What Is “Normal” After Cancer Treatment?

Last Updated: Aug. 1, 2003

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.

“While I was having chemo I just quit doing most anything ... so, the challenge for me was, what am I going to do now with my life? What should I go back to doing?”
Len, colon cancer survivor, 60

One of the hardest things after treatment is not knowing what happens next. 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.

Concerns for the future
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. 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.

“The more you learn about your cancer, the more you realize you have to speak up for yourself. And lots of times I would take information to my doctor.”
Ellen, stomach cancer survivor, 70

It also is very important to remember that no two people are alike, so you may experience changes that are very different from someone else’s, even if they had the same type of cancer and received the same treatment.

Relationships
After treatment, you may miss the support you got from your health care team. You may feel as if your safety net has been pulled away and that you get less attention and support from health care providers now that treatment is over. You also may feel that only others who have had cancer can understand your feelings. Feelings like these are normal any time you leave people who mean a lot to you.

It is also normal to feel somewhat cut off from other people – even family and friends – after cancer treatment. Often, friends and family want to help, but they don’t know how. Others may be scared of the disease.

New outlook
You might find that going through a crisis like cancer gives you new power and pride. “I feel good that I’ve found ways to cope,” one colon cancer survivor said. “I also feel better able to handle any future problems that might come up. I have new skills, and I now know I have strength.”

Survivors often express the need to understand what having had cancer means to their lives now. In fact, many find that cancer causes them to look at life in new ways.

Others report feeling lucky or blessed to have survived treatment and take new joy in each day. For some, the meaning of their illness comes out only after they have been living with cancer for a long time; for others, the meaning changes over time. It also is common to view the cancer experience both negatively and positively at the same time.

“After waking up in the recovery suite after my surgery ... I [felt I] had come through from the other side, and it was not that bad. It truly was the first day of the rest of my life, and it was now up to me to make this new beginning meaningful. I soon realized that the best thing I could do for myself was to help others make the ‘journey’ that I did.”
Michael, prostate cancer survivor, 50

You may want to think about helping others who have had cancer. Many local and national cancer groups need people to help. Or, you may prefer to reach out to people you know or friends of friends.

Take a new look at old patterns. Some survivors say their cancer gave them a wakeup call and a second chance to make life what they want it to be.

It is important to know that most cancer is not passed down through families. Only about 5 to 10 percent of the most common cancers (such as breast, colon, prostate) are inherited. In most of the families that have inherited cancers, researchers have found relatives who may have had:

• Cancer before they were 50 years old
• Different kinds of cancers
• Cancer in two of the same body parts (like both kidneys or both breasts)
• Other risk factors for cancer (such as colon polyps or skin moles)

If you think that your cancer may be inherited, talking with a cancer genetic counselor can help answer your questions and those of your family.

Source: National Cancer Institute

We Have Answers Do you have medical questions or need help finding a doctor? The experts at Columbia St. Mary's and Advanced Healthcare can help. Click here.