Follow up Care for Brain Tumor

Executive Summary

Follow-up care for brain tumor refers to the after-treatment protocols conducted by the healthcare team to look after recurrence, manage the side effects, and monitor the patients’ overall health. Both medical and physical examinations are included in the follow-up care of brain tumor. Watching the brain tumour recurrence is seen in test reports of follow-up care. The follow-up care for brain tumor provides blood tests, physical examinations, and imaging tests. MRI scans are done at regular intervals, and a history and physical examination are best to monitor if the tumor is stable or is trying to come back. The patient’s quality of life and cognitive and functional abilities is evaluated through specialized tests.

Cancer rehabilitation is recommended through speech therapy, occupational therapy, counselling with a social worker, medications to reduce fatigue or enhance memory, and neuropsychological testing. The doctor will propose checks and testing to check for late effects based on the patient’s sort of brain tumor treatment. Managing the side effects while receiving treatment is a critical follow-up care approach. Personalizing the follow-up care plan is essential for patients with brain tumor conducted by the medical care team. Effective communication with the doctor regarding the long term effects of all the treatments will be effective in the future.

Follow-up Care of Brain Tumor

Care for a cancer patient does not end with the end of active treatment that was going on. Even after that, the health care team looks after the cancer recurrence, managing the side effects developed due to the treatment and monitoring your overall health. This is called follow up care. Your Follow up Care for Brain Tumor includes medical tests, physical examination or both ^​1​. 

Doctors usually keep track of your child’s recovery in the months and years ahead. MRI scans are done at regular intervals, and a history and physical examination are best to monitor if the tumor is stable or is trying to come back.

A brain tumor and its treatment can cause changes in the function of your brain and your overall well-being. For this reason, your health care team needs to evaluate your quality of life and your cognitive and functional abilities through specialized tests ^​2​. A neuropsychologist typically gives these tests. A neuropsychologist has special training in the brain’s capacity and behaviors.

Cancer rehabilitation is usually recommended, and this could mean any of a wide range of services, such as 

• Speech therapy
• Occupational therapy
• Counselling with a social worker
• Medications to reduce fatigue or enhance memory
• Neuropsychological testing, which looks at the behavioral and mental changes from the tumor and its treatment

Also Read: Benefit From Exercising During Cancer Treatment

Watching for recurrence

One of the things to take care of after cancer treatment is recurrence. Cancer recurrence happens when a few cancerous cells remain even after treatment; they again grow until they show up any signs or symptoms or are seen in test reports. So, its important to have Follow up Care for Brain Tumor.

Scan-xiety is often used for the stress the patient or the family can have before the follow-up tests.

Managing long-term and late side effects

Most people encounter different side effects while receiving treatment. But in some patients, side effects linger beyond the treatment duration. These are the long term side effects. 

Late side effects can develop after months or even after years of treatment. 

These side effects, both late and long term, can be both physical and emotional.

If you had a treatment known to have particular late effects, you might need physical examinations, blood tests, or scans to help find and manage them.

Keeping personal health records

You, along with your doctor, should work together to develop a personalized Follow up Care for Brain Tumor plan. Some patients, after the treatment, continue to see their oncologist, while others go back to the care of their family/primary care doctor. This usually depends on various factors, including the type and grade of Brain tumor, side effects, health insurance rules, personal preferences, beliefs and expectations. 

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