Follow-up after treatment for brain and spinal cord tumours
Follow-up after treatment is an important part of cancer care. Follow-up for brain and spinal cord tumours is often shared among the cancer specialists, the surgeon and your family doctor. Your healthcare team will work with you to decide on follow-up care to meet your needs.
Don’t wait until your next scheduled appointment to report any new symptoms and symptoms that don’t go away. Tell your healthcare team if you have:
- headaches
- seizures
- changes to neurological functioning, including sensation, motor skills or personality
The chance that a brain or spinal cord tumour will come back (recur) is greatest within 5 years, so you will need close follow-up during this time. The chance of a brain or spinal cord tumour coming back also depends on the type and grade of the tumour.
Schedule for follow-up visits
Follow-up visits for brain and spinal cord tumours are usually scheduled:
- every 3 to 6 months for the first 5 years for high-grade tumours and then once a year
- every 6 to 12 months for the first 5 years for low-grade tumours and then every 1 to 2 years
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 may also ask about any new symptoms.
Your doctor may do a physical exam, including a neurological exam to assess physical and mental alertness (neurological status). If a shunt is in place, the doctor will check to make sure it is working well.
Tests are often part of follow-up care. Which tests are done and how often they are done are based on the type of tumour, location of the tumour, your symptoms and the treatment that was done. You may have:
- imaging tests, such as an MRI or a CT scan, to check for recurrence of the tumour
- a blood test to check the level of antiseizure drugs (anticonvulsants) if you are taking them
If the tumour has come back, you and your healthcare team will discuss a plan for your treatment and care.
Questions to ask about follow-up
To make the decisions that are right for you, ask your healthcare team questions about follow-up.