PET/CT during treatment

Jimbo55
Jimbo55 Member Posts: 590 Member
edited March 2014 in Head and Neck Cancer #1
Hi Folks,

I've just completed completed my 25th rad, only 10 more to go!!! This week they also did a PET/CT. The rad doc was quite upbeat with the result which showed a roughly 60-70% reduction of the cancerous area on my BOT. He said normally they would see about 30-40% reduction at this point in the treatment. So, yes I'm pretty stoked about that. They will take this new PET/CT and reconfigure the IMRT to focus on the smaller cancerous area.

I've looked back through previous threads and I don't find anyone mentioning having had a 2nd PET/CT during the course of their treatment. Have I just missed this part where its been discussed? Cheers.


Jimbo

Comments

  • Kimba1505
    Kimba1505 Member Posts: 557
    #2
    Keep going
    Hey Jim,
    Glad to hear you are entering the final stretch. Mark has one more chemo and two more rads. Going slow for us at the end.
    In response to your CT/PET question, Mark did not have any CT scans done during his treatment; but I do remember it being discussed somewhere as a possibility, to do just what you said, assess progress and then also reconfigure radiation if necessary.
    sounds like you are ahead in the game.
    All good news.
    Kim
  • miccmill
    miccmill Member Posts: 248
    #3
    Kimba1505 said:

    Keep going
    Hey Jim,
    Glad to hear you are entering the final stretch. Mark has one more chemo and two more rads. Going slow for us at the end.
    In response to your CT/PET question, Mark did not have any CT scans done during his treatment; but I do remember it being discussed somewhere as a possibility, to do just what you said, assess progress and then also reconfigure radiation if necessary.
    sounds like you are ahead in the game.
    All good news.
    Kim

    Jimbo
    that sounds like good news. It must feel good to be able to actually see progress during treatment.

    Glenn has an undisclosed primary location and he had a radical neck dissection to remove the two lymph nodes that were involved so there's nothing for them to really visualize at this point. They have not done another CT or PET.

    He's got 1 chemo and 6 rads left to go.
  • MarineE5
    MarineE5 Member Posts: 1,030 Member
    #4
    Finish Line
    Jimbo,Mark,Kim,Gleen,andMic;

    Glad to see that all are closing in on the finish line with your treatments. I included the caregivers as well, because they are on this path also.

    About the Cat scans. I had several during my radiation treatments and they were done on a Monday prior to the treatment. It was done with the same machine that did the IMRT radiation. As mentioned, it was to varify my positioning as we do change while loosing weight, etc. They wanted to make sure I fit into the Mask properly, without movement.

    My Best to All of You
  • rozaroo
    rozaroo Member Posts: 665
    #5
    miccmill said:

    Jimbo
    that sounds like good news. It must feel good to be able to actually see progress during treatment.

    Glenn has an undisclosed primary location and he had a radical neck dissection to remove the two lymph nodes that were involved so there's nothing for them to really visualize at this point. They have not done another CT or PET.

    He's got 1 chemo and 6 rads left to go.

    Jimbo
    That is fantastic new's. I found out at the end of treatment that I had great result's with treatment. I wish I would have known a bit earlier as it would have pumped up my morale a bit. God only know's we need it at that time. I just had a CT scan done on Monday.
    Have not heard the results as of yet. However, it is out of my hand's anyway! Best of luck
    & continued success!
    Roz
  • Skiffin16
    Skiffin16 Member Posts: 8,305 Member
    #6
    CT & X-Ray
    Jimbo, I had at least one CT during treatment between the nine weeks of chemo & the seven weeks of consurrent chemo/rads. The tumor (lymphnode) dissolved away between the 2nd and 3rd round of chemo.

    I did have X-Rays every Monday before my rads started. But that was more a check for the mask fit I think....

    Best,
    John
  • tonyanddenise
    tonyanddenise Member Posts: 70
    #7
    Kimba1505 said:

    Keep going
    Hey Jim,
    Glad to hear you are entering the final stretch. Mark has one more chemo and two more rads. Going slow for us at the end.
    In response to your CT/PET question, Mark did not have any CT scans done during his treatment; but I do remember it being discussed somewhere as a possibility, to do just what you said, assess progress and then also reconfigure radiation if necessary.
    sounds like you are ahead in the game.
    All good news.
    Kim

    hello
    Denise and I were just talking about this site and you came up. hope all is well.
  • Scambuster
    Scambuster Member Posts: 973
    #8
    Jimbo and 'home straighters',

    This all sounds about right though I don't recall a full PET/CT, but a CT while I was in a Rads sessions during week 5-6. They fitted a new tight Mask and reconfigured the Rads to hit a tighter target and with less intensity.

    As many have warned before, all of you nearing the last rads, just be aware that things may get rough once you're done. I think it's part psychological and part the continued cooking and poisoning from the treatment. The accumulation of toxins leaves you very weak, and it can all compound and leave you a bit wasted.

    If you find it hard to cope, seek assistance and support from your doctors. Depression can become very real at this point and definitely needs attention. The recovery may be a 'J' curve, so govern your expectations if you can.

    All the best to all you guys coming out, and you who are their 'Rocks' !

    Scam
  • Jimbo55
    Jimbo55 Member Posts: 590 Member
    #9
    Scambuster said:

    Jimbo and 'home straighters',

    This all sounds about right though I don't recall a full PET/CT, but a CT while I was in a Rads sessions during week 5-6. They fitted a new tight Mask and reconfigured the Rads to hit a tighter target and with less intensity.

    As many have warned before, all of you nearing the last rads, just be aware that things may get rough once you're done. I think it's part psychological and part the continued cooking and poisoning from the treatment. The accumulation of toxins leaves you very weak, and it can all compound and leave you a bit wasted.

    If you find it hard to cope, seek assistance and support from your doctors. Depression can become very real at this point and definitely needs attention. The recovery may be a 'J' curve, so govern your expectations if you can.

    All the best to all you guys coming out, and you who are their 'Rocks' !

    Scam

    Yes Scam, it is so easy to
    Yes Scam, it is so easy to focus on the end of treatment and get in the mind set that things will improve soon after that. Thanks to all of the 'voices of experience' for providing your personal insights on what to expect coming up. Certainly the end of treatment is huge, though I'm hoping I will be in the 'starting to feel better' stage by the time football season rolls around.

    It certainly did great things for my morale to get such a nice report from the docs. These last few weeks do start dragging, don't they? Cheers.

    Jimbo
  • Hondo
    Hondo Member Posts: 6,636 Member
    #10
    Hi Jimbo


    Sounds like great news, we all know what it is like getting close to the finish line, good luck my friend

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