Cancer Recurrence

What is it like to hear your cancer has returned?

It's pretty rough to here that your cancer has returned, because you think that you've dealt with it and you've been through it, so you know what's involved. I've fortunately haven't had to deal with cancer recurring but I know patients that have and they're amazingly strong and do battle and often they're just fine.

Is it normal to feel like giving up when your cancer returns?

I don't know if its normal to feel like giving up when your cancer returns, but I would understand it. But most cancer patients that I've seen just get geared up and they go in and do what they have to do to fight the cancer.

What words of encouragement can I give to someone whose cancer has returned?

To someone who's cancer has returned, I would tell them there are new drugs invented all the time. There are new cancer treatment plans, and the future is really looking good. You just have to stay on top of the cancer and do what they tell you to do.

Are the needs of people who have a reccurring cancer different?

It's really difficult to hear you've had a re-occurrence of cancer, so I think emotionally, you feel like you're safe and you're not. I think it is probably just as devastating to be told the first time that you have cancer, but you have already fought that battle against cancer once, and you have to go back and do it again. I don't know, but thank God I haven't had to hear that, but I see it happen every day. Often.