Follow up after anal cancer treatment
After treatment, you have regular checks at the hospital. These are called follow up appointments.
You might also have tests including a digital rectal examination (DRE) and scans. Over time, these appointments may become less frequent.
Why do you have follow up appointments?
You usually have follow up appointments to check how you are. And to see whether you have any problems or worries. The appointments also give you the chance to raise any concerns you have about your progress.
Your doctor will also:
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check for signs of the cancer coming back
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see if you have any side effects from your treatment
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give you information about staying healthy
You have the chance to ask any questions you might have.
Specialist nurses
Most hospitals that treat people with anal cancer have a colorectal specialist nurse and a stoma specialist nurse.
A colorectal specialist nurse looks after people with bowel, back passage (rectum) and anal cancer.
A stoma specialist nurse looks after people who have a 
. You have a type of stoma called a colostomy if you have surgery to remove your anus, rectum and the last part of your bowel (colon) for anal cancer. This operation is called an abdominoperineal resection.
You usually meet your specialist nurses in the clinic before treatment. And you may see them at your follow up appointment, or at a separate appointment.
Your specialist nurses will give you their telephone number. Contact them if you have any worries or problems.
Where do you have your follow up appointments?
If you have had treatment, you usually have your follow up appointments at the cancer clinic.
After surgery, you might have follow up appointments at the surgical outpatients. Or your surgeon and might share your follow up. This means that you may see your surgeon at some appointments and your oncologist at others.
How often are your follow up appointments?
How often you have follow up appointments can vary from hospital to hospital. It can also depend on what treatment you had.
You usually have follow up appointments every 3 to 6 months for 5 years. Sometimes you might have appointments less often as time goes by.
After 5 years, your team will tell you how often they want to see you. If there are no signs that the cancer has come back, your doctors may not need to see you again.
If the cancer has come back, your doctors talk with you about what treatment is best.
What happens at your follow up appointments?
At your appointments your doctor asks you questions to find out:
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how you're feeling
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if you've had any new symptoms
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if you're worried about anything
They also examine you. They feel your . And if you haven't had an abdominoperineal resection, they feel the inside of your anus and rectum using their gloved finger. This is called a digital rectal examination (DRE).
You might also have some tests and scans. This can include:
- an anoscopy or proctoscopy
MRI scansCT scansPET-CT scans
You won’t have all these tests at every visit. How often you have them depends on:
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the treatment you've had
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your type and stage of cancer
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any symptoms you have
If you need a scan you normally have them at a separate appointment to your follow up appointment.
Between appointments
Contact your doctor or specialist nurse if you have any concerns between appointments. You should also contact them if you notice any new symptoms. You don’t have to wait until your next visit.
Many people find their follow up appointments quite worrying. A hospital appointment can bring back any anxiety you had about your cancer.
It can help to tell someone close to you how you’re feeling. Sharing your worries can mean they don’t seem so overwhelming. Many people find it helpful to have counselling during or after cancer treatment.
You can also find people to share experiences with by using our online forum, CancerChat.
