Healthy Living for People with Breast Cancer
MSK Healthy Living is a program based on the latest scientific research. It’s for people who had surgery to treat breast cancer. We make a plan just for you, to support your healthier lifestyle.
Overview
MSK Healthy Living is designed to make your life simpler. Our program offers personal, one-on-one support. Based on many years of research, we connect you to MSK resources that support your health:
- Nutrition and exercise
- Integrative medicine, such as acupuncture and massage
- Support for your mental, emotional, and spiritual well-being
- Sexual health
- Fertility and body image
- Sleep
- Financial health
When you join MSK Healthy Living, our experts will create a personal lifestyle plan for you. First, you will fill out a questionnaire that asks you questions about your goals and needs. The survey is based on years of research on how to give people being treated for cancer a better quality of life.
Our team will be with you every step of the way. They’ll help choose the best resources for you, schedule appointments, and work with your care team. They will answer your questions and help you meet your goals.
There are many ways food and a good diet can help you, even after you have cancer. Think ahead and set aside time to prep your meals for the next week. Stock up on healthy snacks like nuts, so it’s easier to eat well. Eating healthy food may even help your body respond better to cancer treatment.
Program details
Too often, people in treatment for cancer are given broad recommendations to follow. That means you have to figure out what to eat, and what kind of exercises you should do. You may not be told where you can get counseling for your emotional well-being and other needs.
Instead, MSK Healthy Living makes your life simpler by giving you a plan to follow. You also will have a team with you every step of the way.
When you join MSK Healthy Living, our experts will create a personal lifestyle plan for you.
First, you will fill out a questionnaire that asks you questions about your goals and needs. The survey is based on years of research. The focus was on giving people a better quality of life during and after their cancer treatment.
Your nurse navigator will talk with you about options. Together, you’ll decide which MSK services and resources are right for you.
After you have been in the program a few months, you’re assigned a nurse practitioner (NP). An NP is a registered nurse with advanced training. Together, you and your NP will map out a plan for the rest of your treatment, and after treatment.
Our team will be with you every step of the way. They’ll help choose the best resources for you, schedule appointments, and work with your care team. They will answer your questions and help you meet your goals.
Medical oncologist and program leader
After treatment, people often feel like they’ve aged many years. Our Exercise Oncology Service was one of the first groups to research how cancer ages people. MSK found that 3 months of chemotherapy makes a body feel aged by 10 years. But if you exercise during chemotherapy it can really help.
It’s important to eat food that gives you the calories and protein you need. This helps keep your body strong during your treatment for breast cancer. Our food and nutrition team can help you make good food choices during breast cancer treatment.
MSK nutrition experts also will help you understand and cope with nutrition challenges related to cancer treatment.
They’ll provide information that will help you make healthy diet choices during treatment. They can make sure you get the calories and protein you need to keep your body strong.
Learn about help with controlling weight gain before and after breast cancer treatment.
Welcome to MSK Healthy Living
Learn about the MSK Healthy Living program in this video with Nurse Leader Andrea Smith and Dr. Neil Iyengar.
Common questions
Who can join MSK Healthy Living?
MSK Healthy Living for People with Breast Cancer is for people in treatment at MSK after they had surgery. Talk with your MSK care team. You can see if the program is right for you, and whether you’re eligible to join. They can give you more information and schedule an appointment.
You can join early in your treatment. We also can help you move to life after cancer, often called survivorship.
Does MSK offer counseling or other support services?
We have many services to support you during breast cancer treatment. Our experts offer counseling and support to help you manage anxiety. We offer support groups and programs if you want to talk with other people going through a similar experience.
Social workers can offer information about how to talk about your diagnosis with family members, work colleagues, and friends. They can also help address your worries about money and the cost of cancer care.
Can MSK offer help with sexual health?
Cancer affects your sex life in both physical and emotional ways. Our Female Sexual Medicine & Women’s Health Program can help with physical symptoms and emotional challenges that may affect your sex life. We can talk with you about physical changes that affect intimacy.
MSK has experts with special training in female sexual health and fertility. Perhaps you’re trying to have a child or think you may want to start a family someday. We can help you understand your options before and after treatment for having children.
How else can MSK support me?
We’re experts in helping you manage side effects of treatment. We focus on all parts of cancer care, not just treating the disease. Our experts in supportive care can help you cope with treatment side effects. This includes pain, nausea (feeling like throwing up), and fatigue (feeling very tired).
We have a team of experts who manage the symptoms and side effects of cancer treatment, including a program for treating lymphedema, a type of swelling after breast cancer treatment.
