“Changes in appearance” due to the progression of cancer or cancer treatments can be quite distressing psychologically and socially for cancer patients, as they often feel uncomfortable at work or school worrying about how they look in the eyes of others and not being able to talk to them just as before. Supporting patients for their “changes in appearance” has been already handled as a part of the supportive therapy (i.e., therapy for side effect from a cancer treatment) at various clinical sites including the outpatient clinics, the Chemotherapy/Supportive Therapy Center, and the Radiation and Proton Therapy Center. They have been making efforts to support the patients to retain their own selves and live their lives connecting with the society, but the need for a department specializing in “appearance care” was increasing. This time, a consultation window for it has opened at the Disease Management Center, which is expected to be even more helpful for the patients.
