Rectal Cancer (cont.)
IN THIS ARTICLE
- Rectal Cancer Overview
- Rectal Cancer Causes
- Rectal Cancer Symptoms
- When to Seek Medical Care
- Questions to Ask the Doctor
- Exams and Tests
- Rectal Cancer Treatment
- Medical Treatment
- Medications
- Surgery
- Other Therapy
- Next Steps
- Follow-up
- Prevention
- Outlook
- Support Groups and Counseling
- For More Information
- Web Links
- Synonyms and Keywords
- Authors and Editors
Next Steps
Follow-up
Because a risk exists of rectal cancer coming back after treatment, routine follow-up care is necessary. Follow-up care usually consists of regular visits to the doctor's office for physical exams, blood studies, and imaging studies.
In addition, a colonoscopy is recommended 1 year after a diagnosis of rectal cancer. If the findings from the colonoscopy are normal, then the procedure can be repeated every 3 years.
Next: Prevention »
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Rectal Cancer »
Approximately 135,000 new cases of colorectal cancer occur in the United States each year, resulting in approximately 55,000 deaths per year.
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