What Is A Cancer Treatment Plan?

Treating cancer can involve a number of different specialists, medical practices, and caregivers. It’s important that every person involved in the process fully understands the patient’s cancer, treatments, symptoms, and goals. That is why SERO recommends all our patients maintain an updated cancer treatment plan.

A written cancer treatment plan outlines all aspects of a patient’s cancer and treatments. This ensures every provider and caretaker understands the patient’s history and goals and can provide treatment accordingly.

When you are diagnosed with cancer, your first step is to choose your treatment options. Doing so may involve the opinions of multiple specialists, friends, and loved ones. Download our free Cancer Treatment Plan for ways to track your journey.

Once you decide on a treatment or treatments, you and your doctors will plan and schedule them. These planning and scheduling decisions make up your treatment plan. 

Your treatment planning and scheduling will serve as the structure for your cancer treatment plan. Your cancer treatment plan is essentially a written roadmap for your cancer treatment. In addition to details about your cancer and your plan for treatment, it also includes important details about your experience, like symptoms and goals.

Usually, a cancer treatment plan is created by your cancer care team. It is then shared with anyone else involved in your cancer care, such as specialists or caregivers. Sharing a cancer plan helps keep everyone informed of a patient’s plan and progress to ensure the correct treatment is always given. It’s also important to update a treatment plan as things change, including treatment schedules and symptoms.

Cancer treatment plans outline four distinct aspects of a cancer patient’s experience: general information, diagnosis, treatment plan, and symptoms.

Personal care guidelines are one aspect of your treatment plan and are crucial to your emotional and physical well-being. They may cover resources for finding support groups or methods for alleviating side effects, such as:

• Get plenty of rest: Many patients experience fatigue during radiation therapy, so it is important to make sure you are well rested.
• Eat a balanced, nutritious diet: With certain types of treatment, it may be necessary to modify your diet to receive essential vitamins and minerals, and minimize side effects. You should not attempt to lose weight during radiation therapy, since you require more calories due to your cancer and treatment.
• Treat the skin that is exposed to radiation with extra care: Cleanse the skin daily, avoid using lotions in the treatment areas, and protect the treated area from hot or cold temperatures.
• Seek out emotional support: At times, it may help to talk about your feelings with a close friend, family member, nurse, social worker or psychologist. To find a support group in your area, ask your radiation oncology nurse.

Other than these guidelines, your cancer plan may also include:

• Specific information regarding your cancer, like its stage and location
• Test results like x-rays, blood tests, genetic testing, tumor marker tests, or biomarker tests
• Details regarding your different treatments
• The schedule for your treatments
• Details regarding your care, such as who to contact in case of an emergency
• Financial and insurance information

A cancer treatment plan is a valuable tool for cancer patients, as well as their doctors and caregivers. There are many benefits of a cancer treatment plan:

Cancer can be overwhelming, but a cancer treatment plan can help simplify the experience for both patients and their doctors.

In addition to expert specialization, the radiation oncologists at SERO are dedicated to supporting our clients. One of our greatest assets in doing so is a cancer treatment plan. Your cancer care team will likely provide a written cancer treatment plan.