The liver itself is rich in blood supply, and the hepatic veins, hepatic arteries and portal veins are intertwined with each other and communicate with other parts of the circulatory system, which makes liver cancer prone to intrahepatic dissemination and extrahepatic metastasis, thus increasing the risk of recurrence after liver cancer treatment. Without regular follow-up, recurrence and metastasis, postoperative complications and drug side effects will greatly affect the quality of life of patients in the future. 1.Why should we follow up? Similar to many other tumors, liver cancer also has the problem of recurrence and metastasis after treatment. Therefore, the treatment of liver cancer not only includes surgical resection, radiofrequency ablation, liver transplantation and other treatment measures, but also regular follow-up after treatment, which actually has a great impact on the survival time of patients. During the follow-up, the doctor may prescribe some blood tests and imaging examinations, which not only let the doctor know whether the tumor has recurred after treatment, but also show the side effects of the subsequent treatment, which in turn can help to adjust the treatment plan in time. 2.How often should I have a follow-up visit? The frequency of follow-up depends on the patient’s condition and the type of treatment he/she received. If you have undergone hepatectomy, you will generally be followed up once a month for the first three months after surgery. If there is no abnormality, the follow-up will be every three months afterwards, and then every six months after 2 years. In other words, the longer the review period without abnormalities, the longer the follow-up interval can be. If there is no abnormality 5 years after the operation, then it can be checked once a year, which is comparable to the frequency of physical examination. Of course, the above is only an example, and the specific follow-up arrangement should be made according to the patient’s situation. 3.What tests are required during the follow-up visit? Firstly, during the follow-up visit, the doctor will ask you if you have any abnormal symptoms and perform necessary physical examination to assess whether there is tumor recurrence or side effects of treatment. Secondly, your doctor may prescribe some necessary laboratory tests for each follow-up visit, which include AFP, liver function and other routine follow-ups. Patients also need to have imaging tests such as chest X-ray, ultrasound, CT or MRI every now and then, but of course, these tests are all focused on patient-specific choices. In addition, if you find some new symptoms or manifestations, it is important to inform the doctor in time and conduct the necessary examinations according to the situation. 4.What should I do if the tumor recurs? Monitoring tumor recurrence is the most important purpose of follow-up after liver cancer treatment. Recurrent foci of liver cancer may appear at the primary site, near the primary site, surrounding lymph nodes or distant organs. In case of tumor recurrence, your doctor will evaluate it thoroughly and develop a treatment plan accordingly. The treatment methods mainly include re-operation, radiofrequency ablation, transarterial embolization chemotherapy and targeted therapy, etc. The specific methods need to be determined according to the specific situation of recurrence. 5.How should we look at the follow-up? There is an old Chinese saying that “it is easy to fight a mountain, but hard to sit on it”. Many patients may find the “endless follow-up” very annoying compared to the active treatment. Often, when the patient is already feeling very well, the follow-up will bring the “tumor” back to his life. At this time, it is necessary for the patient to have a proper attitude, or consult with the doctor, or discuss with his friends, and make sure to pay attention to the follow-up process. After all, life and health are your most valuable assets. To fight this battle well, we have to face the subsequent seemingly boring follow-up process and solve any problems that arise in time. In this battle, no one can win alone, only the patient and the doctor can work together and collaborate in the treatment and follow-up to achieve the final success.