Neuroendocrine Tumors: Follow-Up Care

Approved by the Cancer.Net Editorial Board, 05/2022

ON THIS PAGE: You will read about your medical care after treatment for a neuroendocrine tumor (NET) is completed and why this follow-up care is important. Use the menu to see other pages.

Care for people diagnosed with a NET does not end when active treatment has finished. Your health care team will continue to check that the tumor has not come back, manage any side effects, and monitor your overall health. This is called follow-up care.

Your follow-up care may include regular physical examinations, medical tests, or both. Doctors want to keep track of your recovery in the months and years ahead. This is important because a NET can recur even several years after treatment. While there are no standard guidelines for follow-up care after treatment of a NET, people who have had surgery should be seen by their doctor 3 months after their operation for a physical examination, blood tests, and a computed tomography (CT) scan. After that, follow-up care should include a physical examination and blood tests about every 6 to 12 months, with additional imaging studies such as x-rays, as needed. Your doctor will guide you on your specific follow-up care plan.

Cancer rehabilitation may be recommended, and this could mean any of a wide range of services, such as physical therapy, occupational therapy, career counseling, pain management, nutritional planning, and/or emotional counseling. The goal of rehabilitation is to help people regain control over many aspects of their lives and remain as independent as possible. Learn more about cancer rehabilitation.

Patients and families should be aware that many NETs tend to grow slowly and may be similar to a chronic illness. This means the patient may receive treatment and follow-up care in cycles on an ongoing basis. Learn more about living with chronic cancer and the importance of follow-up care.

Watching for recurrence

One goal of follow-up care is to check for a recurrence, which means that the NET has come back. A tumor recurs because small areas of tumor cells may remain undetected in the body. Over time, these cells may increase in number until they show up on test results or cause signs or symptoms.

During follow-up care, a doctor familiar with your medical history can give you personalized information about your risk of recurrence. Your doctor will ask specific questions about your health. Some people may have blood tests or imaging tests done as part of regular follow-up care, but testing recommendations depend on several factors, including the type and stage of the NET first diagnosed and the types of treatment given. During this time, it is also important to tell your doctor about any new symptoms as soon as you notice them, such as fatigue, breathing problems, or pain in any part of the body.

The anticipation before having a follow-up test or waiting for test results may add stress to you or a family member. This is sometimes called “scanxiety.” Learn more about how to cope with this type of stress.

Managing long-term and late side effects

Most people expect to have side effects when receiving treatment. However, it is often surprising to survivors that some side effects may linger beyond the treatment period. These are called long-term side effects. Other side effects called late effects may develop months or even years after treatment has ended. Long-term and late effects can include both physical and emotional changes.

Talk with your doctor about your risk of developing such side effects based on your diagnosis, your individual treatment plan, and your overall health. For example, some patients experience late effects after being treated with octreotide, such as thyroid and gallbladder problems. If you had a treatment known to cause specific late effects, you may have certain physical examinations, scans, or blood tests to help find and manage them.

Keeping personal health records

You and your doctor should work together to develop a personalized follow-up care plan. Be sure to discuss any concerns you have about your future physical or emotional health. ASCO offers forms to help keep track of the cancer treatment you received and develop a survivorship care plan when treatment is completed.

This is also a good time to talk with your doctor about who will lead your follow-up care. Some survivors continue to see their oncologist, while others transition back to the care of their primary care doctor or another health care professional. This decision depends on several factors, including the type, stage, and grade of the tumor, side effects, health insurance rules, and your personal preferences.

If a doctor who was not directly involved in your care for the NET will lead your follow-up care, be sure to share your treatment summary and survivorship care plan forms with them and with all future health care providers. Details about your treatment for the NET are very valuable to the health care professionals who will care for you throughout your lifetime.

The next section in this guide is Survivorship. It describes how to cope with challenges in everyday life after a NET diagnosis. Use the menu to choose a different section to read in this guide.