Cancers can relapse. For some patients, cancers require lifetime monitoring. Find out more about the impact of living with cancer long-term.
What does 'maintenance or on-going chemotherapy' mean?
What happens when your medical team suggests a regimen of maintenance or ongoing chemotherapy? It can be daunting to deal with the fact that, despite your treatment, you need further intervention to manage your cancer, going forward.
Being told that your cancer has come back is just as traumatic as when you were first diagnosed. It’s the last thing you expect, and can literally floor you. Despite the fact that you’ve thrown everything you have at it, here it is again.
Having gone through cancer treatment, it’s natural to have many questions on your mind. Has it done the trick? Has my cancer gone? Can it come back? Although ‘cure’ is every cancer patient’s dream and goal, ‘remission’ is always the next best prize.
Adapting your lifestyle to complement ongoing chemo
There are enormous emotional and physical challenges when chemo becomes a long term reality, but understanding what these are - and how best to deal with them - will go a long way in maintaining a good quality of life despite ongoing treatment.
A cancer relapse occurs when the cancer comes back after treatment. This can happen weeks, months or even many years after the primary or original cancer was treated. It is impossible for your doctor to know for sure whether your cancer will recur.
How to deal with your emotions when your cancer comes back
Shock, anger, disbelief. How is this possible? After everything you've been through - the challenges of treatment, trying to stay positive and doing your best not to let the illness consume you - your cancer has come back.