Read article Womb cancer follow up
This page tells you about follow up for after womb cancer treatment. There is information about
What happens during check ups
After your treatment has finished, you will have regular check ups. Your doctor will examine you and ask how you are feeling. Your doctor will also ask whether you have had any symptoms or are worried about anything. At some visits, you may have blood tests, X-rays, CT scans or ultrasound scans.
If all is well, your appointments will gradually become less and less frequent. If a womb cancer is going to come back, it is most likely to do so within 3 years of your diagnosis. So your doctor will see you most often during this time.
Many people find their check ups can be 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 worried or notice any new symptoms between appointments, let your doctor or specialist nurse know as soon as possible. You don’t have to wait until your next appointment.
It is quite common nowadays for people to have counselling after cancer treatment. To find out more about counselling, look in our coping with cancer section.
You can view and print the quick guides for all the pages in the Treating womb cancer section.
After your treatment has finished, you will have regular checkups. These may include
- A physical examination
- Blood tests
- X-rays
- CT scans
- Ultrasound
You are not likely to have all these tests, but you will probably be examined by your doctor and may have blood tests at every check up appointment. Your doctor will ask how you are feeling, whether you have had any new symptoms or are worried about anything. The blood tests are to check your general health. Unfortunately, there is no specific blood test that can pick up womb cancer.
Occasionally, your doctor may offer X-rays, a CT scan or an ultrasound scan to check for any sign of the cancer having come back. But your doctor will probably only suggest these tests if you have symptoms or if you or the doctor are worried about anything. X-rays and CT scans both expose you to radiation and doctors do not like to use them unnecessarily.
If all is well, your appointments will gradually become less frequent. If a womb cancer is going to come back, it is most likely to do so within 3 years of your diagnosis. So your doctor will see you most often during this time.
For the first year after treatment you'll probably see your specialist, or another doctor in your specialist's team, every 3 months. After a year, and if all remains well, you will probably have appointments every 6 months for the next two years. After that, you may only need to see the doctors yearly until you reach 5 years after your treatment. After 5 years of being well and cancer free, your doctor might discharge you.
If you are worried, or notice any new symptoms that you think may be related to your cancer you can contact your doctor or specialist nurse between appointments.
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 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 with someone, they may not seem quite so bad. It is quite common nowadays for people to have counselling after cancer treatment. You can find out about counselling and how to find a counsellor in our counselling section.
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