What to Do if Cancer Returns

Sometimes cancer comes back, and it may even come back in a different location, but there might be treatment options available to you. On top of that, it might feel like you’re starting all over again, but you can use your experience to your advantage. Discover what to do now that cancer has returned.

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More on this topic

  • If Treatment Stops Working
    Source: American Cancer Society
    If cancer keeps growing or comes back after one kind of treatment, it’s possible that another treatment plan might help control the cancer, or at least shrink it enough to help you live longer and feel better.
    Read more
  • Karen's Cancer Story and Giving Back‬
    Source: Cancer Support Community
    Watch a brief video of Karen as she shares her story about experience with recurrent cancer.
  • Recurrent Cancer: When Cancer Comes Back
    Source: National Cancer Institute
    Doctors describe recurrent cancer by where it develops and how far it has spread. Learn more from the NCI about the different types of recurrent cancer and what you can do about it.
    Read more

Cancer.com collects information from respected sources and is not responsible for the creation of content, except as noted. The original source has granted permission to share this information on Cancer.com in an effort to provide you with the best information possible.

Additional Links

  • Coping With Cancer Recurrence
    Source: American Cancer Society
    Many issues and questions come with cancer recurrence. Get some answers to questions you may have, or even some you may not have thought of yet.
  • What Is Cancer Recurrence?
    Source: American Cancer Society
    If cancer is found after treatment, and after a period of time when the cancer couldn’t be detected, it’s called a cancer recurrence. The recurrent cancer might come back in the same place, or it might come back somewhere else in the body.
  • ‪When Cancer Returns
    Source: National Cancer Institute
    A downloadable booklet with information about why cancer returns, treating recurrent cancer, setting goals, coping, and more.

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