Many cancer survivors live with the fear of recurrence. Unfortunately, there is some validity to our fears. We need to accept our feelings, and then get pro-active about prevention.

Even if the recurrence rate for our particular type of cancer is high, this is the time to live fully. These are the days that will inspire and strengthen us should we have to be treated for a recurrence.

Fear of recurrence

Your white blood cell counts are normal. Your x-rays, CT scans or MRIs are all clear. There is no sign of cancer in your body. Congratulations! You have your health and your life back. So why are you so scared? Because, like so many of us, you can't quite banish the thought: It might come back.

Whether or not cancer returns depends on any number of things, such as what type of cancer we had, where it was in the body, and the stage to which it had progressed. The reality is that neither we nor our doctors can know for sure if any cancer cells are left in our bodies. Some cells are so tiny that they are undetectable by even the most powerful microscopes.

A few facts about recurrence

It’s easy for us to get caught up in a negative spiral. We can become scared of living too deeply, of making an effort to regain what we lost when we were ill, only to have it all threatened again by the recurrence of cancer. When this happens, it helps to know what our real risks are:

• When detected early, some forms of breast cancer have survival rates of 91%, and recurrence rates of less than 7% during the first ten years after initial diagnosis.
• The most common form of thyroid cancer -- papillary carcinoma -- has a high cure rate, with a ten-year chance of survival for all of us who carry this diagnosis at almost 90%.
• Roughly 60% of us throughout the world with colon cancer are still alive five years after diagnosis. In some regions, the survival rate increases to 93% if the cancer is caught in its early stages.
• Over 70% of people with prostate cancer live for five years without a recurrence.

Using lessons learned during treatment

In the meantime, how do we learn to live with our fears? We use what we have learned during our treatments for the cancer that got us here in the first place.

• We can maintain the priorities we re-evaluated when we were sick and continue to focus only on what is most important every day.
• We can apply what we've learned about nutrition and exercise to lead as healthy a life as possible with the goal toward both improving our overall well-being and preventing cancer.
• We can call upon members of the healthcare team we chose and the support groups we built while sick to refer us to those who can help us deal with fears, anxiety, or depression.
• We can surround ourselves with people who make us feel better and avoid naysayers who only feed our fear.
• We can do all those things we couldn’t do when we were attached to an IV or bound to a daily schedule of appointments with the radiation machine.
• We can hug people more often and hang on a little longer, just because it feels good.
• We can find others who are in the same boat.

See also:

• Prevention techniques
• Healthy living
• Proper nutrition
• Coping with recurrence