Stages of the Cancer Journey

The one diagnosis that has the potential of completely overturning a once stable life and leaving the patient perturbed stands to be none other than ‘Cancer’. The arduous journey begins from that moment onwards. It has discrete stages with specific characteristics, existential issues, needs, and interventions. The ways in which people move through each stage prepare them for each subsequent stage.

1. Before the Cancer Diagnosis

Various factors like support systems, Psychological strengths and weaknesses, life circumstances, personality traits, etc that are present before the diagnosis play important roles and contribute to trust versus mistrust, trauma, shock, treatment decision-making, beliefs about prognosis, and recovery.

2. The Cancer Diagnosis

Everyone deals with it very differently. Anxiety, confusion, guilt, panic, disorientation, despair, grief, frozen feelings such as numbing and cognitive overwhelm, self-doubt and plight.

3. Cancer Treatments

Preparation for and the experience of having cancer treatments may be Traumatic or empowering or both. From preparation anxiety around firsts to temporary stability and is then followed by continuous assessment of attitude and coping.

4. End of Cancer Treatments

The end of treatment may intensify anxiety, Relief, Fear, Grief, learning to live with uncertainty and ambiguity and dealing with long term physical and psychological effects.

5. Cancer Recurrence

Often a major shock and an overwhelming feeling accompanied by a foundation of experience with knowledge and resilience.

6. Cancer as a Chronic Disease

This stage occurs when some form of the disease is present for a long period of time and managed. Difficulties may stem from dealing with the illness for many years and those can co-exist with profound life
lessons learned along the way.

7. End of Life

Denial and Isolation, Anger, Bargaining, Depression and Acceptance are the phases necessary for the dying to work through their anguishes and anxieties to arrive at the final stage of peace.

Hope is the thread that ties together all the seven stages and the chief
quality that is required to sustain through every stage.