How long until first post chemo-radiation CT?

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carebook
carebook Member Posts: 5
in Head and Neck Cancer #1
From your experiences, how long after completed course of chemo-radiation treatment was your first CT... or any test to check effects of the completed treatment? I am getting different timelines from different medical professionals... from 3 weeks of completion to 3 months of completion. I am into fifth week of six-weeks of treatment and just want some idea of wait time til first check on progress or no progress. Also, would like some idea of why a wait is necessary. Perhaps I need more informative professionals.... Thank you.

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  • fisrpotpe
    fisrpotpe Member Posts: 1,349 Member
    #2
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    not fast enough
    It's is just fast enough for everyone in your status. The radiation continue to work in you for 6-9 weeks depending on which doctor you talk to. I would hope they would do something to see about 7-8 weeks. If it is not cleaner than clean they will probably offer options of surgery or waiting for another scan in 4-6 weeks to continue review for any changes.

    Welcome to a wonderful support team with massive amounts of experience and exceptional knowledge.

    John
  • adventurebob
    adventurebob Member Posts: 691
    #3
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    5 months
    Just got my first scans; they were MRI's. A week shy of 5 months since I completed treatment. Won't have a PET for at least another 2 months.

    Bob
  • Hondo
    Hondo Member Posts: 6,636 Member
    #4
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    CT
    My first CT was one months right after I finish with my Chemo treatment, but my Oncal doctor said that was too soon to know anything and he ordered a PET 5 or 6 months after my radaition treatment finished.

    Hope this helps and welcome to CSN
    Hondo
  • Scambuster
    Scambuster Member Posts: 973
    #5
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    3-6 months
    CB,

    If they scan too early, they run the risk of a false positive and so it can be a waste of time money and more importantly, another exposure to a Scan which you don't need.

    I would look at 3 to 6 months and 6 to be prefered. Mine was 3 months after treatment and still showed some inflamation which they said was from the radiation. They say they use an earlier Scan to establish a 'Base Line'. Fine but do it when you will get an accurate result.

    I have posted a 'Preparing for PET CT' article on my personal pages which you can check out (click on my name to the left and you will find it in the expressions of Blog section). It is just some tips to 1. Reduce the damage and toxicity of the Scan and 2. ensure a more accurate result. Contrary to what the doctors may say, scan (PET CT) are NOT good for us.

    Hope this helps
    Scam
  • carebook
    carebook Member Posts: 5
    #6
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    fisrpotpe said:

    not fast enough
    It's is just fast enough for everyone in your status. The radiation continue to work in you for 6-9 weeks depending on which doctor you talk to. I would hope they would do something to see about 7-8 weeks. If it is not cleaner than clean they will probably offer options of surgery or waiting for another scan in 4-6 weeks to continue review for any changes.

    Welcome to a wonderful support team with massive amounts of experience and exceptional knowledge.

    John

    Post treatment... first scan
    Thank you so much... your answer is very helpful. Jo
  • carebook
    carebook Member Posts: 5
    #7
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    Scambuster said:

    3-6 months
    CB,

    If they scan too early, they run the risk of a false positive and so it can be a waste of time money and more importantly, another exposure to a Scan which you don't need.

    I would look at 3 to 6 months and 6 to be prefered. Mine was 3 months after treatment and still showed some inflamation which they said was from the radiation. They say they use an earlier Scan to establish a 'Base Line'. Fine but do it when you will get an accurate result.

    I have posted a 'Preparing for PET CT' article on my personal pages which you can check out (click on my name to the left and you will find it in the expressions of Blog section). It is just some tips to 1. Reduce the damage and toxicity of the Scan and 2. ensure a more accurate result. Contrary to what the doctors may say, scan (PET CT) are NOT good for us.

    Hope this helps
    Scam

    Post treatment.... first scan
    I am so glad I found CSN. All the answers I have received have been very helpful and just knowing you are there is comforting. Somehow, trusting my fellow travelers in this life is easier than completely trusting my professional informers.
    Thanks you so much,
    Jo
  • carebook
    carebook Member Posts: 5
    #8
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    Hondo said:

    CT
    My first CT was one months right after I finish with my Chemo treatment, but my Oncal doctor said that was too soon to know anything and he ordered a PET 5 or 6 months after my radaition treatment finished.

    Hope this helps and welcome to CSN
    Hondo

    Post treatment.... first scan
    This helps a lot, Hondo.
    Thank you for the help and the welcome!
    Jo
  • carebook
    carebook Member Posts: 5
    #9
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    adventurebob said:

    5 months
    Just got my first scans; they were MRI's. A week shy of 5 months since I completed treatment. Won't have a PET for at least another 2 months.

    Bob

    Post treatment... first scan
    Thank you for your information, Bob. It is torture waiting, but I now understand the reason, thanks to very helpful CSN members.
    Take care

    Jo
  • UWSNYC
    UWSNYC Member Posts: 11
    #10
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    Scans
    My first CT and PET scans were 3 months post treatment - both were clear. I have scans every 4 months. My scans are done in the same medical center where I was treated, so I have them early morning and when I see my oncologist in the afternoon, he's able to access the results on his computer. If you can do this, it will eliminate the wait-time anxiety.
    Good Luck!
  • D Lewis
    D Lewis Member Posts: 1,581 Member
    #11
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    Chiming in here
    My doctors checked me weekly after treatment ended - but only looked, and sometimes used the nasal scope or palpated my tongue. At two months, I had a post-treatment MRI, at three months I had a post-treatment PET-CT. Took that long for the radiation to stop cooking. The MRI showed what the Stanford doc referred to as an "inflamed lymph node". He told me it was normal to see that kind of thing. The PET-CT showed no evidence of disease. Since palpation and nasal scoping have all been normal, I'm scheduled to have my second follow-up PET-CT roughly 18 months out from end of treatment.

    Sounds like you are right on track.

    Deb
  • Skiffin16
    Skiffin16 Member Posts: 8,305 Member
    #12
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    CT or PET
    The PET is usually most effective somewhere at leats 3 months post, longer is even better. That's mainly do to the possibility of residual from the radiation. As mentioned, you are still cooking for several weeks post rads.

    As for the CT, not sure, but I did actually have one between my initial nine weeks (three week cycles) of Cisplatin, Taxotere and 5FU and starting the seven weeks of concurrent weekly Carboplatin and 35 daily rads.

    That was because the swollen lymphnode that they chose not to surgically remove with the tonsils shrank to nothing.This was confirmed gone prior to starting the seven weeks of concurrent.

    Best,
    John

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