Drs Kathryn J. Ruddy and Shanda H. Blackmon discuss the importance of support groups and other ways to support cancer survivors to enhance symptom management and connectedness.

Relevant disclosures can be found with the episode show notes on Medscape https://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/1002451. The topics and discussions are planned, produced, and reviewed independently of advertisers. This podcast is intended only for US healthcare professionals.

Resources

The Support Group: Connection, Hope and Healing for Patients and Providers https://mcpress.mayoclinic.org/product/the-support-group/

Psychological Distress After Esophageal Cancer Surgery and the Predictive Effect of Dispositional Optimism: A Nationwide Population-Based Longitudinal Study https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC8727404/

Narrative Review of Anxiety and Depression in Patients With Esophageal Cancer: Underappreciated and Undertreated https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/34164206/

Psychological Support of Esophageal Cancer Patient? https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC6503274/

Loneliness Among Cancer Caregivers: A Narrative Review https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/31581964/

CaringBridge https://www.caringbridge.org/

CanCare https://www.cancare.org/

Upper Digestive Disease App for Electronic Patient-Reported Outcomes: A Mixed Methods Pilot Study https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/35304110/

Suicide Rates Among Patients With Cancers of the Digestive System https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/29956393/