Advice for managing anxiety after completing cancer treatment
June 30, 2025
Medically Reviewed | Last reviewed by Jessica Blanc on June 30, 2025
Feeling anxious about your cancer treatment is perfectly normal ¡ª it¡¯s also to be expected. Who doesn¡¯t get a little nervous before a CT scan? Who wouldn¡¯t be concerned about an upcoming surgery?
But what about after you¡¯ve rung the bell, banged the gong or just quietly completed your cancer treatment? How do you cope with the anxiety that sometimes arises then, once the comforting routines you¡¯ve established are gone, and you¡¯re having to figure out a ¡°new normal?¡±
Here¡¯s what I typically tell my patients.
Anxiety is a normal response to an abnormal situation.
Reaching the end of your cancer treatments can be exhilarating. Many patients report feeling relief and excitement because they¡¯ve finally hit such a coveted milestone. Whether that means finishing just one type of treatment ¡ª such as chemotherapy or radiation therapy ¡ª or finishing all of it, the photo opportunity with the bell or gong is a thrilling highlight for many survivors.
Once you get home, though, reality often starts to set in, and you realize it¡¯s kind of a double-edged sword. It¡¯s wonderful that you won¡¯t have to visit MD Anderson as frequently, of course. But, then again, you¡¯re also not going to be monitored constantly. And that realization can create some anxiety.
It¡¯s important to understand that this is a normal response to an abnormal situation. As overwhelming as it might have been at the very beginning, over time, your treatments, check-ups, blood draws and CT scans became another routine. Not having that safety net around you anymore can feel like the loss of a security blanket.
Just remember: you will still be on some sort of surveillance schedule. That means you¡¯ll be getting regular check-ups at recommended intervals. You will also still have access to everyone on your care team here. You can reach out to them at any time through . It doesn¡¯t all go away just because you finish treatment.
Key takeaways
- You will still be monitored by your care team at regular intervals.
- You will still have access to everyone on your care team even after completing treatment.?
- Reach out if you need help managing anxiety: support is available.
Notice when your emotional ¡®check engine¡¯ light comes on.
Sometimes, when patients are in the midst of treatment, they are not in a place where they can do any counseling or participate in support groups. They might need it desperately, but they¡¯re physically exhausted, have chemobrain and are juggling a schedule full of appointments. They just don¡¯t have the time or bandwidth to process everything they¡¯re feeling.
Once things settle down, though, and they cross the finish line in cancer treatment, all the feelings they didn¡¯t have space for earlier suddenly start to surface. They always seem to crop up at the most inconvenient times, too ¡ª like when you¡¯re at the grocery store or standing in line at the post office, and suddenly you get so mad that you burst into tears.
Try to think of these moments as the ¡°check engine¡± light coming on in your car. They¡¯re a sign that perhaps you still have some more emotional healing to do. So, reach back out to your care team for a referral to Social Work, and take it from there.
Reassess your support system.
Friends and loved ones often assume that once you¡¯ve finished cancer treatment, you don¡¯t need their support anymore. The truth is usually quite the opposite. You might still need their support very much, just in a different way. So, it¡¯s important to speak up and let them know.
Think about what you really need, and what support around it might look like now that your treatment has ended. Then, ask for it. Most people are still happy to help. They just might not realize you want or even need them to.
You can also continue leaning on the people in your support groups. Or, if you didn¡¯t join one during treatment, you can do so now ¡ª or request a match with someone who shares a similar diagnosis through myCancerConnection, MD Anderson¡¯s one-on-one support program for patients and caregivers. Survivors ages 39 or younger can also attend our Adolescent and Young Adult Program events and activities.
The most important thing to remember is that you are not alone. Support doesn¡¯t end when you ring that bell.
Jessica Blanc is a licensed clinical social work counselor who serves patients in MD Anderson's Adolescent & Young Adult (AYA) Program.
or call 1-877-632-6789.
Support doesn¡¯t end when you ring that bell.
Jessica Blanc
Licensed Clinical Social Work Counselor