Key Points for This Section

To help patients with spiritual needs during cancer care, medical staff will listen to the wishes of the patient. The health care team will help with a patient's spiritual needs when setting goals and planning treatment.

To help patients with spiritual needs during cancer care, medical staff will listen to the wishes of the patient.

Spirituality and religion are very personal issues. Patients should expect doctors and caregivers to respect their religious and spiritual beliefs and concerns. Patients with cancer who rely on spirituality to cope with the disease should be able to count on the health care team to give them support. This may include giving patients information about people or groups that can help with spiritual or religious needs. Most hospitals have chaplains, but not all outpatient settings do. Patients who do not want to discuss spirituality during cancer care should also be able to count on the health care team to respect their wishes.

Doctors and caregivers will try to respond to their patients' concerns, but may not take part in patients' religious practices or discuss specific religious beliefs.

The health care team will help with a patient's spiritual needs when setting goals and planning treatment.

The health care team may help with a patient's spiritual needs in the following ways:

• Suggest goals and options for care that honor the patient's spiritual and/or religious views.
• Support the patient's use of spiritual coping during the illness.
• Encourage the patient to speak with his/her religious or spiritual leader.
• Refer the patient to a hospital chaplain or support group that can help with spiritual issues during illness.
• Refer the patient to other therapies that have been shown to increase spiritual well-being.These include mindfulness relaxation, such as yoga or meditation, or creative arts programs, such as writing, drawing, or music therapy.

Glossary Terms

A term for diseases in which abnormal cells divide without control and can invade nearby tissues. Cancer cells can also spread to other parts of the body through the blood and lymph systems. There are several main types of cancer. Carcinoma is a cancer that begins in the skin or in tissues that line or cover internal organs. Sarcoma is a cancer that begins in bone, cartilage, fat, muscle, blood vessels, or other connective or supportive tissue. Leukemia is a cancer that starts in blood-forming tissue such as the bone marrow, and causes large numbers of abnormal blood cells to be produced and enter the blood. Lymphoma and multiple myeloma are cancers that begin in the cells of the immune system. Central nervous system cancers are cancers that begin in the tissues of the brain and spinal cord. Also called malignancy.

A member of the clergy in charge of a chapel or who works with the military or with an institution, such as a hospital.

To adjust to new situations and overcome problems.

A type of meditation based on the concept of being “mindful,” or having increased awareness, of the present. It uses breathing methods, guided imagery, and other practices to relax the body and mind and help reduce stress.

A patient who visits a health care facility for diagnosis or treatment without spending the night. Sometimes called a day patient.

Having to do with deep, often religious, feelings and beliefs, including a person’s sense of peace, purpose, connection to others, and beliefs about the meaning of life.

A group of people with similar disease who meet to discuss how better to cope with their disease and treatment.

Treatment.

An ancient system of practices used to balance the mind and body through exercise, meditation (focusing thoughts), and control of breathing and emotions. Yoga is being studied as a way to relieve stress and treat sleep problems in cancer patients.