Coping with Cancer Recurrence

Sometimes, cancer can come back after you’ve had treatment. It can happen in weeks, months or even years after the first treatment. Along with the cancer, shock and fear that came with your first diagnosis also comes back.

This distress is normal – some say the cancer recurrence is more distressing than the first.

What is cancer recurrence?

When cancer returns after a period of remission, it’s considered a recurrence. The simplest reason is that the treatment you had before didn’t destroy all the cancer cells in your body. Even small that were left behind can grow into tumors over time.

It doesn’t mean that you got the wrong treatment. Cancer cells are very tricky and some can even survive aggressive therapies. In rare cases, you may be diagnosed with a new cancer that’s completely unrelated to your first cancer. This is referred to as a second primary cancer.

Where does cancer recur?

Your cancer can recur in the same place it was originally located, or it can migrate to other parts of your body. Doctors basically classify recurrent cancers into three categories:

Local recurrence: Cancer comes back in the same place where it was first detected.

Regional recurrence: Cancer develops in the lymph nodes or tissues that are near the original cancer.

Distant recurrence: It refers to the cancer that has spread (metastasized) to areas farther away from your first cancer.

Your treatment plan will probably depend on the type of cancer you have, how advanced it is, and where it’s located.

How to cope with a cancer recurrence

As said the cancer recurrence can be very shocking and fearful. It brings the same emotions you felt when you were first diagnosed with cancer. Some of the common emotions include:

Distress: You already started living a life believing that you have beaten the cancer and the shock of cancer recurrence can cause a great distress. For some it is more than the first time cancer diagnose.

Self-doubt: You may even doubt the previous treatment or your lifestyle post first cancer treatment. But try not to look back in the past. Rather focus on current situation and the cancer treatment plan.

Anger: A very common emotion and you may be angry with your doctor for not stopping your cancer at first time. But you and your doctor made treatment choices based on the information available at that time.

Fatigue: It is very normal to feel that you can’t handle cancer again. Whether it is about the side effects, dealing with friends and families to let them know irrespective of you’ve done it before.

Like side all these feelings are normal. But you have some advantages this time. Let’s think on the positive side:

This time you know more than your previous experience

Knowing about your cancer and treatment options can reduce your stress and anxiety. Because you already know the process and side effects of the treatment.

Already built relationships with doctors and care team

You have already worked closely with your cancer doctor, medical team and hospitals. So you are more confident now.

More importantly, you have done this before very well

Based on your first experience with cancer, you know what’s best for you during this time. Whether you needed some time alone or preferred having someone nearby, you can draw on your experience to plan ahead.

We know everything is painful but thinking on a positive note, use these experiences to your advantage. They can help you feel more in control when making decisions about your treatment.

If you are looking for cancer recurrence treatment plan in Ahmedabad, drop us a message.