Symptom Management

Facts about Cancer

Many of our patients have told us, “The cure should not be worse than the disease.” Therefore, Symptom Management is an important part of cancer treatment. Symptoms can include, but are not limited to, nausea and vomiting, pain, mouth sores, anxiety, sleeplessness and fatigue. These symptoms may be secondary to the cancer treatment or even from the cancer itself.

Patients should be very honest with doctors and nurses about how treatments are affecting them and their quality of life. They should be an active partner in their treatment and help their care team to decide what will work best.

Massage Therapy

A soft tissue manipulation that improves nutrition and circulation to the tissues while promoting a sense of well-being. Massage may be helpful in managing the symptoms of nausea, anxiety, pain, shortness of breath and sleeplessness. All of our massage therapists employed by Mercy Cancer Center are licensed under the State of Ohio Medical Board and have received a certificate in advanced study of "Massage for People Living with Cancer."

Massage Therapy is available at these Mercy locations:

Lymphedema Treatment

Lymphedema is a swelling in a part of the body (arm, leg or trunk) caused by an accumulation of fluid in the tissues. Lymphedema can occur following surgical intervention (i.e. node dissection, lumpectomy, mastectomy) or radiation therapy. This condition sometimes occurs following breast cancer treatment. Presently, there is no cure for lymphedema, but it can be controlled through manual lymph drainage (a specialized massage), exercise, or compression bandaging or garment use.

Other Information Resources

The National Cancer Institute and the American Cancer Society offer:

Nausea and Vomiting Treatment Guidelines
Cancer Pain Guidelines