Follow up after gallbladder cancer treatment

Why 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.

How often are your follow up appointments?

Whether you need check ups and how often you need them can vary, depending on your situation. It also depends on the hospital where you have had treatment. 

If you had treatment to try to cure your cancer, you might have follow up appointments every 3 months, for the first 2 years. You then might have check ups every 6 months for 3 years. 

Your doctor uses these appointments to check for signs of the cancer coming back. 

For advanced gallbladder cancer, you might have check ups more regularly. Your doctor or specialist nurse may refer you to a local symptom control team or palliative care team. They see you or speak to you regularly and help you cope with symptoms. How often you see them depends on your situation.

What happens during the appointments?

You may have a mixture of face to face, telephone or video calls for some of your follow up appointments.

Your doctor or specialist nurse ask how you are feeling, whether you have had any symptoms or side effects, and if anything is worrying you. At each face to face appointment they also usually examine you. 

You are likely to have blood tests at or before most appointments. You may also have some other tests, but not as often. These may include:

• CT scan

• MRI scan

• ultrasound scan

• x-ray

You might also have a blood test for ​tumour markers, which means that it can be a sign that gallbladder cancer cells are in the body.

If your tumour marker levels are going up it could be a sign that the cancer has come back or is growing.

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.

Read about counselling and how to find a counsellor

You can also find people to share experiences with by using our online forum, CancerChat.

Find out more at CancerChat