How does the follow-up care for cancer patients work and which examinations are important?
April 15, 2023 | 30,00 EUR | answered by Wilhelm Hahn
Dear oncology specialist,
My name is Lucas Fröhlich and I recently completed my cancer treatment. I am very grateful for the professional care I received during my therapy. However, I am now concerned about the follow-up care and which examinations are important in the future to ensure that the cancer does not return.
I am aware that follow-up care for cancer patients is of great importance in order to detect any potential relapses or complications early. I have heard that regular examinations and check-ups are an important part of follow-up care, but I am not sure which ones should be done.
I am worried that I may be overlooking something or not taking the right steps to protect my health. Therefore, I would like to learn more about how follow-up care is carried out for cancer patients and which examinations are particularly important.
Could you please explain in detail which examinations should be performed in the follow-up care of cancer patients? Are there specific tests that need to be done regularly? And how often should I come for follow-up care to ensure that everything is okay?
I thank you in advance for your support and for taking the time to answer my questions.
Sincerely,
Lucas Fröhlich
Dear Lucas Fröhlich,
I am pleased that you are thinking about post-treatment care following your cancer treatment and taking care of your health. Post-treatment care for cancer patients is indeed of great importance to detect and treat possible relapses or complications early. It is understandable that you are concerned about this, and I would like to explain to you which tests should be conducted in post-treatment care for cancer patients.
It is important for you to undergo regular post-treatment examinations to monitor the progress of your recovery. The type and frequency of examinations depend on the type of cancer and the stage at which the disease was diagnosed. Generally, post-treatment care for cancer patients includes regular doctor visits, lab tests, imaging (such as CT or MRI scans), and specific tests aimed at detecting possible relapses or complications early.
Common tests conducted in post-treatment care include regular blood tests to monitor tumor marker levels and detect possible changes early. In addition, imaging techniques such as CT or MRI scans can be used to check the condition of organs and tissues. Depending on the type of cancer, specific tests such as endoscopies, ultrasounds, or bone scans may also be performed.
The frequency of post-treatment examinations also depends on various factors, such as the risk of relapse, your health status, and the recommendations of your treating physician. Typically, the first post-treatment examinations are conducted shortly after completing therapy and then repeated at regular intervals. Initially, these intervals are every three to six months, later becoming annual.
It is important for you to attend post-treatment examinations regularly to ensure that everything is okay and to be able to react quickly in case of a relapse. If you have any questions or concerns about your post-treatment care, do not hesitate to discuss them with your treating physician. They will be happy to help and support you in post-treatment care.
I hope that this information is helpful to you and wish you all the best for your recovery and continued health.
Best regards,
Wilhelm Hahn
