Read article Follow up for skin cancer
This page tells you about regular check up appointments after your treatment for skin cancer. There is information about
Follow up for skin cancer
Check ups after treatment are important. This is because once you have had one skin cancer you are more at risk of getting another.
How often you will need to go for check ups will depend on how likely it is that your cancer could come back. Some people will only need to have follow up appointments for 6 months. Others may need to be seen every 6 months for 5 years. The follow up appointments can often be with your GP. If your cancer has already spread you will have check ups with your specialist, probably at least every three months.
What happens during a check up?
At each appointment, your doctor will examine you, and ask about your health. If there is any cause for concern, you may have tests to check for any signs that the cancer has come back. These can include a CT scan or a chest X-ray.
It is important to check your skin yourself. If you spot any signs of another skin cancer, you should arrange an appointment with your GP.
Worrying about check ups
Many people find their check ups quite worrying. You may find it helpful to tell someone close to you how you are feeling. Remember that the risk of basal cell cancer spreading to other parts of the body is extremely low.
You can view and print the quick guides for all the pages in the Treating skin cancer section.
Check ups after treatment are important even if you had an early stage skin cancer. This is because once you have had one skin cancer you are more at risk of getting another.
How often you will need to go for check ups will depend on how likely it is that your cancer could come back. There are several things your doctor will take into account when assessing this. These include
- The size and depth of the original cancer
- The type of cancer
- The grade of the cancer (what the cells looked like under the microscope)
- Whether your immune system is weakened
- How many skin cancer lesions you had
Some people will only need to have follow up appointments for 6 months. Others may need to be seen every 6 months for 5 years. The follow up appointments can often be with your GP.
At each appointment, your doctor will
- Examine you
- Ask about your health and if anything is worrying you
If there is any cause for concern, you may have tests to check for any signs of recurrence. These can include
It is important to check your skin yourself. Look at the information on protecting your skin in this section of CancerHelp UK. If you spot any signs of another skin cancer in between your check ups, you should contact your specialist nurse or hospital doctor and arrange another appointment.
Many people find their check ups quite worrying. If you are feeling well and getting on with life, a hospital appointment can bring all the worry about your cancer back to you. You may find it helpful to tell someone close to you how you are feeling. If you are able to share your worries, they may not seem quite so bad. It is quite common nowadays for people to have counselling after cancer treatment. To find out more about counselling, look in the CancerHelp UK coping with cancer section.
Remember that the risk of basal cell cancer spreading to other parts of the body is extremely low. Although basal cell cancers can come back in the skin close to where they started they hardly ever spread elsewhere.
You will have regular check ups with your specialist, probably three monthly or even more often than that. How often you see your doctor will depend on whether your cancer has been completely removed. Or whether you are having any treatment. Of course, you can contact your specialist at any time if you think you need an extra appointment because you are worried about something.
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