Cancer support groups are meetings that offer a safe space for people affected by cancer to share their experiences and emotions with others in similar situations. Much of the sociological construction of these groups is similar to other kinds of other types of support groups. Although the experience of people diagnosed with cancer varies greatly from one person to another, they all need a good support system in order to cope throughout the different stages of the process. Different support systems have thus been developed including community support groups, online cancer support groups, networks, forums, and charitable organizations. Community support groups are usually led by psychologists, social workers, and medical professionals and can take place in churches, hospitals, or community centers. Online support groups and forums are a good option for those patients who find it difficult to leave their home during treatment. People participating in such forums have the possibility to maintain their anonymity. Support systems range from those that address patients suffering from specific types of cancer to those that support patients suffering from any kind of cancer.
Apart from having to cope with the physical and medical challenges, people with cancer face many worries, feelings, and concerns unique to their situation. Cancer patients may find that they need help coping with the emotional as well as the practical aspects of their disease. In fact, attention to the emotional burden of having cancer is often a part of a patient's treatment plan. The support of the health care team, support groups, and patient-to-patient networks can help people feel less isolated and distressed, and improve the quality of their lives. More importantly cancer support groups can provide access to the most current information regarding available treatments. Anyone suffering from an uncommon form of cancer should consider joining a specialized online community to gain access to information often not available anywhere else. Cancer support groups provide a setting in which cancer patients can talk about living with cancer with others who may be having similar experiences. Also, patients may have different concerns stemming from their particular situation in life which may warrant a special support group that caters specifically to their needs. For example, there are support groups dedicated to helping women of certain ages through their cancer experience. Patients may want to speak to a member of their health care team about finding a support group that best suits their needs. Many also find useful basic information in NCIfact sheets and booklets, including "Taking Time and Facing Forward". Apart from various improvements in confidence, wellbeing, stress, and interpersonal comfort, cancer support groups are being studied for their direct effects on improving the health of people who attend them. Some small-scale tests have compared members of a breast cancer support group at Stanford against a control group and found significant benefits associated with group membership. These studies are currently being repeated on a larger scale. Some theories about these benefits ascribe health improvements to reduced stress from talking about emotional issues, the placebo effect, learning about treatment options through interaction with others with common issues. A large-scale research project of cancer online communities is ongoing and may provide some answers about the use of cancer online mailing lists by their subscribers.
Rare Cancers
Support for rare cancers is particularly problematic, as patients may be a long way from specialist treatment centers, and also from other patients with whom they might gain support and advice. The advent of the internet has allowed support groups for these rare cancers to emerge on a global basis, providing one to one and group oriented advice and support to patients and their families who may live on different continents, yet are able to share symptoms, experiences and advice, for example on diet or pain relief. Organizations such as European Organisation for Rare Diseases assist in coordinating and providing support for such organizations. Examples of such support groups include pseudomyxomasurvivor who provide support for patients suffering from pseudomyxoma peritonei and have active communities particularly in the USA and Canada, Australia and New Zealand and the United Kingdom and Ireland, as well as continental Europe.
