What happens after cancer treatment can be different for each patient.
You might:
During all of these stages you may need to see your cancer care team or benefit from some support. The support you need as you transition away from cancer treatment can change at each stage.
When you finish cancer treatment, you may be booked for a follow-up visit with your cancer healthcare team.
Follow-up visits can be spaced out from months to a few years after you finish your treatment. These visits might include:
Your cancer team knows all about cancer, cancer treatment and treatment side effects. They do not always know how to manage your other health needs beyond cancer (e.g. diabetes, heart disease, gastrointestinal problems).
You should continue to follow-up with your family doctor for your regular healthcare needs. When you are done your cancer treatment and care with your Oncologist, you will go back to your family doctor for:
There can come a time when you may no longer have follow-up with the cancer centre. Your cancer care plan might transition to your family doctor to manage in the community. Each patient has a different timeline for this transition.
If you are having any trouble with this change let any member of your healthcare team know.
As a patient, care partner, or family member, you may have a number of different feelings after finishing cancer treatment. Some people feel relieved while others may feel:
These feelings are normal. There are community counselling services offered to patients and their family members or caregivers.
This is a phase of the cancer journey that involves living beyond cancer. Learn more about how to recover after treatment and what to think about as you continue life after treatment.
As cancer progresses, your healthcare team may determine that the cancer can no longer be controlled. This may involve stopping treatments and medical testing. You are not alone. Your healthcare team will emphasize maintaining your quality of life to make sure you are comfortable as time goes on.