To Scan or not to Scan

Hey John

My vote is exactly like yours.  After two years, in nonsmokers, risk falls way off.  My exception was a second cancer, not a recurrence, and arbitrary PET scans, done for 11 years after my first cancer, probably wouldn't have picked it up any sooner than I did.  Glad to hear things are going so well.

 

Pat

jtl said:

Yo Pat

So do you think I should get one more at the 2 year mark and then just let it ride or get them annually after that?  I think my docs are saying that it is really not necessary to get them any longer maybe only an annual chest x-ray.  I guess the feeling is that the visual/oral exams are good enough.  Can I assume that you are also doing well?

In your case

I would get one at two years, then I would not bother.  Here's why:  oral  cancer starts as a surface lesion.  It doesnt start in the deep tissues, it invades there, or metastasizes there.  Your two year PET puts the bracket on the cancer you have had, it isn't really necessary to detect future stuff.  Having said that, I was still going back and getting examined by the Ent oncologist once a year 11 years after my first cancer.  My second cancer arose as a surface lesion in the floor of my mouth.  And no, it wasn't detectedd by routine exam, I found it myself two months after a routine exam.  BUT, since I had the relationship with the pro, all it took  was a call for help and i  was in process in 48 hours....

 

I am doing well, thanks for asking.  Fibrosis has proven to be a progressive problem for me after my second rads, and has altered my eating ability significantly.  I figure that's a small price to pay.  I'm 18 months out now, seems impossible.

scan away

John,

Congratulations on the 2-year milestone and the continual improvements.

Scans, who needs them?  We do (once in a while).  My next big step is 2-year and I will ask for one (pretty please).

Keep getting better.

Matt

Ya know what?

I'd grab the last scan before they kicked me off the boat.  It's already been 6 months....so the way I see it, now that you're entering into the "good" territory, why not do it with the fan fare and the easy feeling of a NED you get with a scan.   

p

vote for 2yr scan

Hi,

I would not think twice about the scan at 2 years. It really is a major milestone on the road to full recovery or recurrence. Clearing the 2 yr point means you have far less chance it will return, something that would give me a lot more comfort. don

hlrowe said:

We soon may not have a choice

We soon may not have a choice on scans. Major insurance carriers usually reset coverage in July and I know a few of them will be denying scans on resolved patients in the future. I do Epic EMR programming for major hospitals and hear the buzz......

I'm scheduled for a PET in October and my MO said if central scheduling calls to schedule a CT, it means United Healthcare denied a PET. I would then try my secondary Cigna.

I've had two previous PETs and two CTs.

A difficult conundrum

It's a very complicated decision, and ultimately yours to make.  You are within a grace period, so to speak, to have one more before the insurance company balks. That said, the head of the ACS refused to have a Ct scan for a suspicious node citing radiation risks. That said we have had so much  radiation already that it is  of minimal risks to us to have another. Get this one last one, decide from there?