Life After Cancer Treatment

by National Cancer Institute

What is Normal After Cancer Treatment?

Congratulations on Finishing Your Cancer Treatment!

Ending cancer treatment can be both exciting and challenging. Most people are relieved to be finished with the demands of treatment, but many also feel sadness and worry. Many are concerned about whether the cancer will come back and what they should do after treatment.

When treatment ends, people often expect life to return to the way it was before they were diagnosed with cancer. This rarely happens. You may have permanent scars on your body, or you may not be able to do some things you once did easily. Others may think of you—or you may view yourself—as being somehow different.

One of the hardest things after treatment is not knowing what happens next. "Because the doctors and nurses never told me the range of what to expect, I had expectations of wellness that were absolutely unrealistic," one woman said, "and so did my family and friends. This . . . led to a great deal of worry."

What is "normal" after cancer treatment? Those who have lived through treatment talk about the first few months as a time of change. It is not so much "getting back to normal" as it is finding out what is normal for you now. You can also expect things to keep changing as you begin your recovery. As one man put it, "I thought when I had finished treatment—when they looked at my tests and they said it looked good—I thought, 'OK, this is done'. . . [but] it is not over."

Your new "normal" may include making changes in the way you eat, the activities you do, and your sources of support, all of which are discussed in this document.

After you've finished your cancer treatment

The information in this document is designed mainly for cancer survivors who have recently completed their cancer treatment, but you may find the information helpful even if you were treated a long time ago. The purpose of this document is to give cancer survivors and their loved ones a better idea of what to expect during the first few months after treatment ends. It covers what may happen with:

• Your medical care
• Your body
• Your mind and your feelings
• Your social relationships
• Practical matters such as job and insurance issues

As you'll see, this document talks about many concerns of those who have been through cancer treatment and offers suggestions that have helped others move forward. As you read, you may find yourself saying, "That's just how I feel."

Although this document describes issues that are important to many survivors, each person has a unique response to having cancer. While some of the issues covered in this document may reflect your experience well, other issues may not concern you. Focus on finding what works for you. The information in this document is not intended to be all-inclusive. Resources are provided if you need more information on a given topic or one that is not included. We encourage you to be active in getting the information and support you need.

Keep in Mind

In this document, the term cancer survivor is used to include anyone who has been diagnosed with cancer, from the time of diagnosis through the rest of his or her life. You may not like the word, or you may feel that it does not apply to you, but the word survivor helps many people think about embracing their lives beyond their illness.

Getting Medical Care After Cancer Treatment

It is natural for anyone who has finished cancer treatment to be concerned about what the future holds. Many people worry about the way they look and feel and about whether the cancer will come back. Others wonder what they can do to keep cancer from coming back. Understanding what to expect after cancer treatment can help survivors and their families plan for follow-up care, make lifestyle changes, stay hopeful, and make important decisions.

All cancer survivors should have follow-up care. But you may have a lot of questions about getting the care you need now, such as:

• Whether to tell the doctor about symptoms that worry you
• Which doctors to see after treatment
• How often to see the doctor
• What specific tests you need
• What you can do to relieve pain and other problems after treatment
• How long it will take for you to recover from treatment and feel more like yourself

Dealing with these issues can be a challenge. Yet many say that getting involved in decisions about their future medical care and lifestyle was a good way for them to regain some of the control they felt they lost during cancer treatment. Research has shown that people who feel more in control feel and function better than those who do not. Being an active partner with your doctor and getting help from other members of your health care team is the first step.

This section offers some guidance on working with the people who provide care after treatment. It describes the kinds of help you may need and provides tips for getting what you want out of your medical visits. Reading this section can also help you create a plan of action for your recovery and future health.

What is Follow-Up Care?

The main purpose of follow-up care is to check if your cancer has returned (recurrence) or if it has spread to another part of your body (metastasis). Follow-up care can also help in:

• Finding other types of cancer
• Spotting side effects from treatment now or that can develop years after treatment

Follow-up care means seeing a doctor to get regular medical checkups. At these visits, your doctor will:

• Review your medical history
• Examine your body

Your doctor may run follow-up tests:

• Imaging procedures (ways of producing pictures of areas inside the body)
• Endoscopy (the use of a thin, lighted tube to examine organs inside the body)
• Blood tests

Keep in Mind

If you do not have health insurance, Medicare, or Medicaid, you may feel that some of the information in this document will not be helpful to you. You may have already struggled just to get treated and now see getting follow-up care as another battle. It can be hard to get health care if you don't have good health insurance, but you must make sure you get the care you need—especially after treatment is over.

There may be resources in your community to help you get these services. Talk with your doctor, social worker, or the business office at your local hospital or clinic.

About the Author

www.nci.nih.gov
The National Cancer Institute's research programs are extensive and contain many innovative initiatives. I invite you to explore our Web site to find out more about the exciting work being conducted here at NCI and by NCI-supported scientists throughout the country.