Session Date and Time:
Thursday December 2, 2021
at 5:00 – 6:00 pm EST
Session Description:
Many patients who are diagnosed with indolent (slow-growing) Non-Hodgkin Lymphoma or Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia have no symptoms or other risk factors that require immediate treatment. These patients are closely monitored using a “watchful waiting” or “watch and wait” or “active surveillance” approach. The watchful waiting approach does not mean nothing is done, the process is still an active one. This approach includes having regular visits with their doctor, including laboratory tests and tumour imaging (such as CT scans), but they do not receive treatment unless the cancer progresses or symptoms appear.
The reason watchful waiting is used as an approach is because studies have not shown that immediate treatment prolongs survival in certain lymphomas at certain stages. Watchful waiting may initially cause distress to patients as it may seem a risky or passive approach to a serious disease. However, studies have demonstrated that the results are no different between those patients with indolent NHL or CLL who receive treatment immediately and those who wait until treatment is required. The benefit of watchful waiting is that it delays the side effects of cancer therapies, which can often be significant.
This presentation will provide a better understanding of how the understanding “Watch and Wait” approach and will provide you with important information to guide further discussions with your doctor.
Speaker:
Speaker: Kim Chapman
Clinical Nurse Specialist – Oncology, Dr. Everett Chalmers Regional Hospital
Speaker Biography: Kim Chapman is a Clinical Nurse specialist in hematology/oncology at Dr. Everett Chalmers Regional Hospital in New Brunswick. She is also a member of the Lymphoma Canada Nurse Advisory Board. Kim dedicates her efforts to increasing education for lymphoma patients.
To Learn more about CLL & SLL and to track your symptoms and wellbeing over time, view Lymphoma Canada’s easy to use Watch & Wait Tracker app: https://www.lymphoma.ca/watch-wait-tracker/
