Post treatment scans

luvofmylif
luvofmylif Member Posts: 344
in Head and Neck Cancer #1
My husband will be starting chemo and radiation next week. He will be having one side of neck radiated and will be receiving Cisplatin x 3 doses. He had BOT laser surgery 8 weeks ago and a right side selective neck dissection with 3 positive lymph nodes, one with extracapsular extension. Three weeks ago he had lymph nodes dissected on left side and all those lymph nodes were found to be negative.

My question is how long after treatment will his first scan be? I read all the posts about scan anxiety and NED and wondered when we can anticipate his first scan.

Thank you for your help

Joan

Comments

  • Hard12Find
    Hard12Find Member Posts: 218 Member
    #2
    Joan,
    Sounds like you and John, are progressing nicely. I can't say for sure in your case, but I know the first scan I will get is 3 months out from treatment, I know they want the tissues to return to normal, so you don't get a false positive.
    Keeping you guys in my prayers.
    Jim
  • Skiffin16
    Skiffin16 Member Posts: 8,305 Member
    #3
    Three - Six Months
    Is the norm...

    Like Jim mentioned, some MD's like to wait at least 4 - 6 months. That gives time for more healing and less residual to show false readings.

    Best,
    John
  • amy_h414
    amy_h414 Member Posts: 98
    #4
    My husband's first scan was
    My husband's first scan was about 3 months after radiation ended. He had cisplatin x 6, 35 rads, no surgery for oropharyngeal scc hpv+.
  • phrannie51
    phrannie51 Member Posts: 4,716
    #5
    Same here....
    3 months after the last treatment. I finished my radiaiton on June 15th, but continued to have chemo for another 3 1/2 months, finishing on Aug 28th. They had already scheduled my PET scan for Nov. 27th.

    p
  • hwt
    hwt Member Posts: 2,328 Member
    #6
    phrannie51 said:

    Same here....
    3 months after the last treatment. I finished my radiaiton on June 15th, but continued to have chemo for another 3 1/2 months, finishing on Aug 28th. They had already scheduled my PET scan for Nov. 27th.

    p

    scans
    I was given a CAT w/contrast about 10 weeks after my last rad/chemo tx. First PET this Friday which is just shy of 5 months out. Seems like doctors vary in when they scan and which scan they prefer first. Even my ONC and surgeon differed.
  • hrowe
    hrowe Member Posts: 57
    #7
    My PET was 3 months out. It
    My PET was 3 months out. It showed my Stage 4 SCC resolved in my neck (lymph nodes and tumor at epiglottis) and had some minor uptake values in the lungs which my rad and med oncs are 95% sure is inflamation. I will get another soft tissue neck CT with chest in 4 months. Then, they plan to alternate PET and CT scans at 4 month intervals.
  • Tim6003
    Tim6003 Member Posts: 1,514 Member
    #8
    hrowe said:

    My PET was 3 months out. It
    My PET was 3 months out. It showed my Stage 4 SCC resolved in my neck (lymph nodes and tumor at epiglottis) and had some minor uptake values in the lungs which my rad and med oncs are 95% sure is inflamation. I will get another soft tissue neck CT with chest in 4 months. Then, they plan to alternate PET and CT scans at 4 month intervals.

    My first post tx PET was 3 months out ..
    then scoped / finger exam each month by Onco and ENT ...then at 6 months post tx I got a CT/w contrast, still getting scoped each month by Onco and ENT ...scheduled for my next PET in November ...I got a definitive NED on my 6 mo CT/w contrast and my first PET post tx was "very good" with some slight uptick in heat on my vocal cords which they felt strongly was rad residue, not disease residue.

    Best,

    Tim
  • blackswampboy
    blackswampboy Member Posts: 341
    #9
    11 weeks here
    because I'm still having mouth/throat discomfort, thought it might be a little early for scans. talked to a nurse and asked her, "if my PET/CT scan is too early, will it give a false positive?" she assured me that it wasn't too early, not to worry.

    well...sure enough, the results showed a "hot spot" in my throat. no NED for me, but both my oncs reckon it's radition residual and are happy. my next appointment isn't for another month.

    I'm gaining weight, starting to work out, the beard is coming back in, and my energy is up.
    not gonna pin my peace of mind on the scans, and not gonna worry until my docs give me a reason to worry.
  • luvofmylif
    luvofmylif Member Posts: 344
    #10
    blackswampboy said:

    11 weeks here
    because I'm still having mouth/throat discomfort, thought it might be a little early for scans. talked to a nurse and asked her, "if my PET/CT scan is too early, will it give a false positive?" she assured me that it wasn't too early, not to worry.

    well...sure enough, the results showed a "hot spot" in my throat. no NED for me, but both my oncs reckon it's radition residual and are happy. my next appointment isn't for another month.

    I'm gaining weight, starting to work out, the beard is coming back in, and my energy is up.
    not gonna pin my peace of mind on the scans, and not gonna worry until my docs give me a reason to worry.

    I am happy you had good
    I am happy you had good results from your recent scans and I like your attitiude. I am amazed how strong all you "veterans" on this site are. I am trying to emmulate your strength, since I am by nature a "worry wart".

    We start up the chemo/rad treatment on Monday ....so trying to enjoy our last few days of normal until the new normal starts up.

    Joan
  • hwt
    hwt Member Posts: 2,328 Member
    #11
    luvofmylif said:

    I am happy you had good
    I am happy you had good results from your recent scans and I like your attitiude. I am amazed how strong all you "veterans" on this site are. I am trying to emmulate your strength, since I am by nature a "worry wart".

    We start up the chemo/rad treatment on Monday ....so trying to enjoy our last few days of normal until the new normal starts up.

    Joan

    Joan
    I think it's easier to actually get the show on the road than the anticipation that comes with waiting. Your husband will be given a card to scan in when he arrives for rads and can then go directly to the dressing/waiting room. Usually there is no wait. The actual radiation tx only takes 15 minutes at most. I wouldn't worry too much about side effects because he won't have all of them and those that do appear can happen in any degree. Better off to deal with each as they come up. Kevin, the rad nurse gave me Aquaphor, hindsight, I think I would have tried gooping it on before each tx to possibly protect my lips instead of using it once I got lip sores. Kevin also gave me Vanicream for my neck. I used it and my neck turned very dark brown at the end of tx but never oozed or caused any pain.
  • luvofmylif
    luvofmylif Member Posts: 344
    #12
    hwt said:

    Joan
    I think it's easier to actually get the show on the road than the anticipation that comes with waiting. Your husband will be given a card to scan in when he arrives for rads and can then go directly to the dressing/waiting room. Usually there is no wait. The actual radiation tx only takes 15 minutes at most. I wouldn't worry too much about side effects because he won't have all of them and those that do appear can happen in any degree. Better off to deal with each as they come up. Kevin, the rad nurse gave me Aquaphor, hindsight, I think I would have tried gooping it on before each tx to possibly protect my lips instead of using it once I got lip sores. Kevin also gave me Vanicream for my neck. I used it and my neck turned very dark brown at the end of tx but never oozed or caused any pain.

    Thanks for the information.
    Thanks for the information. Good news is he will only be having the right side radiated since all neck nodes were negative for malignancy. I am hoping this will decrease side effects but will be enough to keep the cancer eradicated.

    But, you are so right...the anticipation is the worst. We have been waiting to start this for eight weeks.

    Joan
  • ToBeGolden
    ToBeGolden Member Posts: 695
    #13
    The Real Question?
    I had my first PET 8 months post treatment. (I think the timing is more to do with insurance than doctors.) It was positive: "highly suspicious for lung cancer". What is the next step? Another scan in 8 weeks. What if that and the next few PET's are positive? Well, we'll watch it every few months until it grows or you start having symptoms.

    So (1) If there is no treatment following a positive result and (2) There is a large chance for false positives: What's the rush????

    Every patient must make his/her own decision. But I would suggest asking: What would be your suggested treatment if the PET were positive.

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