Surviving Cancer

The simple goal of survival for many cancer patients becomes so all- encompassing that many survivors are badly under prepared to a return to.
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Although this information describes issues that are important to many survivors, each person has a unique response to having cancer. While some of the issues covered may reflect your experience well, other issues may not concern you. Focus on finding what works for you. The information is not intended to be all-inclusive. Resources are provided at the end of the article if you need more information on a given topic or one that is not included. We encourage you to be active in getting the information and support you need.

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. Others wonder what they can do to keep cancer from coming 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. All cancer survivors should have follow-up care. But you may have a lot of questions about getting the care you need now, such as:.

Dealing with these issues can be a challenge. Yet many say that getting involved in decisions about their future medical care and lifestyle was a good way for them to regain some of the control they felt they lost during cancer treatment. Research has shown that people who feel more in control feel and function better than those who do not.

Breast Cancer Diagnosis and Treatment

Being an active partner with your doctor and getting help from other members of your health care team is the first step. This next section offers some guidance on working with the people who provide care after treatment. It describes the kinds of help you may need and provides tips for getting what you want out of your medical visits. Reading this section can also help you create a plan of action for your recovery and future health. What is Follow-Up Care?

The main purpose of follow-up care is to check if your cancer has returned recurrence or if it has spread to another part of your body metastasis. Follow-up care can also help in:. Follow-up care means seeing a doctor to get regular medical checkups. At these visits, your doctor will:.

Follow-up care can also include home care, occupational or vocational therapy, pain management , physical therapy, and support groups. You will need to decide which doctor will provide your cancer follow-up care and which one s will provide other medical care. For follow-up cancer care , this may be the same doctor who provided your cancer treatment.

For other medical care, you can continue to see your family doctor or medical specialist as needed. Depending on where you live, it may make more sense to get cancer follow-up care from your family doctor than to travel long distances to see an oncologist. No matter whom you choose as a doctor, try to find doctors you feel comfortable with. At your first follow-up visit, ask your doctor to recommend a follow-up schedule. In general, people who have been treated for cancer return to the doctor every 3 to 4 months during the first 2 to 3 years after treatment, and once or twice a year after that for follow-up appointments.

Cancer survivor - Wikipedia

Some medical organizations also have follow-up guidelines for certain cancers and update this information as researchers develop new approaches to follow-up care. Follow-up care will be different for each person who has been treated for cancer, depending on the type of cancer and treatment he or she had and the person's general health. Researchers are still learning about the best approaches to follow-up care.

This is why it is important that your doctor help determine what follow-up care plan is right for you. Lastly, it is important to note that some insurance plans pay for follow-up care only with certain doctors and for a set number of visits. In planning your follow-up care schedule, you may want to check your health insurance plan to see what restrictions, if any, apply to your follow-up care after cancer treatment.

Keep in Mind Some people may suspect that their cancer has returned, or they notice other changes in their bodies.


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It is important for you to be aware of any changes in your health and report any problems to your doctor. Your doctor can find out whether these problems are related to the cancer, the treatment you had, or another health problem. Even if you learn that your cancer has returned, there is no reason to lose hope. Many people live good lives for many years with cancer that has returned. Sometimes, he or she uses terms you do not know.

When this happens, it is important to stop and ask the doctor to explain what the words mean. You may be afraid of how you will sound to the doctor, but having questions is perfectly normal. Talking with your doctor is important. Both of you need information to manage your care.

Telling the doctor about your health and asking questions helps both of you do your "jobs" well. Here are some points to cover. Keep in Mind Many survivors want to learn about symptoms that may indicate their cancer has come back, or recurred. It is for this reason that you should talk to your doctor about the signs or symptoms that you should watch for and what you should do about them. Your health care team should be able to help you or refer you to someone who can help with any side effects or problems you may have.

You have a right to get the help you need.

What It's Really Like To Have Cancer

Complementary and Alternative Medicine. Complementary and alternative medicine includes many different healing approaches that people use to prevent illness, reduce stress , prevent or reduce side effects and symptoms, or control or cure disease. An approach is generally called complementary when it is used in addition to treatments prescribed by a doctor. An approach is often called alternative when it is used instead of treatments prescribed by a doctor.

Thousands of cancer sufferers surviving decades after diagnosis

Research has shown that more than half of all people with cancer use one or more of these approaches. Some common approaches include: Even though you have finished your cancer treatment, if you are thinking about using these methods, discuss this decision with your doctor or nurse. Some complementary and alternative therapies may interfere or be harmful when used with treatments normally prescribed by a doctor.

How do I develop a wellness plan. After cancer treatment, many survivors want to find ways to reduce the chances of their cancer coming back. Some worry that the way they eat, the stress in their lives, or their exposure to chemicals may put them at risk. Cancer survivors also find that this is a time when they take a good look at how they take care of themselves and their health.

This is an important start to living a healthy life after cancer. When you meet with your doctor about follow-up care, you should ask about developing a wellness plan that includes ways you can take care of your physical, emotional, social, and spiritual needs. You may not be used to talking with your doctor as a partner in planning for your health, so it may be hard for you at first, but it is very important that you do it. The more you do it, the easier it will become. Research is just beginning to show what people can do to lower their risk of getting certain cancers.


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But we don't yet know why cancer comes back in some people and not others. Making changes in the way you eat, exercise , and live your life may not prevent your cancer from coming back. However, making these changes can help you feel better and may also lower your chances of developing other health problems. Exercise After Cancer Treatment Few studies have been done to find out whether physical activity affects survival after cancer treatment. More research is needed to answer this question, but studies have shown that moderate exercise walking , biking, swimming for about 30 minutes every--or almost every--day can:.

During recovery, it is important to start an exercise program slowly and increase activity over time, working with your doctor or a specialist such as a physical therapist if needed. Cancer survival rates often use a five-year survival rate. That doesn't mean cancer can't recur beyond five years. Certain cancers can recur many years after first being found and treated.

For some cancers, if it has not recurred by five years after initial diagnosis, the chance of a later recurrence is very small. Discuss your risk of a cancer recurrence with your doctor. Develop a treatment plan. Statistics can also show how people with your same cancer type and stage respond to treatment. You can use this information, along with your goals for treatment, to weigh the pros and cons of each treatment option. For instance, if two treatments give you similar chances for remission, but one has more side effects, you might choose the option with fewer side effects. In another example, a treatment may offer a chance for a cure, but only for 1 or 2 people out of every For some, these chances are promising enough to put up with side effects.

For others, the chance for a cure isn't worth the treatment's side effects. Cancer survival statistics can be frustrating. The survival rate for people with your particular cancer might be based on thousands of people. So while cancer survival rates can give a general idea about most people in your situation, they can't give your individual chances for cure or remission.

For that reason, some people ignore cancer survival rate statistics. Survival statistics don't take into account other medical conditions you have. If your health is otherwise perfect, you're likely to have a greater chance of survival than the statistics suggest.

If you have other very significant medical conditions, you may not have the chance of survival suggested by the statistics. Your doctor may be able to help adjust the statistics for your specific situation.

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It's up to you whether you want to know the survival rates associated with your type and stage of cancer. Because survival rates can't tell you about your situation, you might find the statistics impersonal and not helpful. But some people want to know everything they can about their cancer. For that reason, you might choose to know all the pertinent statistics. Knowing more about your cancer can reduce your anxiety as you analyze your options and begin your treatment, but survival statistics can be confusing and frightening. Tell your doctor if you'd prefer not to pay attention to the numbers.

Some people prefer to know the "big picture," rather than detailed statistics. Let your doctor know how you prefer to receive the information. And if you have any questions or concerns about the statistics associated with your cancer, talk to your doctor. Mayo Clinic does not endorse companies or products. Advertising revenue supports our not-for-profit mission.

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This content does not have an English version. This content does not have an Arabic version. What it means for your prognosis. Free E-newsletter Subscribe to Housecall Our general interest e-newsletter keeps you up to date on a wide variety of health topics. What it means for your prognosis Find out what a survival rate can tell you and what it can't. By Mayo Clinic Staff. References Understanding cancer prognosis. Understanding statistics used to guide prognosis and evaluate treatment. Products and Services Book: Mayo Clinic on Healthy Aging Newsletter: Mayo Clinic Health Letter Give today to find cancer cures for tomorrow.

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