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Scans After Initial Chemo/Radiation
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Jun 23, 2018 - 11:11 am
I was wondering if anyone could give me an idea of when scans and what scans are done after inital chemo/radiation treatment. My husband has Stage 4 rectal cancer and has gone through 5 and a half weeks of combination chemo pills and radiation. Next is surgery but I wanted to know when/if any scans are done from now to the surgery. If anyone has any info on this, I would appreciate it. I have been waiting for the oncologist's office to get back to me for a week to answer this question. |
Joined: Dec 2017
I imagine every surgeon is
I imagine every surgeon is different. I had 4 rounds of chemo before my liver. I had a pet scan and a ct scan. My liver lesions were large so the scans helped plan the surgery and was to see if there was any spread that we didn't know about.
Joined: Mar 2017
Sounds pretty standard
I also had radiation and chemo to shrink the tumor before surgery.
Then they will know more.
Good Luck
Joined: Jan 2013
All over the place
It is true, each Oncologist has a different approach to treatments and such.
My Oncologist wanted no scans or CEA bloodwork until I was completely done with treatment. I had my first scan a month out of treatment.
Keep calling the Oncologist nurses to get your answer.
tru
Joined: Sep 2012
Scans
mcci47:
My treatment consisted of 5 1/2 weeks of radiation and chemo (Xeloda pills) simultaneously. That began in early July and finished in mid August. Then in mid September I had a CT scan. In mid October I had my surgery (resection).
As others have said, all cases are different and unique. Plus, ask your oncologist and if he/she is slow to respond then be persistent.
I wish you both luck in this journey. Review the previous posts included in this forum, especially those concerning caregivers for a spouse who has been diagnosed stage IV.
Jim
Joined: Feb 2009
Schedule
The schedule of treatments, followup, scans, etc is really up to the doctor. Diagnosed in November and My treatment (rad/chemo) started in January, surgery in March, more chemo started in May and ended in September and then a scan the end of October. My staging was different than your's also, but each doctor wants to do it according to the individual and a pattern they think best. Wishing you well.
Kim
Joined: Jun 2018
Thanks for the info!
This is just what I was looking for. We are just trying to get an idea of what to expect as far as scans.
We are a little frustrated with the oncologist's office as this seems to be the pattern when you need something. We are considering a different doctor, but who knows, it may be the same :)
Thanks everyone for responding!
Joined: Oct 2017
My surgeon requested an MRI
My surgeon requested an MRI after chemo and radiation and before surgery. I'm Stage 3B.
Joined: Jun 2018
MRI
How soon after you completed the chemo and radiation did you have the MRI?
Joined: Apr 2017
Scan
I had my first scan, a CT scan, about three months after wrapping up chemo.
Joined: Jul 2005
Scan after chemo-rad
I can't speak directly to this, because my tumor was sigmoid rather than rectal, as I gather your's is based upon treatment. However, rather than waiting for your onc to return a call where the message may have been relayed through someone who didn't really understand the question, you should probably make an appt. With my onc any active treatment, non-emergency patient could get an appt in a couple of days, and that was a much better way to get info.
Take care,
Joined: Mar 2018
my wife
had her first scan six weeks after starting chemo which was much earlier than the other doctors we met with suggested they would do
st iv - mets to liver - left side wild kras