Cancer patients need better aftercare, new survey finds

There is not enough aftercare for cancer patients who have undergone treatment and many people continue to suffer health problems, according to a survey by the cancer patients association NFK and the IKNL cancer centre.

Almost 40% of people who have undergone chemotherapy continue to suffer from tingling or painful hands and feet a year later, the survey found. One in five is still ‘extremely tired’ 10 years after their treatment, while concentration problems, depression and anxiety remain serious issues.

‘Many people experience problems after treatment. Their bodies are not the same anymore,’ INKL director Peter Huijgens told broadcaster NOS. ‘Sometimes additional care services, such as physiotherapy can help, but sometimes they just have to learn to accept their complaints. And we don’t do enough about it.’

Earlier this month it emerged that 60% of cancer patients also suffer financial damage. One in 10 loses their job and a large proportion find it impossible to get a mortgage.

The survey also found that just under half of people undergoing treatment or who have recovered from cancer say they were given no information about after care services.

Over the past 20 years more than 800,000 people in the Netherlands have been diagnosed with cancer.