Support Many other health care professionals work as a united team to help you through your cancer treatment and recovery. Oncology nurses play an essential role on the health care team. They have specialized knowledge and skill in giving chemotherapy and in meeting the special needs of cancer patients. They may specialize even further, as radiation oncology nurses, for example ( see "THE ONCOLOGY NURSE" ).
• Nutritionists evaluate any deficiencies in your diet and prepare individualized plans that take your condition
into account and make sure you get enough nutrients.
• Physical therapists can make sure you maintain proper muscle tone and adapt to any changes to your boy that
result from treatment.
• Occupational therapists help teach activities of daily living—how to eat, swallow and use your body
efficiently.
• Enterostomal therapists specialize in the care of ostomies.
• Respiratory therapists help you keep your lungs and breathing passages clear.
• Speech therapists work with people who have lost their voice box (larynx) and have to learn to speak
in a new way.
• Psychologists, psychotherapists and other emotional counselors such as clergy and social workers help you
through depression, fear or other emotional problems you may have because of your cancer or its treatment.
• Dentists evaluate the state of your mouth before treatment and help you deal with treatment side effects such
