Fear of Cancer Recurrence

So, you’ve been through surgery, radiation, chemo. Almost to five years. Maybe even ten years. Your friends have stopped asking “How are you?” in that slow, drawn out way. Now it’s assumed that your worries are about your kid or you job or your weight. 

And it’s true you have new thoughts now and plans for the future. But still. But still.

You feel an ache, there is a bruise, a bit of swelling, a funny feeling. Your first thought is not, like most people, “Aging sucks.” Rather, your first thought is, “Is it back?”

The reality is that cancer can recur—in the same place or sometimes metastasize to a new place. So, we residents of CancerLand have this thing called FCR—Fear of Cancer Recurrence.

And it’s not just you: According to Susan Krigel, Ph.D. a clinical psychologist at the Midwest Cancer Alliance, 97% of cancer patients have FCR that lasts for years.

The good news: you’re not alone.

The bad news: you can feel scared a lot or crazy a lot.

And the probably news is that you’ll experience some anxiety.

Triggers will be different for each person. You’ll want to talk to folks in a support group. You may also want the help of a therapist who knows cancer. That’s a key question to ask: Does this therapist know the psychology of cancer and the dynamics of life as a cancer survivor. Note: Having had cancer does not necessarily make one expert. Having treated many people with cancer and understanding the dynamic may be a better qualification than having had cancer.

Humor helps too. You’ll need to test that first with family—they have their own fears about your cancer. But find a couple of people –friends or survivors—and invite them to be your FCR warriors.