After Oral Cavity and Oropharyngeal Cancer Treatment

For many people with oral cavity or oropharyngeal cancer, treatment can remove or destroy the cancer. The end of treatment can be both stressful and exciting. People often experience a mixture of feelings including joy, concern, relief, guilt, and fear.

For others, the cancer might never go away completely. Some people may get regular chemotherapy, targeted therapy, or other treatments to try and help keep the cancer under control. Learning to live with cancer that doesn't go away can be difficult and very stressful.

No matter what your situation is, there are steps you can take to live well, both physically and emotionally.

Follow-up care after oral cavity and oropharyngeal cancer

After finishing treatment for oral cavity or oropharyngeal cancer, you will still see your cancer care team regularly. Your care team may want to monitor you for signs of the cancer coming back (recurrence) and treat any long-term side effects caused by your cancer or treatment. 

Ask your doctor for a survivorship care plan

Talk with your doctor about developing a survivorship care plan for you. This plan can guide your next steps after treatment, including follow-up appointments and ways to stay healthy.

Your survivorship care plan might include:

• A suggested schedule for follow-up exams and tests
• A schedule for other tests, such as screening for other types of cancer or monitoring for long-term health effects from your cancer or treatment
• A list of possible late- or long-term side effects from your treatment, including what to watch for and when you should contact your health care team
• Diet and physical activity suggestions
• Reminders to keep your appointments with your primary care provider (PCP), who will monitor your general health care

What to expect during follow-up visits

People with cancer of the oral cavity or oropharynx are at risk of the cancer coming back and also at risk for developing new cancers in the head and neck area. Your cancer care team will watch you closely after treatment.

Your cancer care team will discuss which tests should be done and how often based on the type and stage of the cancer, the type of treatment you had, and the chance of the cancer coming back.

You will probably have follow-up appointments for many years, and it's important to go to all of them. During these visits, your care team will ask if you are having any problems. They may examine you and order endoscopies, lab tests, or imaging tests to look for signs of cancer returning, a new cancer, or treatment side effects.

It's important to report any new symptoms or problems to your health care team right away. This might help them find recurrent cancer as early as possible, when treatment is more likely to be effective.

Watching for late and long-term side effects

Almost any cancer treatment can have side effects. Some might last for a few months, but others can last the rest of your life. Some side effects might not even show up until years after you finish treatment.

Your follow-up visits are a good time to ask questions about these side effects. Talk to your cancer care team about any changes or problems you notice or concerns you have.

Exams, tests, and rehabilitation

If there are no signs of cancer, many doctors will recommend you have a physical exam and some of the tests listed below every few months for the first couple of years after treatment, then every 4 to 6 months or so for the next few years. People who were treated for early-stage cancers may do this less often.