctor before taking the big step of returning to work. Some people can continue to work during cancer treatment, and those who need to take some time away.
It depends on the person, their cancer, and the treatment.
“Some women choose to continue working [through cancer] because working is a significant part of their identity, they enjoy the job, and there’s flexibility built in,” Laurie Ostacher, a social worker at Sutter Bay Medical Foundation, told SurvivorNet.
“I help folks think about whether it makes sense to work. If you don’t want to but are worried you’re not going to be able to make ends meet, then I’ll sit down and help them figure out, you know, with your disability insurance, would this be possible?”
No matter what, it’s important to do what’s right for you and seek out valuable resources like Ostacher if you need help deciding on the right course of action for working during a cancer battle.
Contributing: SurvivorNet Staff
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