Beyond the Wound: Cancer Education for Psychological Recovery After Extremity Sarcoma Surgery.

Recovery after extremity sarcoma surgery is customarily judged by the visible evidence of healing. Yet for patients whose tumor involved an arm or a leg, recovery is also a psychological process of adapting to altered function, dependence, changed appearance, and continuing uncertainty. This reflection argues that cancer education may prepare patients thoroughly for the physical trajectory of healing while leaving the emotional trajectory less explicitly addressed, and that screening identifies depressive symptoms without helping patients understand what those symptoms may mean for their recovery. We propose psychological recovery literacy as a longitudinal educational goal that helps patients and families understand emotional change, recognize when support may be needed, and know where to seek it. A healed wound should not be mistaken for a recovered person.