Follow up for ovarian cancer

• A quick guide to what's on this page
• What happens at follow up appointments
• CA125 blood tests
• How often you have check ups
• Worrying about your appointments

After your treatment, your doctor will want you to have regular check ups. These may include

• Being examined by your doctor or specialist nurse
• Blood tests
• X-rays
• CT scan
• Ultrasound scans

You will not have all these tests at every visit to your specialist. But you will probably be examined and have a blood test at each appointment. Your doctor or gynaecological oncology specialist nurse will also ask how you are feeling and whether you have any symptoms or are worried about anything.

CA125 blood tests used to be used to monitor women with ovarian cancer. CA125 is a protein made by some ovarian cancers and found in the bloodstream. The levels of CA125 can sometimes go up before there are any signs of the cancer on scans. However, some women found having the test at each appointment made them very anxious. A clinical trial called OV05 looked at how useful routine CA125 testing is as part of routine follow up. The trial found that giving treatment as soon as the cancer starts to grow back is no more effective than waiting to give treatment when symptoms develop. So now many doctors prefer to wait and give treatment if you develop symptoms, rather than doing regular CA125 tests.

For the first couple of years your check ups will be every 2 to 3 months. After this, you usually have 6 monthly appointments for up to 5 years. You may have alternating appointments with your surgeon and your oncologist. In some hospitals, you may see your gynaecology oncology specialist nurse at every appointment instead of seeing your doctors. If you are worried or notice any new symptoms between your appointments, let your doctor know as soon as possible. You don't have to wait until the next appointment.

Many people find their check ups quite worrying. If you are feeling well and getting on with life, a hospital appointment can bring all the worry about your cancer back to you. If you have a specialist gynaecological nurse at your hospital it can be helpful to talk through your concerns with them. Or you may find it helpful to tell someone close to you how you are feeling. If you are able to share your worries, they may not seem quite so bad.

It is quite common nowadays for people to have counselling after cancer treatment. To find out more about counselling, look in the CancerHelp UK coping with cancer section.