Cancer can cause a variety of physical changes as a result of the disease and its treatment. These include changes in appearance (e.g. hair loss, scarring, weight loss, weight gain), sensory changes (e.g. pain, numbness) or functional problems (e.g. difficulty swallowing, difficulty speaking, erectile dysfunction). Some changes are temporary, while others may last a long time or stay forever.
You may feel that your body no longer belongs to you because of these changes, and you may feel bad about yourself. Sometimes you isolate yourself for this reason or give up activities you'd like to do. These are normal reactions that other people with cancer also experience. The process of adapting to a changed body sensation is individual and may take more or less time.