How do I live with cancer?
Self-care is an important part of living with cancer. Some self-care suggestions include:
- Establish good eating and exercise habits. Ask to speak with a nutritionist for healthy menu ideas.
- Fatigue is a common symptom and treatment side effect. Pay attention to your body and rest when you need to, not just when you can.
- You may be living with cancer for a long time. That’s good news, of course, but chronic illness may be challenging. Talking to a mental health professional or finding a support group may help you navigate challenges.
What is cancer survivorship?
If you have cancer, you are a cancer survivor. Cancer survivorship starts the day you receive a cancer diagnosis and continues for the rest of your life. As a cancer survivor, you’re likely to experience many challenges or complications.
Cancer that comes back
Sometimes, cancer treatment doesn’t eliminate all cancerous cells. Those cells can become new cancerous tumors. Cancer that comes back, or recurrent cancer, may appear at the same place as the original cancer, in nearby lymph nodes or spread to organs and tissues far away from the original site.
Second cancer
A second cancer is a new cancer. People who have second cancers may have cancer in the same organ or area of their body as the first cancer, but it’s a different type of cancer from what it was before. They may also have cancer in different areas of their bodies. Second cancers are more common, as more people live longer with cancer.
Cancer fatigue
Cancer fatigue is an overwhelming sense of tiredness that isn’t helped by getting more rest. Some people have chronic cancer fatigue that continues after they’ve finished treatment.
Cancer pain
Some cancer treatments have lasting side effects that may cause pain. One study found that 39% of people who completed cancer treatment had chronic pain. Peripheral neuropathy is an example of pain that may persist after treatment.
Chemotherapy brain fog
Chemotherapy brain fog (chemo brain) happens when cancer or cancer treatment affects your ability to remember or act on information. About 75% of people receiving cancer treatment tell their healthcare providers that they have issues with memory, concentration and their ability to complete tasks.
When should I see my healthcare provider?
Talk to your healthcare provider about any issues you experience while you’re undergoing cancer treatment. Call your oncology team if you notice:
- A fever of 101 degrees Fahrenheit (38.33 degrees Celsius) or higher.
- Severe headaches.
- Chills.
- Persistent cough.
- Shortness of breath (dyspnea).
- Sores on your lips or in your mouth.
- Sudden weight loss greater than five pounds.
- Excessive vomiting (three times an hour for three hours or more).
- Blood in your urine (pee) or feces (poop).
- Excessive bleeding or bruising.
What questions should I ask my healthcare provider?
Knowledge is power. If you’ve been diagnosed with cancer, you’ll want to gather as much information as you can. Here are some questions to ask your healthcare provider:
- What type of cancer do I have?
- Has the cancer spread to other areas of my body?
- Is my cancer genetic?
- What are my chances of survival?
- Which treatments do you recommend?
- What are the risks and benefits of my treatment?
- How long will treatment take?
- Will I be able to work during cancer treatment?
- Will cancer treatment affect my fertility?
- Will I need to stay in the hospital for my treatment?
- Would a clinical trial be a good option for me?
FAQs
First symptoms of cancer
What is cancer and its signs and symptoms? ›
Fatigue. Lump or area of thickening that can be felt under the skin. Weight changes, including unintended loss or gain. Skin changes, such as yellowing, darkening or redness of the skin, sores that won't heal, or changes to existing moles.
What is the cause of cancer? ›
Cancer is caused by changes to DNA. Most cancer-causing DNA changes occur in sections of DNA called genes. These changes are also called genetic changes. A DNA change can cause genes involved in normal cell growth to become oncogenes.
What is the best definition of cancer? ›
Cancer is a large group of diseases that can start in almost any organ or tissue of the body when abnormal cells grow uncontrollably, go beyond their usual boundaries to invade adjoining parts of the body and/or spread to other organs.
What are 10 signs of cancer you shouldn't ignore? ›
17 Cancer Symptoms You Shouldn't Ignore
- Abnormal periods or pelvic pain. Most women have the occasional irregular period or cramps. ...
- Changes in bathroom habits. ...
- Bloating. ...
- Breast changes. ...
- Chronic coughing. ...
- Chronic headache. ...
- Difficulty swallowing. ...
- Excessive bruising.
Soft tissue pain – pain caused by damage to or pressure on soft tissue, including muscle. The pain is often described as sharp, aching or throbbing. Visceral pain – pain caused by damage to or pressure on internal organs. Visceral pain can be difficult to pinpoint.
What is the hardest cancer to cure? ›
The 10 deadliest cancers, and why there's no cure
- Pancreatic cancer.
- Liver cancer and intrahepatic bile duct cancer.
- Esophageal cancer.
- Lung cancer and bronchus cancer.
- Acute myeloid leukemia.
- Brain cancer and other nervous system cancer.
- Stomach cancer.
- Ovarian cancer.
Pancreatic cancer has the lowest rate of survival once diagnosed, claiming the lives of over 80 percent of those diagnosed, making it the most fatal type of cancer. This is in part due to delayed diagnosis and misdiagnosis of this type of cancer.
Can stress cause cancer? ›
No, being stressed doesn't directly increase the risk of cancer. The best quality studies have followed up many people for several years. They have found no evidence that those who are more stressed are more likely to get cancer. Some people wonder whether stress causes breast cancer.
How does cancer begin? ›
Cancer develops when the normal processes that control cell behaviour fail and a rogue cell becomes the progenitor of a group of cells that share its abnormal behaviours or capabilities. This generally results from accumulation of genetic damage in cells over time.
Tyrosine kinase inhibitors. Tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs) block chemical messengers (enzymes) called tyrosine kinases. Tyrosine kinases help to send growth signals in cells, so blocking them stops the cell growing and dividing. Cancer growth blockers can block one type of tyrosine kinase or more than one type.
What does the ♋ mean in English? ›
Cancer is commonly known as The Crab (Cancer is Latin for “crab”). The Cancer emoji. usually depicts the symbol of Cancer, which resembles two 6's or 9's turned sideways. The symbol is thought to represent the claws of a crab.
What is the biggest symptom of cancer? ›
Extreme fatigue that doesn't get better with rest can be an early sign of cancer. Cancer uses your body's nutrients to grow and advance, so those nutrients are no longer replenishing your body. This “nu*trient theft” can make you feel extremely tired.
How does your body feel when you have cancer? ›
Sometimes symptoms affect specific areas of the body, such as our tummy or skin. But signs can also be more general, and include weight loss, tiredness (fatigue) or unexplained pain. Some possible signs of cancer, like a lump, are better known than others.
What are the red flags of a cancer? ›
Data on the presence of red flag symptoms of cancer (persistent cough, persistent change in bowel/bladder habits, nonhealing ulcer, persistent difficulty in swallowing, unexplained weight loss, unexplained lump, persistent unexplained pain, unexplained bleeding, and change in the appearance of mole) and presence of ...
How does your body feel if you have cancer? ›
Sometimes symptoms affect specific areas of the body, such as our tummy or skin. But signs can also be more general, and include weight loss, tiredness (fatigue) or unexplained pain. Some possible signs of cancer, like a lump, are better known than others.
How does cancer in the body start? ›
Cancer cells have gene mutations that turn the cell from a normal cell into a cancer cell. These gene mutations may be inherited, develop over time as we get older and genes wear out, or develop if we are around something that damages our genes, like cigarette smoke, alcohol or ultraviolet (UV) radiation from the sun.
What are three early warning signals of cancer? ›
What are some general signs and symptoms of cancer?
- Fatigue or extreme tiredness that doesn't get better with rest.
- Weight loss or gain of 10 pounds or more for no known reason.
- Eating problems such as not feeling hungry, trouble swallowing, belly pain, or nausea and vomiting.
- Swelling or lumps anywhere in the body.
Imaging tests used in diagnosing cancer may include a computerized tomography (CT) scan, bone scan, magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), positron emission tomography (PET) scan, ultrasound and X-ray, among others. Biopsy. During a biopsy, your doctor collects a sample of cells for testing in the laboratory.
