Wellbeing, Survivorship and Previvorship
Wellbeing, Survivorship and Previvorship
Wellbeing refers to an overall sense of health, meaning, purpose, and feeling supported. Wellbeing includes emotional health and the ability to manage stress.
Most people experience distress when they are diagnosed with cancer or learn that they are at high risk for cancer. This distress can affect many aspects of healthcare and can persist during and after treatment or prevention has ended. There are guidelines for measuring distress, pinpointing its causes, managing it and helping improve the overall wellbeing of people facing cancer.
For people who have been diagnosed with cancer, survivorship focuses on their health and wellbeing from the time of diagnosis through treatment and beyond.
Previvorship focuses on the health and wellbeing starting when people learn they are at high risk and throughout their lives.
Both terms recognize that fact that for some people the consequences of a cancer diagnosis or risk can last long after medical care has ended.
Read more about topics related to wellbeing, survivorship and previvorship in the sections below.
Watch our Video
Is this my new normal? Navigating life detours due to risk management or treatment
Emotional Health
Most people diagnosed with, or at high risk for cancer have some distress. Learn about the resources and services that provide emotional healthcare and support to survivors and previvors.
Nutrition, Exercise & Weight
Leading a healthy lifestyle contributes to overall wellbeing. Read about nutrition and exercise guidelines and resources to help you maintain or improve your fitness.
Sexual Health & Intimacy
Many aspects of cancer treatment or preventive care affect sexuality and intimacy. Learn about available options and resources to address sexual side effects and improve sexual health.
Palliative & Integrative Care
addresses quality of life issues for patients and their families. Integrative medicine combines traditional medicine and complementary medicine to treat the whole person; mind, body and spirit. Read more about the services each provides.
Survivorship & Previvorship
Cancer treatment, prevention and surgical cancer can lead to short- and long-term health concerns for survivors and previvors. Learn about the services and resources available to address these issues.
Find Experts
Finding mental health experts
Support for severe distress
If you are experiencing severe distress and cannot wait for a referral to a mental health care professional, please call the experts at the National Suicide Prevention Helpline.
- The National Suicide Prevention Helpline is a network of crisis centers that provide free and confidential emotional support for people in suicidal crisis or extreme distress. Dial 988 for help.
Finding professional support related to cancer distress
The following resources can help you locate a mental health expert in your area.
- The Association of Oncology Social Workers: Database for finding a social worker by location.
- The National Alliance on Mental Illness: Tips for finding a mental health professional.
- The Anxiety and Depression Association of America: Database of licensed professionals who provide telehealth services.
- Mental Health America: Tool for finding a mental health care professional based on people's current needs.
Other ways to find experts
- Register for the FORCE Message Boards and post on the Find a Specialist board to connect with other people who share your situation.
- The National Cancer Institute (NCI)-Designated Comprehensive Cancer Centers have specialists to manage the symptoms and side effects of cancer prevention or treatment.
- Cancercare (800-813-HOPE) is a nonprofit organization that provides support through its trained oncology social workers.
- Livestrong has helpful information and tips for finding mental health care professionals.
Get Support
FORCE offers many peer support programs for people with inherited mutations.
- Our Message Boards allow people to connect with others who share their situation. Once registered, you can post on the Diagnosed With Cancer board to connect with other people who have been diagnosed.
- Our Peer Navigation Program will match you with a volunteer who shares your mutation and situation.
- Our moderated, private Facebook group allows you to connect with other community members 24/7.
- Check out our virtual and in-person support meeting calendar.
- Join one of our Zoom community group meetings.
Related Resources
The following organizations have resources related to mental and emotional health after a cancer diagnosis.
- FORCE related resources:
- Information: Emotional Well-being
- FORCE Video: Is This My New Normal? Navigating Life Detours Due to Risk Management or Treatment
- FORCE Video: Mindfulness and Coping
- XRAY category: Emotional health
- Cancer Support Community
- CancerCare
- Cancer Hope Network
- National Comprehensive Cancer Network Guidelines for Patients: Distress During Cancer Care
Open Clinical Trials
The following studies of the emotional effects of cancer are enrolling patients.
Multiple cancers
- NCT04739696: Developing a Virtual Stress Management Intervention for Spousal/Partnered Caregivers of Solid Tumor Cancer Patients. This study looks at the ability of a stress management program for employed caregivers to improve psychological distress in spouses or partners who are caregivers for people diagnosised with a solid tumor cancer of any .
- NCT03581357: Mobile Mindfulness Meditation Intervention for Cancer Survivors. This effort studies the impact and satisfaction of Mobile Mindfulness Meditation on anxiety, pain, fatigue, trauma and sleep in cancer survivors.
- NCT03611309: Perioperative Surrounding Cancer Surgery for Patients & Their Family Members (PERIOP-PC). The goal of this project is to compare surgeon-palliative care team co-management, versus surgeon-alone management of patients and family members preparing for major upper gastrointestinal cancer surgery.
- NCT04604158: Evaluating the Effect of a Mobile Audio Companion (Elly) to Reduce Anxiety in Cancer Patients. This study examines the feasibility of a mobile health application, Elly (Elly Health Inc.), to reduce levels of anxiety, stress, loneliness, and social isolation of cancer patients.
Breast cancer
- NCT05364450: Studying Types of Therapy for Coping With Fear of Recurrence Among Breast Cancer Survivors. This study tests three types of online, group therapy for breast cancer survivors with fear of breast cancer recurrence.
- NCT04583891: Mobile Apps to Reduce Distress in Breast Cancer Survivors Using an Adaptive Design. This project looks at using a mobile health app to address emotional distress in women with breast cancer and tests the impact of coaching as a way to increase engagement with the app.
cancer
- NCT02871752: Reducing the Effects of Active Surveillance Stress, Uncertainty and Rumination Thru Engagement in Mindfulness Education (REASSUREME). This study examines how well a couples-based, mindfulness-based stress reduction (MBSR) works on positive and negative psychological responses to active surveillance (AS) and AS adherence.
- NCT03344757: Health Gatherings - For Your Health After Cancer. This study looks at the effects of a 10-week, in-person stress management group program. The program will study the effects of stress, and stress management techniques on quality of life, distress, depression and physical health in Spanish-speaking, Hispanic/Latino men diagnosed with cancer.