Surviving breast cancer comes with its own set of challenges. You’ve finished your treatment and may be feeling overwhelmed and concerned about what comes next. It’s important to know that this is normal, that you are not alone and your medical team will be there to support you in addressing your needs and answering your questions.
Survivor’s Guilt and Other Feelings
Women who survive breast cancer can feel a mix of emotions – anxiety, fear, stress, sadness and depression. The experience of a cancer diagnosis can change a survivor's outlook on life. Some may develop a greater appreciation for life, while others may find themselves dealing with the following:
- Post-cancer distress: Many survivors have a fear of breast cancer returning or feel out of control, as their cancer diagnosis may have caught them by surprise. This distress can resemble post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) but less severe.
- Separation from treatment team: After completing therapy, the separation from one’s treatment team can lead to uncertainty about what comes next.
- Survivor’s guilt: Survivors can experience survivor’s guilt when they observe other patients who have not been as fortunate or question if their own actions somehow caused their illness.
Addressing any of the above with survivors involves various strategies and resources. For doctors, it's challenging to guarantee that a patient’s cancer won't come back, so discussing the level of risk—whether it's high or low—helps survivors manage their fear. Other supportive measures include:
- Communicating with close family and friends to help remind survivors that the hardest part is behind them.
- A reminder that time plays a vital role in healing.
- Reassuring survivors that their feelings are normal and that they've been through a lot can be comforting.
- Connecting breast cancer survivors with other survivors who share similar experiences can provide a sense of community and understanding.
- Recommending patients meet with a health psychologist in the oncology unit for additional mental health support.
Fertility Concerns
Breast cancer survivors often worry about their ability to become pregnant after treatment and whether it is safe to do so. The good news is that having a baby after cancer is safe and possible, especially when you work closely with your healthcare team.
Early and open discussions are crucial:
- At diagnosis, it's important to discuss your fertility with your doctor. Preservation of your fertility through procedures like egg or embryo freezing are options you, your doctor and a reproductive therapist will discuss.
- After chemotherapy, women typically undergo endocrine hormone therapy for several years. It’s advised that women take hormone therapy for a couple years before stopping to become pregnant and then resume therapy after the baby is born. It's important to plan for this in advance.
- While chemotherapy doesn't guarantee infertility, it may reduce fertility by 20-30%.
- Surgical procedures for breast cancer typically do not interfere with egg preservation, but this should be discussed in detail with your healthcare team.
- To learn more, visit us online or call 773-293-5234.
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