The End of Treatment

After you finish active cancer treatment, you begin a plan for follow-up care. This may mean seeing your cancer care team less often. This might be scary since you are so used to seeing your team weekly or monthly. You know someone is checking on things and making sure you are "ok." 

Many people are surprised by their emotions at this time. Maybe you thought you would be jumping for joy and throwing a party. But in reality, you find yourself crying in the parking lot after your last treatment, feeling vulnerable and worried in ways you didn't plan for. Early cancer survivors can feel fear, sadness, anger, isolation, and grief. These feelings can co-exist with a sense of relief, gratitude, and an enhanced sense of capacity to face adversity.

Completion of therapy is a time when friends and family may say, "Congratulations" and "You must be glad to be done", though you may be feeling uncertain about this milestone. Friends, family, and even your oncology team can be caught off guard by the complicated emotions you are experiencing. They may not realize that these emotions are common and even expected, which may make you feel even more isolated. You aren't alone. These are common reactions. Here are a few tips to help you cope.

Follow-up Care Recommendations

Be assured that your oncology team is always there if concerns arise. Recommendations and plans for follow-up care are developed to follow each person in the best way. This plan varies for every type of cancer and treatment you have. Follow-up care may involve periodic blood work, radiology scans and tests, and physical exams.

Defining Your New Normal

Have you heard, "It must be nice to be getting back to normal?" But, what does "normal" mean now after cancer? As any cancer survivor will tell you, things have changed, and so has their definition of "normal". Many survivors say they look at life differently: they don't take things for granted and don't sweat the small stuff. A cancer diagnosis can change you. This is something people around you may not fully understand.

It may be helpful to join a group of survivors, formally (in a support group) or informally (gather a few folks you have met along the way). Social networking and the Internet have created wonderful support for all sorts of concerns, and survivorship is no different. CancerCare provides support groups and professional counseling over the phone or online. Many cancer centers and advocacy organizations offer support groups for survivors to address their specific concerns after therapy. A "buddy" program can match you with someone who’s been in your shoes and can be a listening ear and support person – or you can become a buddy to someone else. No one understands this time better than someone who has been there, and this support can be very valuable. Buddy programs are offered by Imerman Angels, Cancer Hope Network, and many other disease-specific advocacy groups.

You may be thinking about finding meaning in illness, restoring a sense of identity and purpose, and coping with uncertainty. How you address these challenges is totally up to you. For some, recovery from the trauma of cancer and its treatment can be made more difficult by the late medical complications of treatment, which can affect the quality of life. Remind yourself of the strength you demonstrated in having met the challenges of cancer treatment. Setting new goals and turning to spirituality are possible strategies for coping. Using artistic expressions such as painting and writing can be helpful tools to work through your emotions. When emotions become too overwhelming, it may be helpful to seek a referral to a mental health professional. Signs of persistent depression and anxiety include interference with sleep and daytime function, hopelessness, and suicidal thinking and are indicators that professional help is needed. Ask your care team to recommend a psychological professional (counselor, therapist, social worker) with experience working with people with cancer. If you are thinking about hurting yourself or having suicidal thoughts call the National Suicide Prevention Hotline at 1-800-273-8255 or 988.

Completing treatment can also present other challenges. Your family or employer may expect things to pick up where they left off. Resuming your previous activities may not be as easy as it sounds. Many survivors suffer from fatigue or limited energy for months, or even years, after therapy. The time it takes to get over this fatigue varies greatly depending on the treatment received, the type of cancer, how fatigue affected you during treatment, and how well you can balance the demands on your time. Some people describe their energy as a bowl of candy. You start the morning with a full bowl; every task takes one or two candies. You will need to continue to balance and prioritize your time and energy. Save a few candies for when you have something special to do in the evening. You will find that your bowl of candy will continue to get bigger every day. Using this metaphor will help you mentally manage your time and energy.

Survivorship Care

So what to do now? Learn what your risks are based on the treatment you received, learn what you can do to prevent them, if possible, and learn how to monitor them. Take the first step and develop an OncoLife Survivorship Care Plan. Some survivors may also benefit from a visit to a survivorship clinic. These clinics review your treatment history and develop recommendations for you and your primary care team based on your risks. Contact cancer centers in your area to see if they have a survivor's clinic or search for a clinic on OncoLink's survivorship clinic list (though this list is not exhaustive).

Resources for Practical Support

There are many resources to help survivors, but it can take some homework to find what you need. In dealing with employment, disability, and insurance issues, you should learn about your rights and your employer's responsibilities under the law. OncoLink's section on financial and insurance issues may be helpful. The Patient Advocate Foundation and the AmericanCancer Society websites have financial and insurance information for survivors. The Cancer Legal Resource Center and Triage Cancer provide information on cancer-related legal issues, including insurance coverage, employment and time off, and healthcare and government benefits. Cancer and Careers is a resource for all things employment-related, from time of diagnosis well into survivorship.

Personal issues related to sexuality or fertility can be emotionally draining and can interfere with personal relationships at a time when you need them most. OncoLink's section on fertility & sexuality may be helpful. Organizations such as the Oncofertility Consortium and Resolve can help with fertility issues. Us Too and the American Cancer Society provide fertility and sexuality resources.

How cancer affects your sexual health is different for every survivor. Some find the support they need through their healthcare team, their partner, friends, or fellow survivors. Some cancer advocacy groups host discussion boards where you can "talk" about concerns with someone who has been there. The American Cancer Society offers sexuality information for men and women. For those who find things more difficult, a mental health provider can help you cope with the physical and emotional trauma cancer brings and determine how to move forward, whether with a partner or looking for one. Look for a therapist with expertise in working with people with cancer and/or sexual health and relationship issues.

All of this can be a bit overwhelming, but the fact that there are over 17 million cancer survivors in the United States today is a testament to the fact that you can do this! Take it one day at a time, and seek the support you need to live and love your "new normal" life.