Fear of Recurrence

The single biggest fear that most breast cancer patients face is that of recurrence: will the cancer come back?

That fear begins with diagnosis and is revived by every follow-up visit and every scan you get in the following months and years.  Many medical indicators can help determine your prognosis, but no one can predict, with absolute certainty, whether an individual cancer will recur.  As you get further from your initial treatment, your fear of recurrence may diminish, but it will remain “in the back of your mind.”  This concern is part of living with a cancer diagnosis. 

Talking to other breast cancer survivors who have experienced what you are feeling may be helpful.  Some people also benefit from complementary approaches, such as meditation or acupuncture, that help reduce anxiety and stress.

Next: Anxiety and Depression.