Cancer recovery Clatterbridge Centre for Oncology Many people with cancer find it difficult to know if they‘re getting better as the treatments they’re receiving may make them feel ill; particularly so for those having treatment for a cancer which was found by screening e.g. breast, cervical, colorectal.

In this article

How will I know I’m getting better?

Will it be cured?

What happens when treatment finishes?

In many cases, the treatment given following surgery reduces the risk of the cancer returning. There are often no tests which can be done to confirm that the treatment has worked, and this can be very frustrating. For some, it‘s possible to perform scans, x-rays or blood tests to find out if they are getting better.

How long does it take to recover?

Every case is individual and people will recover at different rates. Recovery times depend on many different things:

• How well the person was at the start of the treatment
• Whether surgery is part of the treatment
• Whether chemotherapy or radiotherapy is given

At the end of chemotherapy treatment, the patient can expect it to be at least six months before they will recover from its effects. Radiotherapy side-effects can also persist for several months after the treatment is finished.

There are some long-term side-effects from cancer treatment that may affect some patients, and their specialist will check for these at follow-up visits.

The psychological effects of treatment for cancer can last much longer, and some patients will require extra help to recover from these.

Most people who have been treated for cancer want to know if they've been cured. It's almost impossible to say someone has been 'cured' of cancer as this would mean it will never come back. In medicine, the terms 'all clear' or remission are used as they mean there are no current signs of cancer.

What will it take to beat this?

Many patients want to know what they can do to help reduce the risk of cancer coming back. There are a lot of sources of advice for patients, particularly on the internet, but some of these may not be accurate. Many websites and books suggest diets and supplements which are alleged to help fight, beat or prevent cancer. These do not always have a scientific basis and so we do not know if they work or not. Healthcare professionals recommend:

• Eating a healthy balanced diet
• Taking regular exercise (where possible, even during treatment)
• Stopping smoking
• Drinking alcohol in moderation

Many patients find the end of treatment upsetting. Whilst they may be glad that it's over, it may make them feel frightened or anxious, because the reassurance of frequent hospital visits and monitoring is at an end, making patients feel they are on their own. This is quite a normal reaction and it takes time to adjust.

Patients will still have regular follow-ups, sometimes at hospital and sometimes by telephone, and will have been given instructions about who to contact if they are worried about anything. To begin with, every ache and pain will make the patient worry about whether it's the cancer, but as time passes these worries will ease and patients will recognise these as the normal aches and pains that affect us all.

Patients may well become more anxious at times - during the weeks just before a hospital visit and around the anniversary date of their original diagnosis. It often helps patients to be able to talk about these worries but this may be difficult.

Often they find that family and friends expect things to have gone back to normal, so try to keep their feelings to themselves. Patients may also not want to plan ahead and book things like holidays and they may require a lot of support and encouragement to do so.

This article was first published in February 2009.