Survivors and their parents experience a whole spectrum of feelings about possible relapse. Some may never think about it, acknowledging its possibility in the future but deferring any worry. Cancer no longer is an active part of their daily, weekly, or monthly reality. Many feel anxious in anticipation of an anniversary date or medical checkup. And some, even many years after treatment, still have nightmares or anxiety attacks that may interfere with daily life.

Some survivors may be surprised to find that feelings about recurrence vacillate over time. They may experience periods of fearfulness, followed by longer times when they do not think about cancer at all. One mother said, “Funny how you think you’ve got the fear under control, then something happens and you again feel your head swimming, stomach churning, and your legs becoming spaghetti.” It’s normal to be at different places on this spectrum at different times.

Survivors may not normally be bothered by fears of relapse––until annual follow-up appointments arrive. Sometimes, visiting the hospital for blood work, x-rays, and an examination may cause dormant feelings to surface. This is a very common phenomenon, and each survivor has individual ways of dealing with these normal feelings.

Some survivors and some parents of survivors find that they continue to have deep fears of recurrence for a long time. For others, fear and distress are less about recurrence and more about the emergence of late effects. Psychosocial support from a professional therapist or psychologist familiar with the strain of cancer diagnoses and treatments often helps survivors and parents navigate complicated emotions.

Additionally, individual or family counseling and support groups may help to reduce isolation, allowing for sharing of suggestions for dealing with survivorship issues and channeling strong feelings in constructive ways. Mental health professionals can help you prevent problems from arising or deal with them if they do appear.