Frequently Asked Questions About Supportive Care Medicine

Supportive care is an important part of your cancer treatment plan. The Supportive Care Medicine Program focuses on the needs and goals of patients and their families throughout illness and during cancer treatment. The services provided range from pain management to mental health counseling.

The program includes:

• AYA
• Behavioral Medicine
• Integrative Medicine
• Palliative Care

Palliative care, also known as supportive care medicine, is specialized medical care provided by an expert team for symptom management, emotional and spiritual. This care is available at any age or stage of illness, together with other treatments. It can even begin soon after learning you have cancer.

Supportive Care Medicine Program treats the following symptoms:

• Cancer pains (pains related to illness or cancer treatment)
• Nausea
• Vomiting
• Diarrhea
• Constipation
• Decreased appetite/weight loss
• Fatigue
• Anxiety
• Depression
• Difficulty sleeping

No, you can have palliative care at the same time as you undergo treatment for your disease. Hospice is for terminally ill patients who only have months to live, typically less than six months. People who receive hospice are no longer receiving curative treatment. These patients may be seeking stage 4 pain management or emotional support.

The Supportive Care Medicine Program psychiatrists and psychologists work one–on–one with our patients to teach new tools to reduce and manage stress, cope with anxiety, depression, sleep issues and the overall emotional toll of coping with a cancer diagnosis. Our team provides medication management, therapy and counseling.

Integrative medicine provides complementary therapies for stress reduction, relaxation and pain relief, such as:

• Acupuncture
• Massage therapy
• Mindfulness and meditation techniques
• Yoga

AYA, an acronym for Adolescent & Young Adult, refers to someone diagnosed with cancer between the ages of 15-39. Moffitt’s AYA Program exists to help young adult patients and their families:

• Manage the emotional toll of their cancer
• Receive access to cutting-edge clinical trials and state-of-the-art care
• Discuss and understand the cancer treatment and its fertility risks and options.
• Connect with others who are also facing cancer and coping with similar issues

If you are a patient at Moffitt Cancer Center, please ask your oncologist for a referral to our Behavioral and Supportive Care Medicine Clinic.