What Happens During Surveillance?

Transcript

After you’ve completed your chemotherapy, we enter a period of time called surveillance. This is where you’ll be monitored by your oncologist and other physicians. They will be evaluating you for signs of cancer recurrence. This includes labs, which will monitor your blood counts, and often check your liver function.

There’s also a tumor marker or a test in the blood called CEA that can sometimes be elevated or high if cancer is starting to recur. Your CEA will be tested before surgery and then followed after to determine the changes or any significant elevation in this number that could let us know that your cancer is back.

Surveillance might also include CT scans. These can be offered every six to 12 months. The frequency of your CT scans will be determined by your oncologist.

One year after your diagnosis, you’ll get a repeat colonoscopy. At that time, it will be determined how often that needs to be repeated and how often you see your gastroenterologist.

Key Takeaways

1. After you’ve completed your chemotherapy, you enter a period of time called surveillance.

2. This is where you’ll be monitored by your oncologist and other physicians.

3. They will be evaluating you for signs of cancer recurrence with tests to monitor blood counts, liver function, tumor markers, or a test in the blood called CEA.

4. Your CEA will be tested before surgery and then followed after to see if your cancer is back.

5. Surveillance might also include CT scans and a follow up colonoscopy a year after diagnosis.