Life after treatment

Life after treatment can be a period of transition and adjustment – and more of a challenge than you may expect. It’s normal to be concerned about what the future holds.

After treatment ends

At the end of treatment, you may have mixed feelings – relief and happiness that your treatment is over, but anger and sadness too. You may even feel a bit lost without the support of your healthcare team. Not everyone has a hard time. But if you do, the strong feelings often fade as your energy returns.

Finding your new normal

Finding your new normal

Finding your new normal after treatment is about finding what’s normal for you now. It might be getting back to how your life was before or it might be making changes in how you live your life.

Worrying that cancer will come back

You can’t control if your cancer comes back. And it is normal to worry. Focusing on wellness and positive activities – and talking with other people who have had cancer – can help.

Cancer as a chronic disease 

Most chronic cancers can’t be cured, but they can be controlled for a long time. If you’re living with chronic cancer, there are ways to help you cope with the uncertainty of how long your cancer will stay in remission.

Follow-up care

Regular follow-up care is part of getting back to everyday life. Appointments with your healthcare team help you stay on track. Always tell your doctor right away about any new symptoms you have.

Keeping track of your treatment history

A personal health record of your cancer diagnosis and treatment can be an important resource for you and your healthcare team. The information to include in your health record and follow-up care plan can usually be provided by your treatment centre.

Share your treatment experience with us

CCS aims to fund high impact research that is relevant to people affected by cancer and improves cancer outcomes. By engaging patients, survivors, thrivers, caregivers, and families, we can make sure people affected by cancer shape the way that research funding and funding decisions are made.