You're a Cancer Survivor Already
.jpg) Cancer survivorship doesn’t begin when you finish treatment, or when you’re cancer-free a few years down the road. Survivorship begins the moment you’re diagnosed, and it continues for the rest of your life.
As a newly diagnosed survivor, you’re probably focused on getting through your cancer treatment and coping with any side effects.
But once your cancer treatments are done, you’ll move into a new phase of survivorship. Here’s a look at what life after treatment may hold.
Your Survivorship Care Plan
At the end of treatment, your oncologist should develop your Survivorship Care Plan, go over it carefully with you and answer any questions you may have. If your doctor doesn’t offer to develop such a plan, ask for it.
At a minimum, the Survivorship Care Plan should include:
- Your medical history with dates — including past health problems, how they were treated and the results
- Your cancer history with dates — including cancer type; treatments and results; clinical trial information if you participated in one; treatment side effects and possible aftereffects; and contact information for the team that provided your care
- A proposed schedule for follow-up cancer care, with the name and contact information of the doctor who will provide the care
Keep your Survivorship Care Plan with your important papers. Give a copy to any health professional you see in the future, including your primary care physician.
Follow-Up Cancer Care
Your follow-up care will consist of doctor visits and possibly some tests to check for recurrence or to screen for other kinds of cancer. The frequency of visits will depend on your type of cancer, the treatments you had and side effects and your overall health. During each visit, tell your doctor about any problems and concerns you’ve had. In between visits, if you notice signs that may point to a recurrence, let your doctor know.
Your oncologist or your primary care physician may provide your follow-up care. Some long-term cancer survivors go to clinics that specialize in long-term follow-up care; a list of these clinics is available at www.cancersurvivorsproject.org/provider_list_01.html.
Physical Effects of Treatment
Treatment side effects may persist after treatment, then eventually disappear. However, some could be permanent, including some kinds of nerve damage.
Survivors also may experience side effects that begin months or years after treatment. These are called late effects. They may include:
- Cataracts
- Decreased ability to fight infections
- Dental and jaw problems
- Fatigue
- Hearing loss
- Heart, lung, kidney, liver or digestive problems
- Infertility and changes in sexual function
- Joint problems
- Lymphedema
- Memory and learning problems
- Nerve problems, including tingling and numbness
- Osteoporosis
- Pain
- Stroke
- Secondary cancers
Whether you’re likely to have late effects depends on your type of cancer and the treatments you received. Talk with your doctor about the late effects you may experience.
Emotional Issues
The end of treatment often provokes strong emotions among cancer survivors.
Some survivors say they emerge from treatment transformed into completely new people, loving their new lives, growing spiritually and enjoying relationships strengthened by the experience of facing cancer together.
But others may obsess about the possibility of their cancer returning, question cherished beliefs, cope with changed relationships and struggle with body image and self-esteem issues.
If you’re like many survivors, you’ll fall somewhere in the middle, experiencing both positive and negative emotions. It’s important to tell others, including your doctor, how you feel so they can understand your experience and provide you with the help you need. You also may want to join a cancer survivors group to benefit from the experience of others.
Since some things are out of your control, such as whether your cancer will return, focus on the things you can control. Doing so may help you emotionally and improve your health.
For example, if your doctor approves, try brisk walking, yoga or tai chi to reduce stress and boost fitness. If you use tobacco, try to quit. Limit alcohol use. Educate yourself about healthy eating so you can maintain a healthy weight.
You also may feel better if you turn your focus outside of yourself by helping others. Many cancer survivors give back to the cancer community by volunteering at a local cancer center or with a nonprofit cancer organization.
Additional Survivorship Issues
Finally, as you move into life after treatment, you may have difficulty getting or keeping health insurance. You may have to ask for disability accommodations if you return to work. You may have financial difficulties caused by the high cost of cancer treatment.
Many resources are available to help you cope with these and other survivorship issues. See Advocacy & Assistance Resource Groups and Financial Help for Patients & Families.
A cancer social worker also may help you locate the resources you need.
Additional Sources of Information
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