One in eight women will develop breast cancer at some point in their lives.

It never comes at a good time.

For working women, a cancer diagnosis prompts a reset of priorities. Health becomes the No. 1 focus, pushing back other priorities like work, hobbies, household chores and even raising children or being a caregiver to others.

Simply taking off work for a few months to focus entirely on recovery, however, is not financially feasible for many women. Even with health insurance, the cost of cancer treatments can be substantial.

Over the past decade, though, several advancements have made it easier for women to continue working while undergoing treatment for breast cancer:

• Treatment options: In addition to the three most common types of cancer treatment – surgery, radiation and chemotherapy – doctors also are using less invasive immunotherapy, hormone therapy and targeted drug therapy to eradicate cancer cells.

• Advances in technology: Newer cancer-fighting radiation machines are much more precise than even those manufactured a decade ago, focusing beams in increments of less than a millimeter. Better precision spares nearby healthy cells while protecting vital organs, thus minimizing side effects like fatigue, nausea, skin irritation and inflammation.

• Work from home: The pandemic accelerated an employment trend in which businesses allow employees to work part-time or full-time from home. Remote capabilities mean employees can still get the job done even if they aren’t necessarily feeling the best or up for social interaction.

• Flexible hours: In addition to working from home, more employers recognize the need to be flexible with hard-working, dedicated employees who have other demands on their time from 9-to-5, such as dropping off children at school or attending medical appointments. It might mean a 7-to-7 workday with extended breaks, but many employers are flexible as long as the job gets done.

Of course, “can” a woman work during treatments and “should” a woman work are entirely different. There is no blanket answer because recommendations vary for each individual. Those factors include the stage of cancer, type of cancer treatment or treatments and the potential side effects of those treatments, as well as the type of work being performed. A desk job, for instance, may be less taxing on the body than working the sales floor of a retail store or as a restaurant server. Side effects from cancer treatments can worsen over time, so women who have little discomfort at the start may experience more severe reactions as treatments continue.

Going to work may offer women a reprieve from the stress of cancer treatments, helping create a sense of normalcy in their lives. At the same time, though, co-workers may ask personal questions about your health or treatments that you’re not comfortable sharing.

Across Southwest Florida, employers generally recognize that employees need considerations based on health conditions. That includes cancer. In fact, employers are legally required by federal law to provide reasonable accommodations to those with disabilities, and cancer can qualify as a disability based on the disease’s impact on the body and side effects of treatment. Medical providers are also willing to work around patients’ work schedules.

Always rely on the advice of your medical team. This might be the first time you have undergone cancer treatment, but your primary care physician, radiation oncologist, surgeon and others on your care team likely have diagnosed and treated hundreds – even thousands – of cancer patients.

Women know their bodies best. Treatment times and symptoms vary. Your physical health, as well as your mental well-being, are incredibly important during this challenging period.

About the author
Dr. Troy Shell-Masouras is a breast surgeon with Paradise Coast Breast Specialists in Naples.