The Emotional Pain
of Cancer Diagnosis
Many Patients Require Help

When a patient hears a diagnosis of cancer, the world seems to fracture – if only temporarily – into splinters of shock, fear, and disbelief. When time resumes, the universe is a different place.

It’s that altered, post-cancer world that Joel Marcus, PsyD, addresses as he counsels and educates patients,
their partners, families, and friends. One of just 450 oncologic psychologists in the U.S., Marcus is an integral
part of the multidisciplinary approach to patient care at the Cancer Therapy & Treatment Center.

“Life after a cancer diagnosis begins to revolve around tests, scans, treatments, and appointments,” he said.“All too often, the very nature of the disease and treatment can result in the patient becoming overwhelmed, confused, or depressed.” A majority of patients require assistance in adapting to the disease and treatment process and to their family’s adaptation, as well.

Marcus considers it an injustice to the patient if medical professionals treat only the cancer and fail to recognize the psychosocial needs of the individual. The National Comprehensive Cancer Network today encourages oncologists and other professionals to uniformly and routinely screen patients for signs of stress, just as they routinely require weigh-ins and blood pressure tests. These are the guidelines that Marcus has implemented in his department at CTRC.

When the medical staff refers patients to Marcus, he often begins by providing education about the current treatment process and offering cognitive behavioral therapy to challenge unhealthy thoughts so the patient will feel less anxious. Issues may include sexual functioning, body image, body functioning (like incontinence), depression, anxiety, fear, frustration with side effects, and pain.

Marcus coordinates his own efforts with those of the patient’s medical team so that all therapies are complementary and beneficial to the patient. It’s a testimony to the philosophy of treating the body, mind, and spirit and to the very purpose of the new specialty of oncologic psychology.

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