Caring for Your Body After Cancer Treatment

Once cancer treatment is over, you will be eager to return to good health. But besides just recovering from the effects cancer surgery or treatment had on your body, there are other ways you can improve your long-term health, to enjoy survivorship with the highest possible quality of life. Here’s what you can do:

• Identify and treat cancer treatment side effects. Side effects that go untreated can lower your quality of life. Ask your care team or survivorship provider about acupuncture, rehab or other treatments that can improve or eliminate lingering side effects.
• Get genetic testing. Talk to your care team to see if you are a candidate for genetic testing. Genetic testing will help identify if you have a hereditary risk for certain types of cancer, and allow your care team to be extra vigilant. Family members may also benefit from genetic testing if your cancer was a hereditary type
• Make a plan for follow-up care. talk to your survivorship provider or primary care doctor about what routine check-ups and cancer screenings you will need to check for signs of recurrence or new cancers as early as possible.
• Make healthy choices:
  
  • Avoid all forms of tobacco
  • Limit alcohol use
  • Avoid over-exposure to the sun or tanning beds
  • Eat a balanced diet rich in fruits and vegetables
  • Maintain a healthy weight
  • Exercise and be physically active