Cancer is deadly, but millions of people beat it. Surviving cancer is one of the most amazing success stories a person can have. Ending cancer treatment is exciting, but it is also challenging. There are so many questions. What happens next? Will your cancer return? How can you stay healthy?
Although your cancer treatment has ended, you will still need to have regular appointments with your doctor, usually every 3-4 months. Eventually, you may need a check-up only once or twice a year. Still, these check-ups are an important part of your follow–up care, so work with your doctor to develop the follow-up schedule that works best for you.
During a follow-up appointment, the doctor will perform a physical exam. She may also perform some blood tests and x-rays. But this is also an important time to talk with your doctor and address any physical or emotional things that may be bothering you. Some things you may want to talk about with your doctor include:
It is natural to feel worried before your follow-up appointment; you may be afraid the doctor will tell you that your cancer has returned. Some ideas to help you cope with your fear of cancer returning include:
An important step you can take to living a healthy life after cancer is to develop a wellness plan. A wellness plan consists of ways you can take care of your physical, emotional, social, and spiritual needs. Ask your doctor to help you create a plan for your health.
Everyone’s wellness plan is different, depending on each person’s situation. Some behaviors you may want to add to your wellness plan include:
After cancer treatments have ended, you may just want to “get back to normal”—the way life was before the diagnosis. But, this rarely happens. If needed, consider looking into counseling, home care, support groups, and other specialized services to help you adjust back into daily life. Cancer has a profound impact on a person, but it doesn’t have to be for the worse. It may just take a little time to figure out just what “normal” is for you.
RESOURCES:
American Cancer Society
http://www.cancer.org
National Cancer Institute
http://www.cancer.gov
Y-ME National Breast Cancer Organization
www.y-me.org
CANADIAN RESOURCES:
BC Cancer Agency
http://www.bccancer.bc.ca/default.htm
Canadian Cancer Society
http://www.cancer.ca
References:
Cancer: after treatment. American Academy of Family Physicians website. Available at:
http://familydoctor.org/. Accessed November 7, 2003.
Facing forward series: life after cancer treatment. National Cancer Institute website. Available at: http://www.cancer.gov/cancertopics/life-after-treatment. Accessed March 24, 2010.
Follow-up care: questions and answers. National Cancer Institute website. Available at: http://cis.nci.nih.gov/fact/7_48.htm . Accessed November 7, 2003.
Last reviewed March 2010 by Brian Randall, MD
Please be aware that this information is provided to supplement the care provided by your physician. It is neither intended nor implied to be a substitute for professional medical advice. CALL YOUR HEALTHCARE PROVIDER IMMEDIATELY IF YOU THINK YOU MAY HAVE A MEDICAL EMERGENCY. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health provider prior to starting any new treatment or with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition.
Copyright © 2007 EBSCO Publishing All rights reserved.