Fesili 'e te ono fia fesili ai – Questions you may wish to ask: Se ta'iala mo tagata 'ua a'afia i le kānesa – A guide for people with cancer Cancer Society Mālamalama i le kānesa Understanding Cancer Samoan Produced 2009 by Accessible Format Production, RNZFB, Auckland This edition is a transcription of the following print edition: Published 2008 by the Cancer Society of New Zealand Acknowledgements E fa'amālō ma fa'afetai atu le Sosaiete o le Kanesa a , Niu Silaiā Simon Woolf mai le Images By Woolf mo le ata o i le fa'ava'a. The Cancer Society of New Zealand acknowledges and thanks Simon Woolf from Images By Woolf for the cover photograph. Also by the Cancer Society These booklets are provided in the following languages: ● Arabic ● Chinese Simplified ● Chinese Traditional ● Cook Island ● Maori ● English ● Gujarati ● Hindi ● Korean ● Maori ● Niuean ● Samoan ● Tongan Page 1 Fa'atomuaga O le kanesa, o se ma'i o sela (cells) o le tino. O taimi uma e fafau a'e ai e o tatou tino ni sela fou e toe suia ai sela ua pepē, pe ina ia toe fa'aleleia ai ni sela ua fa'aleagaina pe afai sa iai se manu'a o le tino. O lenei faiga e fa'atonutonu e ni sini (genes) patino: o fa'ailoilo (codes) na e ta'uina mai i o tatou sela le auala e toe fa'aleleia ma gaoioi ai. E māfua le kanesa pe afai e fa'aleagaina nei sini. E masani ona tupu lenā fa'aleagaina i le taimi o lo'o tatou soifua ai, e ui e iai ni nai tagata e fananau mai lava ua iai se sini o lona tino ua fa'aleagaina e pasi mai se tasi o mātua. Afai ua fa'aleagaina sini, e mafai ona gaoioi i se tulaga e lē masani a'i. Ona tutupu lava lea se'ia o'o ina avea ma patu, atonu po ua na o se fula (e lē o se kanesa) pe o'o ina lūgā pe papala (ua kanesa). O patu ua na o ni fula, e lē sosolo atu i isi vaega o le tino, ae o'o loa ina avea ma kanesa, ua mafai loa ona sosolo. Diagram: Le amataga o le kanesa End of Diagram. O le kanesa e lē o se ma'i e pipisi. E lē mafai ona pasi mai ai e le isi tagata i le isi. E tele auala e togafiti ai le kanesa, e pei o se ta'otoga e tipi ese vaega ua a'afia, togafitiga e fa'aaogā ai vaila'au ma a'ave o le uila e tapē ai sela (cells) ua kanesa ina ia lē sosolo (chemotherapy, radiation therapy). E tele kanesa ua mafai ona togafitia ma manuia. Page 2 Introduction Cancer is a disease of the body’s cells. Our bodies are always making new cells to replace worn-out cells, or to heal damaged cells after injury. This process is controlled by certain genes: the codes that tell our cells how to heal and behave. Cancers are caused by damage to these genes. This damage usually happens during our lifetime, although a small number of people inherit a damaged gene from a parent when they are born. If genes are damaged they can behave abnormally. They may grow into a tumour (lump) which may be benign (not cancer) or malignant (cancer). Benign tumours do not spread to other areas of the body whereas cancer has the ability to spread. Diagram: The beginnings of cancer Transcriber's Note: This is a four step diagram. Step 1: Cross-section of part of a body. On the outside are normal cells. Just below the normal cells is the basement membrane. Below the basement membrane runs the lymph vessels and then the blood vessels. Step 2: Some of the normal cells on the surface have become abnormal cells. Step 3: Abnormal cells multiply (cancer in situ). The number of abnormal cells has increased dramatically but it hasn't spread past the basement membrane. Step 4: Malignant or invasive cancer. The abnormal cells have crossed over the basement membrane and have reached the lymph vessel and blood vessel. End of Note. End of Diagram. Cancer is not catching. It cannot be passed from one person to another. There are many ways of treating cancer such as surgery, chemotherapy and radiation treatment. Talk to your doctor about what is best for you. Many cancers can be successfully treated. Page 3 Pe a ta'u atu ua e a'afia i le kanesa, e mautinoa, o le a o'o iā te oe ma lou aiga lagona atuatuvale ma e tele fo'i fesili o le a tou mo'omia ni tali. O le taliina o nei fesili, e mafai ai ona pulea lelei e ou fa'alogona le tulaga ua iai. O le lisi lenei o fesili e mafai ai ona lelei se lua talanoaga ma lau foma'i. When you hear you have cancer you and your family may feel understandably frightened and you may have many questions. Having your questions answered can help you feel in control of your situation. Here is a list of questions to help you make the most of your time with your doctor. Transcriber's Note: After each question is a blank space for you to write your answers. End of Note. 1. 'O le ā le kānesa 'ua 'ou maua ai? What is the name of my cancer? Page 4 2. 'O fea o lo'u tino 'ua a'afia? Where is it in my body? Picture: Transcriber's Note: Basic outline of a human body showing some of the main organs, such as the brain, lungs and intestines. End of Note. End of Picture. Page 5 3. 'Ole'ā fa'apēfea ona a'afia ai lo'u tino? How is the cancer affecting my body? 4. 'O ā ni su'esu'ega e mana'omia ona fai 'iā te a'u? What tests do I need? 5. 'O āfea 'ole'ā 'ou iloa ai le i'uga? When will I know the results? Page 6 6. 'O ā mea 'ole'ā tatou iloa mai ai i su'esu'ega? What will the tests tell us? 7. 'O ā ni togafitiga 'o maua? What treatments are available? 8. 'O le ā tonu le aogā o le togafitiga? What is the aim of the treatment? Page 7 9. Faamata e mautinoa e aogā le togafitiga? What is the probability of it working? 10. Pe iai se su'esu'ega mo vailā'au/fuālā'au e fa'aaogā mo togafitiga e mafai ona ou auai i ai? Is there a clinical trial I can join? 11. Pē taofia a'u i le falema'i pe'ā fai o'u togafitiga? Will I have to have treatment in hospital? Page 8 12. Fa'apēfea ona 'e siakia po'o aogā le togafitiga? How do you check treatment is working? 13. Afai e siliga le aogā o le togafitiga, o le ā le isi mea e fai? If treatment is not working what is the plan? Page 9 14. Pē iai nisi āuga e tūla'i mai? Are there any side-effects? 15. Pē tatau ona fa'apitoa se fua o a'u mea'ai? Should I follow a special diet? 16. Pē ono āfāina lo'u mālosi e fānau ai ni pepe, 'ona 'o lo'u togafitiga? Will treatment affect my fertility? Page 10 17. E mafai ona 'ou faigāluega? Can I work? 18. Pē 'ole'ā a'afia le faia o a'u feusua'iga 'ona 'o lo'u togafitiga? Will the treatment affect my sex life? Page 11 19. Pē mafai ona fai ni a'u fa'amālositino? Can I exercise? 20. Pē mafai ona 'ou toe faimalaga solo? Can I travel? 21. 'O fea 'ou te maua i ai se fesoasoani? Where can I go for support? Page 12 22. Pē iai ni mea 'ole'ā 'ou totogia? Will I have to pay for anything? 23. O le ā e tupu pe afai ua lē mafai ona toe taofia le sosolo o lo'u kanesa? What will happen if my cancer can not be controlled? Page 13 Page 14 Cancer Society of New Zealand Inc. (2008) All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise, without the prior permission of the publisher. Page 15 Mo faamatalaga ma fesoasoani mo le kanesa, vili le 0800 CANCER (226 237) pe āsia le: www.cancernz.org.nz For cancer information and support phone 0800 CANCER (226 237) or go to www.cancernz.org.nz