The end of the year is a time of reflection for both cancer patients and cancer survivors. We reflect on what we’ve experienced and begin to think of the New Year and how we might make the coming year better. Many of us believe that life is sweeter after cancer. We’ve learned that we are stronger than we believed. We’ve also realized how fragile our hold on life can be. And so, under these circumstances, we begin to contemplate our New Year’s resolutions.
You’ve just finished your last chemotherapy session, or you’ve just had your last radiationtreatment. Or your pathology report from your surgery showed clean margins, no residual tumor and no positive lymph nodes – so you won’t be needing adjuvant (mop-up) chemotherapy.
Many newly diagnosed cancer patients are surprised to learn that radiation will be part of their treatment. When most people think about cancer treatment, they automatically think of chemotherapy.Yet over half of all cancer patients will receive radiation as part of their treatment regimen.