Many people with cancer are living with side effects of their treatment, yet they are side effects often considered taboo by much of the public, according to a recent survey by Macmillan Cancer Support. This is worrying, Macmillan says, as many people with cancer may be too shamed to seek help with life-changing side effects, potentially putting their health and recovery at risk. The survey found that 1 in 5 people with cancer find it difficult to seek help with their side effects because of embarrassment or shame, and 1 in 4 of people with cancer said they have been reluctant to talk about issues relating to their disease because of how other people might react.

Recent research by sociologists has identified similar concerns amongst patients with gynaecological cancer and breast cancer. In a Norwegian study of young women being diagnosed with gynaecological cancer (Solbraekke and Lorem 2016), it is reported that many of the women felt disrespected during medical encounters, e.g. when they were asked about sexual partners. Due to the taboo around their cancer type, many of the women also felt they had to be discrete about their illness, and couldn’t talk openly about their worries and side effects with friends, family and colleagues. That some cancer patients often feel they have to disguise their emotions and manage their appearance towards others was also reported in a study undertaken at Nottingham University in the UK (Trusson and Pilnick 2017). Continue reading →