Coping with breast cancer treatment
Cancer treatment can cause side effects or changes to your body and how you feel. You may have different side effects even when you are given the same treatment for the same type of cancer as other people. It’s normal to feel uncertain or fearful about side effects that you may have. Keep in mind your health care team can help prevent and relieve any side effects.
Side effects of cancer treatment
Breast cancer treatments can cause many physical side effects that affect healthy tissues or organs. The type of side effects you may have depends on the type of treatments you have and their doses. Some side effects that many people with breast cancer have include lymphedema and fertility issues.
Learn more about the possible side effects of cancer treatment at Side Effects of Cancer Treatment.
Emotional effects of cancer treatment
Breast cancer and its treatment can be overwhelming and cause many emotional effects. Just as cancer affects your physical health, it can bring up a wide range of emotions you’re not used to dealing with. It can also make existing feelings seem more intense.
Learn more about how to understand and cope with new, and sometimes difficult, thoughts and feelings at Emotions and Cancer.
Changes in body image and sexuality
Breast surgery, deciding whether to have breast reconstruction, and hair loss are some examples of how cancer treatment may affect how you look and feel about yourself. Other treatments for breast cancer also may affect your body, how others see you, and how you see yourself. Coping with these changes to your body can be hard, but there are resources that can help you.
Learn more about coping with changes to your body in How Cancer Affects Your Self-Image and Sexuality.
Follow-up care
Many breast cancer survivors need to visit their doctor regularly to get follow-up exams or tests. Planning and scheduling these appointments can be stressful and time-consuming, but making regular visits with your health care team can help you feel supported.
Getting Financial Support
Even if you have health insurance, you may face financial challenges and need help dealing with the costs of breast cancer treatment. For tips and ways to cope, visit Managing Cancer Costs and Medical Information.
Your doctor may give you a survivorship care plan that details the types of cancer treatment you received and a plan for your follow-up care. At follow-up appointments, your doctor may do imaging and other tests to check for a recurrence, such as:
Learn more about the health care you should be receiving after treatment at Follow-Up Medical Care.
Coping with fear of breast cancer recurrence
You may feel a mix of relief and worry when treatment ends. When you stop having a treatment that was working, it can cause fear that cancer could come back. Tests and scans that are part of normal follow-up care can create anxiety called “scanxiety.” Physical changes in your body also can cause worry. You may fear that any pain or discomfort may be due to cancer’s return. Although these feelings are uncomfortable, they can improve with time and help.
Learn more about how to cope with fear of recurrence at Life After Cancer Treatment.
Late effects of cancer treatment
Late effects are problems caused by cancer treatment that may not show up for months or years after treatment. These problems are specific to certain types of treatments and the amount received. Like side effects that you may have during treatment, late effects can be very different from person to person.
Learn about late effects of treatment and how to cope at Late Effects of Cancer Treatment.
Getting support
No matter where you are in your cancer journey, you or your caregivers may need help coping. Know that you are not alone. Seek support from family and friends, your health care team, and support groups.
Get advice on how to ask for help in Adjusting to Cancer, or learn more about Cancer Support Groups.
Support for caregivers
If you are caring for someone who has cancer, it’s important to know what resources are available to you. Learn more in Support for Caregivers of Cancer Patients.