follow up treatment after stage 3 rectal cancer

tammybrook
tammybrook Member Posts: 43
in Colorectal Cancer #1
hi,,,i was wondering if anyone knew the protocol for followup treatment after rectal stage 3 cancer....should you be getting a ct scan, x-ray, pet scan ...and if yes ,,,how often for the first 5 years???? is it normal to not have a ct, pet, or x-ray for over 21/2 years post surgery??????

Comments

  • mskautz
    mskautz Member Posts: 30
    #2
    follow up treatment
    Hi tammybrook, I was diagnosed with stage 3 rectal on feb 14, had surgery on march 28, was going to start radiation 5 weeks later but they discovered a leak so that was cancelled. Started chemo last Tues. So many appointments and tests that I've kinda lost track but I had a lower scan before surgery and a full body before radiation was supposed to start, that's how they discovered the leak. Did you have surgery 2 years ago? Actually my Dr. wasn't real clear on things, I didn't even know I had stage 3 until a radiologist told me. The only test I'm sure about after chemo ends is that in a year I'll have to have a colonoscopy. People on here except for me are really knowledgeable and helpful and supportive so keep asking questions. I'm sorry I'm not to helpful as I'm new to this and still learning to get used to it.
  • YoVita
    YoVita Member Posts: 590 Member
    #3
    Follow up after Stage 3 rectal cancer
    I too was diagnosed and treated for stage 3 rectal cancer February, 2010. Six months after surgery/chemo/radiation/chemo was completed I got my first ctscan post-treatment. I've had annual ctscans since then. After my last scan, we were going to move to every two years for scans, if that one was clear. Unfortunately my most recent scan showed a nodule on the lung. We're dealing with that now. I also had a colonoscopy a year after treatment - the reconnected area was biopsied - all clear. I don't have to have another colonoscopy for two years. I encourage you to ask your doctor about follow-up scans. Good luck to you.
  • steved
    steved Member Posts: 834 Member
    #4
    It varies a lot
    This is one area of huge variation from almost nothing to ridiculously frequent over investigations. I had annual colonoscopies and CTs for 3 years then a gap to five years then stopped. That was after a stage 3 diagnosis.

    The truth is (and this comes from my oncologist as haven't looked at the data myself) the studies show that it makes no significant difference to long term survival. REcurrences generally are bad news and it doesn't seem the investigations catch them at a significantly earlier stage than they would have been found anyway (usually due to symptoms occuring). In some studies it did find things earlier but not earlier enough to make a difference in survival.

    This doesn't mean you should have no checks as studies look at populations of people and doesn't mean sensible vigilance through scans won't make a difference to you as an individual. Talk to your team and express any anxieties you have.

    Steve (whose recurrence after 7 years was found due to symptoms)
  • steved
    steved Member Posts: 834 Member
    #5
    Your story
    Justchecked your story and it would seem your dad had stage 4 cancer for whom the protocol is different- are you talking about some one else?

    steve

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