Follow-up Care after Cancer Treatment

If you have been treated for cancer, you probably already know the aftercare that must be taken to ensure that the effects of the treatment do not subside with time. As soon as patients with cancer finish treatment, they are exhausted emotionally and physically. Follow-up care after cancer treatment is important to watch the results. Take a look at what you should expect in the follow-up care post cancer treatment.

Follow-up Exams after Treatment may be Frequent

Cancer survivors usually see their doctors for follow-up exams at least three to four months during the first two to three years post treatment. The follow-up schedules, however, vary from one person to another depending on the patient’s age, type of cancer, general health, treatment received and other factors. The doctors may ask the patient to go through follow-up tests, such as CT scans, ultrasound, X-rays, blood tests and endoscopy.

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During the Follow-Up Care

During the follow-up care post cancer treatment, the patient will be checked for side-effects of the cancer treatment, such as skin discolouration, infection, infertility, organ damage, etc due to chemotherapy.

Different forms of follow-up care may be for different individuals because cancer treatment can cause fatigue, pain, sleep disturbances, swelling of limbs, premature menopause, etc.

Things to Keep in Mind

When you are on a follow-up care, make sure that you do not miss any appointments and ask every question that you may have about the follow-up, such as what kind of follow-up tests and how often, the kind of symptoms you should watch out for and which ones are symbolic of cancer’s relapse, whom you should call if you see the symptoms, what you should do to relive the pain, if you need any doctors, what the potential long-term effects of cancer treatment are, where you can get reliable information about the type of cancer, etc.

It is important that you read enough on cancer and follow-up treatment to know exactly what to expect post cancer treatment. If your doctor tells you what kind of follow-up treatments you must go through, research on them to feel better and confident about the procedure. What matters more in the follow-up care is the comfort of the patient than the process itself.

Make sure that you report any symptoms of cancer or side-effects of cancer treatment to your doctor as soon as possible. Some of the common symptoms that need attention include fever, lumps or bumps, swelling, pain, emotional problems, etc.

Read more articles on Cancer Treatment.