Treatment
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 or nurse also checks how you are coping with any ongoing treatment such as hormone therapy.
Your healthcare team can give you information and support to help you cope. Your appointments are also a good opportunity to raise any concerns and ask questions that you might have.
How often you have check ups depends on a number of factors. These include:
how you are feeling
the type of treatment you have had
whether you are still having treatment such as hormone therapy
your hospital or clinic
Ask your doctor or specialist nurse how often your follow up appointments are likely to be. You may have regular check ups for at least 5 years.
Patient initiated follow up (PIFU) is a way of running check ups. This system leaves it to you to take the lead in arranging to see your doctor or specialist nurse. You might also hear this called open access follow up (OAFU).
When you first finish treatment, your hospital arranges your appointments. But once your doctors are happy with your progress you can arrange them yourself. You can do this as often as you feel you need to.
You might want to make an appointment if you:
have noticed a change in your body that worries you
feel it is time you had a check up, even though you don't have any particular worries
In some situations, your specialist will ask you to book in for a particular test every so often.
This system means you can organise appointments to suit your own health needs. It also means that clinics aren’t full of people who might not need to see their doctor. This helps the hospital to keep waiting times short, so you can get an appointment quickly when you need one.
Your doctor or breast care nurse ask how you are feeling and whether you have had any symptoms or side effects. Tell them if you are worried about anything.
If you are seen at the hospital, your doctor or nurse might examine you. You might also see physiotherapists and dietitians during the check ups. You can arrange to see them at the outpatient clinic.
The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) guidelines say that everyone who has had treatment for breast cancer should have a copy of a written care plan.
The care plan has information about:
the tests you need such as mammograms
signs and symptoms to look out for and who to speak to if you notice any changes
contact details for specialist staff, such as your breast care nurse
details of support services who can help with problems such as arm swelling (lymphoedema)
information about treatment you may be taking, for example hormone therapy
You usually have a mammogram every year, for at least 5 years, after treatment for breast cancer.
You have mammograms every year until you are invited for routine breast screening. This is around the age of 50.
You have mammograms every year for 5 years. After 5 years, you have a mammogram every 3 years as part of the National Screening Programme.
You have a mammogram of the opposite breast every year or 2 years if you’ve had a . This means that if you had a mastectomy of the right breast, you only have a mammogram of the left breast.
The NHS Breast Screening Programme invites all women from the age of 50 to 70 for screening every 3 years. After the age of 70, you can arrange your own regular mammograms by contacting your local screening service.
Find out more about the breast screening programme
You are not routinely offered other tests to follow up breast cancer unless you have symptoms or are feeling unwell.
Some women may have a to check their bone strength. You might have this if you are taking a type of hormone therapy called an aromatase inhibitor.
Find out about aromatase inhibitors on our hormone therapy page
Coming to the end of treatment is a milestone for many. But you can have mixed feelings about this, particularly as you’ve had regular contact with your healthcare team and it’s now less frequent.
Some people also find their check ups 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.
Read about counselling and how to find a counsellor
You can also find people to share experiences with by using our online forum, Cancer Chat.
In this video Yvonne shares her story of life after breast cancer and how she coped when her treatment finished. She talks about some of the physical effects of the cancer and its treatment and what helped her through.
She and her sister Sonia also talk about what it was like going to check up appointments, something that is not always easy. Coping after treatment finishes can be challenging and hearing about how other people cope can help.
Last reviewed: 28 Jul 2026
Next review due: 27 Jul 2029
Treatment for breast cancer depends on a number of factors. The main treatments are surgery, chemotherapy, radiotherapy, hormone therapy, and targeted and immunotherapy drugs.
Getting practical, physical and emotional support can help you to cope with a diagnosis of breast cancer. It can also help you with life during and after treatment.
Symptoms of breast cancer include a lump in the breast or changes in the size, shape or feel of your breast. See your GP if you have any of these symptoms or any other symptoms of breast cancer.
Breast screening aims to find breast cancers early, when they have the best chance of being successfully treated. It uses a test called mammography which involves taking x-rays of the breasts.
Breast cancer is cancer that starts in the breast tissue. It’s the most common cancer in the UK. It mainly affects women, but men can get it too.
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