Oncology Research

Cancer in the Workplace: Tips to Support Co-Workers with Cancer

By Kyle T. Keyes M.D., Texas Urology Specialists–Austin Midtown, Round Rock, South Austin

Acancer diagnosis can be a life-altering event for patients and their families, but it also often puts a very personal matter front and center in a professional setting – the workplace. Cancer treatment advancements and access to high quality care in local communities means that some patients can continue to work during treatment. Others may need a modified schedule or need to take a break from work completely. Conscientious, caring co-workers can help, but knowing what to say and do can be tricky. Effective support in the workplace can improve a patient’s cancer experience and outlook. What to Expect Cancer patients often experience emotional and physical changes – these commonly include increased anxiety, fear, depression, and fatigue. Supervisors and co-workers should expect these changes and make arrangements to support the patient and each other during the treatment process. Remember that just as each member of your work team has unique skills and personalities, your cancer patient colleagues will have different reactions and needs. Learn and respect your What to Say (and Not Say) It’s always a challenge to know what to say to someone going through a difficult situation. The standard “Let me know if I can do anything” might be heartfelt, but it places the onus on the patient to follow up. Instead, it’s usually more helpful to offer specific support to your colleague. You might offer to update the co-worker on office happenings, assist on a special work project, take over a routine task, or even research resources to assist the patient. During brief conversations, focus on topics the patient enjoys discussing. Discussing work activities or other normal issues helps ensure that cancer isn’t the main topic of every discussion. There are also some things co-workers should avoid telling a cancer patient: • Don’t offer unsolicited advice. It is best to simply respect the patient and their choices. • Don’t tell the patient about other people you know who were affected by cancer, especially if the outcome was negative. • Don’t say “I know how you feel” unless you specifically had the same cancer treatment. It’s better to listen to the patient. • Don’t tell the patient to “cheer up” or to “stay positive.” It might come across as insensitive or insulting. It could also add more pressure to an already stressed patient. • Don’t engage in long phone calls or conversations. Cancer patients

usually need rest, but the patient might be too polite to say so. How to Help Providing consistent, ongoing, and practical support to co-workers can be an important source of encouragement to a colleague throughout cancer treatment. If a patient is open to sharing their cancer journey, following are a few practical tips to show you care: • Send notes. Short, personalized cards reminding patients that they are missed and that “work isn’t the same without them” can lift spirits far more than an expensive gift. • Prepare gift baskets. A customized collection of work-related trinkets or comforting items will help the

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Telemedicine, Continuous Glucose Monitoring Mitigated Effects of Pandemic on Children With Diabetes

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As The rapid adoption of telemedicine and increased use of continuous glucose monitoring helped to attenuate the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic on children with Type 1 diabetes, according to a new study from UT Southwestern researchers. The pandemic had profound effects on disease management when shutdowns occurred in 2020, creating barriers for those who lost jobs and insurance and aggravating existing health disparities. Several studies have shown that the pandemic worsened glucose control in patients with diabetes and made it more difficult to access care. “Our diabetes team implemented telemedicine visits within weeks of the shutdown, allowing us to provide care to our patients in an efficient and timely manner,” said Abha Choudhary, M.D., Assistant Professor of Pediatrics at UT Southwestern and a pediatric endocrinologist at Children’s Health. “Our team was also able to utilize continuous glucose monitoring for a growing number of patients which may have helped to mitigate some of the challenges brought on by the pandemic.” For the study published in BMC Pediatrics, Dr. Choudhary and colleagues used data from Children’s Medical Center Dallas to determine how the management of patients with Type 1 diabetes was affected by the pandemic in a large urban setting. They analyzed patient characteristics including insurance status, race, ethnicity, gender, glucose control, office visits, and hospitalizations, and compared the use of continuous glucose monitoring in the year prior to the start of the pandemic to the first year of the pandemic. The study found that while the number of office visits among patients decreased during the pandemic, there was no effect on disease management in this group – both glucose control and hospitalization rates were unchanged.

Abha Choudhary, M.D.

However, the results highlighted existing disparities among patients in minority and low-income demographics. Both before and during the pandemic, Black and Hispanic patients and those without commercial insurance had worse glucose control and higher hospitalization rates than their white, non-Hispanic, insured counterparts. While the use of continuous glucose monitoring was higher among insured patients overall, there was a dramatic increase in use by patients without commercial insurance during the pandemic. This is likely due to the increased availability of glucose monitoring systems offered to Medicaid recipients in Texas that took effect during the pandemic, Dr. Choudhary explained. The researchers believe the increased use of continuous glucose monitoring along with the successful implementation of telemedicine greatly contributed to preventing worse outcomes in this patient population. “For all the progress we have made, significant disparities remain with regard to access to some of the tools we think made the biggest differences during the early months of the pandemic,” said Dr. Choudhary. “From broadband access to the hardware and software that’s so central to diabetes care these days, we’ve only begun to scratch the surface when it comes to addressing disparities in technology and remote-patient monitoring.”