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Fear of cancer recurrence is often spoken about as though it were one uniform experience, but the way it shows up in people’s thinking can differ considerably from one person to the next. For some, the dominant thoughts are about dying. For others, the fear centres on the prospect of going through treatment again, or…
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Fear of cancer recurrence exists on a continuum. At one end, it is a natural, adaptive response to having had cancer — occasional thoughts about recurrence that come and go without taking over. At the other end, it can become all-consuming: a persistent, heavy presence that interferes with daily life, relationships, and the ability to…
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After cancer, ordinary bodily sensations — a headache, fatigue, a twinge in the side — often stop feeling ordinary. This shift in how the body is experienced is one of the most common features of fear of cancer recurrence (FCR), reported by around 50–60 per cent of cancer survivors at moderate to high levels (Luigjes-Huizer,…
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Body checking after cancer — the repeated monitoring of physical sensations for signs of recurrence — is one of the most common behavioural expressions of fear of cancer recurrence (FCR). Research shows that around 50–60 per cent of cancer survivors experience at least moderate levels of FCR (Luigjes-Huizer, Tauber et al., 2022), and cognitive-behavioural models…
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Nina Tauber, clinical psychologist and PhD in psycho-oncology, has developed Fear After Cancer — a free progressive web app for cancer survivors experiencing fear of cancer recurrence (FCR). The app includes a validated self-assessment based on the FCRI Severity Subscale, two interactive ACT-based exercises (Thought Observation and Values Clarification), and longitudinal tracking. It is available…
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Scanxiety is the anxiety and emotional distress cancer survivors experience before, during, and after follow-up scans. The waiting period between the scan and the results is typically the hardest part, because the brain’s threat detection system is activated by uncertainty but has nothing concrete to respond to. It is not a sign of weakness —…
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Many cancer survivors feel anxious, emotionally flat, or worse after treatment ends — even though they expected relief. This happens because the end of treatment removes the structure and medical safety net that held anxiety at bay, while the nervous system begins processing the full impact of what happened. It is a common and predictable…
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Fear of cancer recurrence is the persistent fear that cancer will return after treatment has ended. A large international study found that 59 percent of cancer survivors report at least moderate levels, and about one in five experience fear severe enough to significantly disrupt daily life. Evidence-based psychological approaches — particularly Acceptance and Commitment Therapy…
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Articles on fear of cancer recurrence, life after cancer, and the psychology of living with uncertainty — written by a clinical psychologist specialising in psycho-oncology. Each article is grounded in research and in genuine understanding of what this experience feels like