How Will I Be Monitored After Treatment?
- Unfortunately, glioams can recur, or return, after treatment, so it’s important to follow a careful follow-up protocol after treatment to monitor for any signs.
- This follow-up period is crucial because detecting any changes early on can make a big difference in how easily doctors can manage a recurrence.
- Magnetic resonance imaging (MRIs) will be performed every few months, especially during the first year or two after treatment.
- The exact frequency may vary based on your tumor’s type, grade, and how aggressively it behaved.
This possibility, known as “recurrence,” often raises questions about what happens next. How will you know if your glioma is returning? What tests are needed? And who will help guide you through this journey? The good news is that doctors have well-established follow-up routines to monitor for recurrence and manage any emerging issues.
Read MoreWhy is Follow-Up Surveillance Needed?
After completing the initial treatment — whether it’s surgery, radiation, chemotherapy, or a combination — the doctors will map out a schedule to keep an eye on your health. This follow-up period is crucial because detecting any changes early on can make a big difference in how easily doctors can manage a recurrence.“We do MRIs of the brain every two to three months. We do neurological exams every two to three months. We keep a very close eye on the patients,” Dr. Vempati explains.
Surveillance Work-Up
As. Dr. Vempati notes, most patients have magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) every few months, especially during the first year or two after treatment.
The exact frequency may vary based on your tumor’s type, grade, and how aggressively it behaved. In some cases, doctors might recommend specialized MRI techniques or PET scans to detect subtle changes in tumor activity.
“It’s very hard to tell if it’s the cancer coming back or the radiation necrosis [a side effect of radiation treatment]. So, this is where our imaging is getting better and better daily to be able to tell the difference. So the follow-up usually includes a lot of MRIs and lots of doctor’s appointments,” Dr. Vempati explains.
Just as important are neurological check-ups to assess your reflexes, coordination, cognition, and any new symptoms like headaches or seizures. Recently, technology advancements have helped to take note of new symptoms with a digital app that allows you to track any changes in headaches, mood, energy, or memory.
Even small shifts can guide your care team in deciding whether additional tests are needed.
“We use as much information as we can get from the scan to see if the cancer is coming back,” Dr. Vempati adds.
The Power of a Multidisciplinary Team
One of the most important parts of follow-up care is having a comprehensive and strong support network — a team of specialists who collaborate to keep you in the best possible health, including not only medical doctors but also rehabilitation specialists, psychologists and counselors, and social workers.
“Having a multidisciplinary team where you can have ideas from surgery, medical oncology, and radiation oncology come together and come out with a plan really helps patients,” Dr. Vempati explains.
“We come up with a plan for the patient based on all of our expertise, based on the current research that’s going on, based on all the clinical trials that are available to us. And I think that leads to better outcomes for the patient. At the end of the day, we all want to do what’s the absolute best for the patient.”
Questions to Ask Your Doctor
- How frequently should I have MRI scans and other tests, and how might that schedule change over time?
- What symptoms or changes should I report immediately, and what can wait until my next appointment?
- Who will coordinate the different parts of my care — like surgery follow-ups, radiation checks, and any rehabilitation I might need?
- Are there additional resources or support groups you recommend for someone in my situation?
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