Patient Education Colorectal Cancer: Your Care and Recovery | Page 41

Follow-up Care
Follow-up care after treatment for colorectal cancer is important. Even
when the cancer seems to have been completely removed or destroyed, the
disease sometimes returns because undetected cancer cells remained after
treatment.
Your surgeon and your medical oncologist will monitor your recovery and
check for recurrence of the cancer. Checkups help ensure that any changes
in health are noted and treated if needed. Checkups may include:
• A physical exam (including a digital rectal exam)
• Lab tests (including fecal occult blood test and CEA test)
• Colonoscopy
• X-rays
• CT scans
• Other tests
If you have any health problems between checkups, contact your family
doctor.

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