An Oncologist's Advice for Finding a Path Forward When Living With Lung Cancer
When a person who has been faced with a diagnosis of non-metastatic lung cancer (cancer that has not yet spread) finally completes their treatment or has surgery, they may feel excitement, joy and hope for the future. They often celebrate with their friends and family, and share a collective sigh of relief. But for many people, these feelings can soon give way to the fear that their cancer may come back.
If cancer comes back after treatment, this is called recurrence. Fear of recurrence can impact a person with cancer’s quality of life and even cause emotional symptoms like anxiety and physical symptoms like fatigue.
This fear of recurrence can be stressful for people with non-small cell lung cancer, the most common form of lung cancer, because many patients with non-metastatic disease may experience recurrence within five years—despite surgery to remove the lung cancer with or without chemotherapy treatment.
Courtesy Merck
Roy S. Herbst, MD, PhD, who has cared for people with lung cancer for 25 years, knows firsthand the effect this fear can have. “It can be extremely difficult for people to go back to their normal lives, knowing there is a chance their cancer can return,” says Dr. Herbst, deputy director and chief of medical oncology at Yale Cancer Center and Smilow Cancer Hospital. “Even when surgically removed, there's still a chance that it can come back."
Dr. Herbst shares how people who have completed their treatment can cope with their fear of recurrence—and what they can do to help potentially lower the chance of their cancer from returning.
Explore new sources of support
After treatment, it’s common for people to feel like their support system has shrunk. They may talk less often with their loved ones who supported them during their diagnosis and treatment. They may also feel pressure to stay positive or get back to “normal” after treatment. In reality, however, life after cancer is never the same.
“While family and friends have good intentions, they can’t fully understand what a person with cancer has gone through,” said Dr. Herbst. “It can be helpful to connect with others who can relate, like through a support group, to talk about life after treatment, including possible anxiety and fears about recurrence.”
Know all potential options
Because cancer treatment options are constantly evolving, it’s important for people to talk regularly with their care team about their treatment options.
“Doctors and patients should talk about all the different options, including their potential benefits and risks. Together, they can create a personal plan based on a patient’s diagnosis and prognosis,” said Dr. Herbst. “This plan may include treatments given after surgery or chemotherapy, called adjuvant therapies. These can be options for patients that may help to keep their cancer from coming back and spreading.”
“Patients should ask their care teams what options are right for them," said Dr. Herbst.
Seek follow-up care
Once someone has completed treatment, their doctors will schedule follow-up appointments to monitor them closely. At these appointments, their doctor will ask if they are having any issues, perform an examination, and possibly conduct additional tests to monitor for cancer recurrence.
“For many patients, fears of recurrence are heightened even when they’re being monitored on an ongoing basis—we refer to this as ‘scanxiety’,” said Dr. Herbst. “Finding distractions, practicing meditation or spending time with loved ones are a few ways to help manage ‘scanxiety’.”
If you or a loved one has been diagnosed with non-metastatic lung cancer, talk to your doctor about treatment options. For more information about a potential treatment option, see here.
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