Surviving the After Effects of Cancer Treatment

Some have described survivorship as being “disease-free, but not free of your disease.” You may find that you are still coping with the effects of treatment on your body. It might take time to get over these effects. You may wonder how your body should feel during this time and what are signs that cancer is coming back. This section describes some of the problems that can occur when treatment is over. Some of the most common problems that people report are:

• Fatigue
• Memory and concentration change
• Pain
• Nervous system changes (neuropathy)
• Lymphedema, or swelling
• Mouth or teeth problems
• Changes in weight and eating habits
• Trouble swallowing
• Bladder or bowel control problems
• Menopause symptoms