Home → Day-to-Day Matters → Ask-The-Expert Conferences: Day-to-Day Matters → September 2007: Working During Treatment → Can working during treatment be harmful?

Can working during treatment be harmful?

Page last modified on: October 10, 2008

Question from Kona: My wife has breast cancer metastasis. She is currently receiving her second round of radiation therapy and will probably soon receive her third round of chemotherapy. Through all this, she still insists on working full-time, calling in sick on only the worst days. Could she be doing herself harm working during treatment?: Answer —Ruth Oratz, M.D., F.A.C.P.: It's unlikely that working during treatment could be causing her harm if she's not experiencing physical discomfort or other symptoms. If her energy level is adequate and she's able to work, I would encourage her to continue working for many reasons. It's important to remain physically active. Psychologically and mentally, work helps us remain engaged and productive. However, if your wife feels that work is somehow contributing to her feeling worse, again there might be accommodation with respect to type of work, the number of hours she's working, the number of days a week she's working etc. that she could address with her employer. And she should discuss with her doctor the specific side effects she can expect from treatment and how to incorporate her work and treatment schedules together into a productive program for her. I encourage people to work if they're up to it.

On Wednesday, September 19, 2007, our Ask-the-Expert Online Conference was called Working During Treatment. Barbara Hoffman, J.D., Irene Card, and moderator Ruth Oratz, M.D., F.A.C.P. answered your questions about the legal, financial, physical, and emotional aspects of working during breast cancer treatment.

The materials presented in these conferences do not necessarily reflect the views of breastcancer.org. A qualified healthcare professional should be consulted before using any therapeutic product or regimen discussed. All readers should verify all information and data before employing any therapies described here.

A production of LiveWorld, Inc.
Copyright 2008. All rights reserved.

Email Updates

Stay informed about current research, online events, and more.

Visit our Gift Shop!

Shop Now »

Meet the Experts

Barbara Hoffman, J.D. is a member of the Legal Research and Writing faculty of Rutgers Law School B in Newark and is the founding chair of the National Coalition for Cancer Survivorship.

Irene Card is president of Medical Insurance Claims, Inc., a health insurance services company in New Jersey, which she founded in 1980. Ms. Card is the former insurance advisor to the National Coalition for Cancer Survivorship and Memorial Sloan Kettering Post Treatment Resource Program.

Ruth Oratz, M.D., F.A.C.P. is associate professor of clinical medicine at New York University School of Medicine. She is the founder of The Women's Oncology & Wellness Practice in New York City where she specializes in treating women with breast cancer and other malignancies, as well as women at risk for cancer.