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Long-term emotional effect of cancer?

Page last modified on: August 20, 2008

Question from JD: I am a 15-year survivor (five years post-chemo following recurrence), but I still get teary-eyed talking about my experiences. Do you think it's due to stress or incomplete healing of the psychological effects of my experience?: Answers —Mitch Golant, Ph.D.: First I want to thank you for asking that question. What is painful about that question is that there is a long-term effect of cancer on many of our lives, and while we want to think that the cancer is done and gone, it can affect us. What you also brought up that is very important is really two points. One is that in the dealing with cancer, there is the long-term, late effects. There are physical late effects that begin...some women talk about chemo-brain - their memory isn't the same. But also there are emotional effects of the diagnosis of cancer. Sometimes prior history also triggers this emotion, especially if the treatment itself for cancer has been particularly difficult. One measure of that kind of stress (and we are seeing it as a result of the terrorist bombing) is called intrusive thought. Intrusive thoughts are nightmares - flashbacks that are triggered when someone mentions cancer; it takes us right back. Another avoidance for people with cancer is that they don't want to drive by the hospital anymore. What you are describing is important because it is not just the physical treatment of cancer, but the emotional side of it.; Marisa Weiss, M.D., Breastcancer.org president and founder: Breast cancer awareness month (October) can be particularly hard if there are constant reminders of breast cancer on the radio, TV, magazines, sitcoms, yogurt tops, and cereal boxes. And sometimes, a prior experience may take on new meaning for you in the future. What may not have been so important in the past may become bigger as you move along. Genetic testing is such a possibility, or when a neighbor or another person close to you may become affected, it makes you feel more vulnerable.

On Wednesday, September 19, 2001, our Ask-the-Expert Online Conference was called Stress and Your Immune System. Mitch Golant, Ph.D. and Marisa Weiss, M.D. answered your questions on how stress affects your treatment, and what you can do to boost your immune system.

The materials presented in these conferences do not necessarily reflect the views of Breastcancer.org. A qualified healthcare professional should be consulted before using any therapeutic product or regimen discussed. All readers should verify all information and data before employing any therapies described here.

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Meet the Experts

Mitch Golant, Ph.D. is a health psychologist and senior vice president of research and development for the national office of The Wellness Community, which provides free psychological and emotional support to help people with cancer on their path to recovery. His research focuses on the benefits of online and community support groups for women with breast cancer.

Marisa Weiss, M.D. is a radiation oncologist specializing in breast cancer and the founder, president, and guiding force behind Breastcancer.org.

Breastcancer.org is a non-profit organization dedicated to providing information and community to those touched by this disease. Learn more about our commitment to providing complete, accurate, and private breast cancer information.

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