Life After Treatment
Learn about what it means to live in remission, the importance of a survivorship care plan, and what you can expect as part of your follow-up care plan once you’ve completed treatment.
Living in Remission
Remission is when the signs and symptoms of cancer have decreased or disappeared, although cancer cells may still be in the body. Living in remission can be a source of both relief, happiness, and anxiety — relief that the tumour is gone, happiness that you can resume certain activities and anxiety that it may recur (come back). Additionally, you may become more attuned to the impact of cancer on you, your family, friends, and career, prompting a re-evaluation of different areas of your life. Coping with these emotions is unique to each person and will require time.
The fear of cancer returning is a common and sometimes intense experience among Individuals who have been impacted by cancer. Having to cope with the uncertainty of cancer returning (recurrence) can be very stressful— no one wants to think that they will have to fight cancer a second or third time. For some people, cancer takes away the control they once felt in their lives. In the no evidence of disease phase, one thing you can do to gain some of that control back is to focus on your wellness, which includes your mental, physical, nutritional, and spiritual health. It is very common for anyone who has had cancer to feel worried that the cancer may return. You may want to talk to your friends and family about these concerns or connect with other patients or survivors who have been in a similar situation. Ask your doctor, or nurse or CCC’s patient support team about getting in touch with a patient group or counsellor. Colorectal Cancer Canada has a variety of resources about survivorship, feel free to contact us so we can help you find the information according to your needs and concerns.