Follow-ups are mandatory
Upon completing your treatment, your Radiation Oncologist will ask you to return for a follow-up visit in two to six weeks. This is an important visit to ascertain that your side effects have resolved and that the cancer has responded appropriately. Your physician will examine you and ask questions about any lingering symptoms you might have, and it is not uncommon for him to order laboratory tests or x-rays in preparation for this visit. Other scans or tests may be postponed for several months, as the complete effect of the radiation and the resulting healing process often are not completed for three to six months after the cessation of therapy.

Regular follow-up visits and check-ups are mandatory, as this is the only way to tell if the treatment has been effective and to determine the status of the cancer. These can often be performed by your personal physician, your Medical Oncologist, or with us. The Radiation Oncologist will inform you of your status at each visit.

Feel free to contact us
If you have problems between visits, call us at any time. During office hours, use the phone number of the center at which you are being treated in the FROG network (e.g., Baptist Cancer Institute, Florida Cancer Center-Beaches, etc.) to contact us, as listed on the back of your booklet. A nurse, who will check with your physician if you have any major problems, normally screens your call. After hours, your call will be directed to our answering service for the on-call physician.

If you have a life-threatening problem anytime, however, call 911 or head straight to the emergency room.