Follow-up after treatment for non-melanoma skin cancer
Follow-up care lets your healthcare team keep track of your health for a period of time after treatment ends. This important part of cancer care is often shared among the cancer specialists, such as the dermatologist, oncologist, surgeon, and your family doctor. They will help you recover from treatment side effects and monitor you for any signs that the cancer has come back (recurred).
You may find the idea of follow-up care stressful because it reminds you of your cancer experience or because you are worried about what a test might reveal. Talk to your healthcare team about how you feel and about why follow-up matters. Your healthcare team is there to help.
Schedule for follow-up visits
Don't wait until your next scheduled appointment to report any signs or symptoms that are new or that don't go away. Tell your healthcare team if you have any new growths or abnormal areas on your skin.
The chance of non-melanoma skin cancer recurring is greatest within 3 years for basal cell carcinoma (BCC) and within 2 years for squamous cell carcinoma (SCC).
Follow-up visits for non-melanoma skin cancer depend on the type of skin cancer, risk group and personal history of skin cancer.
During follow-up visits
During a follow-up visit, your healthcare team will usually ask questions about the side effects of treatment and how you’re coping. They will also ask if you have any new signs or symptoms that concern you.
Your doctor will do a skin exam to check:
- the area where the cancer was removed or treated
- for abnormal areas on the skin on the rest of the body, especially areas that are exposed to the sun
Your doctor may also teach you about:
- how to enjoy the sun safely
- checking your skin, including how often it should be done
Depending on the risk group and any signs or symptoms you are having, your doctor may also:
- feel lymph nodes close to where the cancer started
- send you for imaging tests, such as a CT scan, to check if the cancer has spread to other parts of the body
If the cancer has come back, you and your healthcare team will discuss your treatment and care.
Find out more about follow-up
The following are questions that you can ask the healthcare team about follow-up after treatment for cancer. Choose the questions that fit your situation and add questions of your own. You may find it helpful to take the list to the next appointment and to write down the answers.
- What is the schedule for follow-up visits?
- How often is follow-up scheduled with the cancer specialist?
- Who is responsible for follow-up visits?
- What will happen at a follow-up visit?
- What tests are done on a regular basis? How often are they done?
- Are there any symptoms that should be reported right away? Who do I call?
- Who can help me cope with long-term side effects of treatment?