Surviving Cancer

Surviving cancer can be defined in two different ways: having no disease after diagnosis or the completion of treatment, or the process of living with, through, and beyond cancer. By this definition, cancer survivorship begins at diagnosis.
A cancer diagnosis may lead to a change in a person's priorities regarding relationships, career, or lifestyle. Some survivors talk about appreciating life more and gaining a greater acceptance of self, and some survivors become anxious about their health and uncertain of how to cope with life after treatment. Survivorship is a unique journey for each person.  Surviving gastric cancer has the additional complexity of living your life with only part, or often, no stomach. 

Surviving cancer: What to expect

At the completion of active treatment, the "safety net" of regular, frequent contact with the health-care team ends. Some survivors may miss this source of support, especially since anxieties may surface at this time. Some survivors have difficulty adjusting to and learning to live with uncertainty. Others may have physical problems, experience discrimination at work, or find that their social network feels inadequate.  There are several good sources of information regarding dealing with the end of treatment from www.cancer.net.  For more information, read Cancer.Net Feature: Making Positive Lifestyle Changes After a Cancer Diagnosis.

Fear of recurrence

Fear of recurrence is common among most cancer survivors. It may lead a person to over-interpret the significance of minor physical problems, such as a headache or joint stiffness. It is simply hard to know what is "normal," and what needs to be reported to the doctor. Discussing the actual risk of recurrence with your doctor and the symptoms to report can often reduce a person’s anxiety. Maintaining your schedule of follow-up visits can also provide a sense of control. Although many cancer survivors describe feeling scared and nervous at the time of routine follow-up visits, these feelings may ease with time.

Relationships

Relationships with family and friends may be tested during this transition. Some friends may become closer, while others distance themselves. Families can become overprotective, or may have exhausted their ability to be supportive. Relationship problems that may have been ignored before cancer can surface. The entire family is changed by the cancer experience, but they may not recognize these changes. Open communication helps with adapting to life and shifting relationships after cancer.

Getting back to "normal"

Returning to work is a sign of regaining a normal routine and lifestyle, and 80% of people with cancer return to work after a cancer diagnosis. Most people need their job and the medical insurance it provides. Studies show little, if any, difference in the work performance of survivors. Although obvious discrimination has decreased, there can still be subtle discrimination. When planning your return to work, it may be helpful to anticipate questions from coworkers, and decide how to answer these questions in advance. Coworkers may want to help but not know how. It may be up to you to start the conversation and set the limits. Disclosing and discussing a diagnosis is a personal decision.

Life without a Stomach

One of the greatest physical adjustments after being treated for gastric cancer, is the transition to life without a stomach.  Without a stomach, some foods that require a long time to digest, such as salads or raw vegetables, are extremely difficult to digest. Survivors respond to most other foods well in small quantities, but each individual needs to determine what works best for them.  Eating patterns are also significantly changed.  Instead of three large meals a day, gastric cancer survivors transition to a diet that includes smaller, more frequent meals throughout the day.  Also, it can be difficult to gain weight and exercise must be monitored to ensure the body is maintaining a proper level of nutrition.  

More Information on Survivorship
Cancer.net: Survivorship: Next Steps to Take
Cancer.Net Q&A Forum: Cancer Survivorship: Living Beyond Cancer
National Coalition for Cancer Survivorship: www.canceradvocacy.org
Lance Armstrong Foundation: Living After Cancer Brochure Series
Lance Armstrong Foundation: Finding and Evaluating Survivorship Resources