SURVIVORSHIP AND ADVANCED CARE PLANNING

Patients with melanoma are living longer than ever before, and it’s important to think about the impact of the disease and therapies on your life in general. You will need to address the emotional and physical effects of treatment. Given the challenges you face, you may want to connect with other patients in the community who are sharing your cancer journey. Professional help might be warranted to address the anxiety or other strong emotions associated with your Stage IV diagnosis. Perhaps you will do well with therapy but you may have anxiety about the disease coming back. You can work with your oncology care team to develop a survivorship care plan. This plan will help you be proactive about maintaining your health and assuring proper cancer follow-up care after treatment. For more on this topic, see AIM’s page: https://www. aimatmelanoma.org/support-resources/survivorship/ While your oncology team is working to achieve the best outcomes possible, it’s impossible to determine if, and when, things may not go according as hoped. For advanced planning, it’s best to explore different scenarios so you can make sure that your wishes are met as much as possible during your cancer journey. Advanced planning can include everything from choosing a healthcare proxy, to making an advanced directive, to addressing your will, to assessing under what circumstances you would want to withdraw care and move on to hospice. This kind of planning is best done when you are feeling well—if you postpone this type of planning too long, you may not be well enough to make the decisions thoughtfully. Or you may not get a chance to do any planning at all, which can lead to unnecessary additional stress and confusion for yourself and your loved ones during a difficult time. A resource from the American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) on advanced planning is included in the INFORMATION RESOURCES section at the end of this document.

Final Thoughts

We hope you found this guide to be helpful in evaluating your options for your Stage IV melanoma. Our goal has been to empower you to work with your oncology team to make the best decision for you. We have included in the list below other resources that you may want to consult as you evaluate your options. Being informed puts you in the best position to have an active role in this important decision.