DR PHILIPPA’S ADVICE ON

What next after treatment stops and how to cope with ongoing symptoms

LIFE AFTER CANCER

Having cancer is a traumatic experience but what happens after you’ve had treatment and are deemed cancer free?

You go from regularly seeing your oncology and radiology teams to being followed up once ever y 6 months or yearly, or longer and it can initially feel quite frightening.

The lead up to scans and tests can be anxiety provoking, known as “scanxiety” as fears about what the scans may show are common.

You may be taking medication which leads to side ef fect symptoms, for example tamoxifen blocks the effects of oestrogen and so can cause severe symptoms like hot flushes.

HRT should be avoided and there are other treatments, such as SSRI medications. However if your menopausal symptoms are really bothering you, your oncologist may still consider prescribing HRT if the benefits are felt to outweigh the risks.

Medications to treat breast cancer can affect bone health, increasing the risk of osteoporosis, so you should be offered a DEXA bone scan, take a vitamin D supplement, have a calcium rich diet and do plenty of weight bearing exercise.

Fatigue is common, with 3-5 in 10 people being affected within five years of breast cancer treatment. While we don’t fully understand why this happens, treatments such as cognitive behavioural therapy and physical activity can help. Lymphoedema is a condition which af fects 1 in 5 women after breast cancer surgery, and is more likely if you had lymph nodes removed in the armpit. It can lead to swelling in the arm on that side. Treatment includes compression stockings for the arms and manual drainage massage.

Whatever your symptoms, if they bother you at any point please see your GP.