Afterward / afterwards

[catoidtang]

" It's becoming clear that whichever form that treatment takes --- surgery, chemotherapy, radiation, medication --- what doctors and patients do in the weeks afterward may determine whether a cancer comes back. "

In this sentence, why can't we use "in the weeks followed" or "in the weeks afterwards"?

What is the difference in using "afterward" and "afterwards"? Please show me some examples. Thanks

 

[Hedwig]

" It's becoming clear that whichever form that treatment takes --- surgery, chemotherapy, radiation, medication --- what doctors and patients do in the weeks afterward may determine whether a cancer comes back. "

In this sentence, why can't we use "in the weeks followed" or "in the weeks afterwards"?

What is the difference in using "afterward" and "afterwards"? Please show me some examples. Thanks

You could say in the weeks that followed or in the following weeks, but in the weeks followed is wrong.

There's no difference between afterward and afterwards. AmE tends to favour the first one while BrE tends to prefer the latter.

-Not a teacher.