Cancer Survivorship and Life After Treatment

This guide is for people finishing cancer treatment and the families who support them. It explains what survivorship means, why life after treatment can feel hard, and what helps.

A person is considered a cancer survivor from the time of diagnosis through the balance of life. There are many types of survivors, including those living with cancer and those free of cancer. What being a survivor means to you may change over time. Some people prefer another term entirely to describe themselves.

Survivorship covers a lot of ground. It includes adjusting to life after treatment, follow-up medical care, late effects of treatment, and family issues.

People who have completed treatment often say that although they were relieved when it ended, they struggled with the transition to a new way of life. It can feel like entering another world, with new feelings, changes in support, and different ways of looking at life.

Getting used to life after cancer takes time. You may still:

• feel tired and not want to do too much
• be healing from treatment and side effects
• feel nervous about seeing your oncologist less often
• feel uncertain about how to move forward
• worry that the cancer will come back

One of the hardest parts is not knowing what happens next. Many people describe the first few months as getting used to a "new normal." It's not so much "getting back to normal" as finding out what's normal for you now. Your new normal might include different goals, changes in how you eat, new sources of support, or emotional and physical changes. Give yourself time to adapt, and take it one day at a time.

The end of treatment can bring relief, but also fear and anxiety. Probably the most common fear is that the cancer will come back—a cancer recurrence. Getting scans or follow-up tests can make people feel very anxious; some survivors call this "scanxiety."

Fear of recurrence is normal and often lessens over time. Even years later, follow-up visits, certain symptoms, a loved one's illness, or the anniversary of your diagnosis can trigger worry. Steps that may help:

• Let your care team know your concerns, so they can give you facts about your risk and reassure you they're looking out for you.
• Know it's common to worry about every ache and pain. Ask how long side effects might last, and report symptoms that worry you.
• Take notes about symptoms, side effects, and emotional issues, and write down questions before visits.
• Ask for a follow-up care plan—a summary of your treatment and next steps that can give you a sense of control.
• Talk to a counselor if your fears feel like more than you can handle.
• Keep busy while waiting for test results, with friends, family, or self-care.
• Look at what you can control, like keeping appointments and setting a daily schedule.

When treatment is ending, bring Questions to Ask at the End of Treatment. For language you may hear later, see Remission and Recurrence and When Cancer Comes Back.

If you can, try to use your energy to focus on wellness and manage stress. Things that can help:

• Find ways to relax. Relaxation exercises, meditation, and yoga help reduce stress.
• Talk to others. Sharing your feelings with friends and family can help you feel less alone.
• Join a peer support group. Talking with other survivors of the same kind of cancer helps many people cope; ask your hospital social worker about local or online groups.
• Exercise. Moderate exercise like walking, biking, or swimming can reduce anxiety and depression and improve your mood.
• Eat a healthy diet. Talk to a dietitian about foods that keep you healthy and strong.
• Write your feelings down. Journaling helps many people let go of worries.
• Seek comfort from spirituality, if faith or a sense of spirituality is a source of strength for you.
• Give back. Volunteering and helping others gives some people a sense of meaning.
• Take part in clubs, classes, or social gatherings to focus on things besides cancer.

While no one can control every thought, many survivors try not to dwell on fearful ones and instead focus on what makes them feel better and what they can do now to stay as healthy as possible.