After you complete treatment, you should meet with your oncology team to understand how successful treatment was, prepare for any lingering side effects, and make a follow-up care plan. Here are a few questions you can ask your oncologist to have all the information you need to adjust to life after cancer.

• What kind of care should I expect now that treatment is finished? Will someone different oversee my care now that treatment is done?
• What is the chance that my cancer will return? Am I at higher risk of developing another cancer now?
• What symptoms, side effects, or late effects should I expect? How long should I expect them to stick around? Should I be worried about any of them or tell you about them? Who do I call if I notice these symptoms?
• Who do I need to see for follow-up care? How often?
• What records should I keep about my treatment? Is there a treatment summary I can have to show future doctors?

Your follow-up care might be overseen by medical professionals within your oncology team, or you might find a different doctor to manage your follow-up care, such as a primary care physician or a doctor who specializes in follow-up care for cancer. No matter who you see, there are important questions you need to discuss with them. Be sure to share your treatment summary from your oncologist with your follow-up care doctor so everyone is on the same page about your diagnosis, treatment, and prognosis. In general, you can expect to see your follow-up care doctor every 3-4 months during the first 2-3 years after treatment. This will decrease to 1-2 visits per year after that.

• How long will it take for me to feel better and more like myself?
• Will I experience long-term health issues as a result of my cancer and its treatment?
• How can I be as healthy as possible to lower my risk of recurrence?
• Do I need to take any special medications or follow a specific diet?
• What tests do I need now? How often do I need to be tested?
• Should I be worried about any symptoms, long-term side effects, or late effects or tell you about them?
• What records should I keep about my treatment?
• Is there a support group you’d recommend for me? Are there any other services you’d recommend for me or my family?

Believe it or not, you still need to go to your primary care doctor for routine appointments. You should share with them your cancer diagnosis and prognosis, or share your treatment plan paperwork with them, so they can keep an eye for any warning signs that your cancer has returned. And don’t forget to complete your routine cancer screenings for breast, cervical, colorectal, lung, and/or skin cancer.

It may not seem necessary, but all doctors you see from cancer diagnosis through the rest of your life should be told about your diagnosis, treatment, and prognosis. Cancer takes a serious toll on the body, so even visiting a physical therapist or gynecologist could be impacted by your cancer experience. You can pick and choose how much you want to share with any future doctor, but keep in mind how important your full health history is to understanding your holistic health.