Monitoring question

Wishing you the very best, Jojo! I had a partial nephrectomy in March and follow up includes a chest x-ray every six months along with kidney ultrasound, nuclear kidney function scan, and blood work. I was stage 1 grade 3.

Ultrasound won''t find tiny Mets.  And where would they start to look anyway..?  Sadly as you know you are at risk for Mets..  The normal here in the States is a CT Scan (with Contrast if possible) of the chest, abdomen, and pelvis.  The lungs are THE most common place for Mets to show up.  Based on Pathology and age, scans should be at either 3, 4, or 6 months initially.  My third scan at 9 months from surgery was when the tiny lung Mets showed up.  Others have had them show up sooner, and some many years later.  Hopefully you never have any.. but finding them early is key.. as you well know..

Good Luck..!

Ron

GSRon said:

Ultrasound won''t find tiny

Ultrasound won''t find tiny Mets.  And where would they start to look anyway..?  Sadly as you know you are at risk for Mets..  The normal here in the States is a CT Scan (with Contrast if possible) of the chest, abdomen, and pelvis.  The lungs are THE most common place for Mets to show up.  Based on Pathology and age, scans should be at either 3, 4, or 6 months initially.  My third scan at 9 months from surgery was when the tiny lung Mets showed up.  Others have had them show up sooner, and some many years later.  Hopefully you never have any.. but finding them early is key.. as you well know..

Good Luck..!

Ron

Sorry if this is off topic but what are Mets?  I am 6 weeks post op and don't have my 1st scan until December.

Thank you

I had my left kidney out in March.  Stage 4 with just three small mets on my lung. I had body, brain and bone scan in April.   I started Sutent in May and had a chest, pelvic  scan in July.  Two weeks ago I had another body scan and nuclear bone scan.  I see my Oncologist tomorrow but my primary physician read the scan and said the mets had decreased in size and my bones are clear.  I asked the radiologist if I was having too many scans and he said the Dr. must be wanting to follow me very closely but that each scan does subject us to a certain amount of radiation.  I hope this information helps.  

danbren2 said:

Every 3 Months

JoJo,

     I was a stage 3 until my surgery and then was changed to a stage 4.  After removal of my right kidney I was getting pet scans every 3 months.  A year and 1/2 later when I had my lower right lung removed, my schedule was changed to CT scans with and without contrast every 3 months, which consists of chest, stomach and pelvic area. Last year when I had the tumor removed from my head, they started every 3 months MRI of the brain along with the CT scans.  I have only had surgeries and cyber knife treatment on the brain after surgery.  I have never been put on any other treatments for the cancer.

   I think I would ask about CT scans Jo, and find out why they have not been recommended for you.  Hoping everything goes really well for you!

                                                Prayers of good health,

                                                Brenda

JoJo-

And I think we have to look at what is standard procedure in Canada as to what is done south of the border; and also what is cutting edge in a large facility in the US as opposed to treatment by an oncologist who doesn't have the latest technology or information.  You have been following this board long enough to realize that we all have been on slightly different roller coasters.

Because mine was found on US, and confirmed with a full contrast CT, and then a bone scan the next day, the doctors knew where to look and where not to (none in the bones).

My oncologist didtn' begin to think about a cut back on regular CT's until 5 years after the first "find" and surgery.  Then I surprised all of us with enlarged nodes in my thyroid and that extended the CT's for another 18 months. During the past 2 years (years 7 and 8) I alternate a CT with an US at 6 month intervals.  The big BUT, is that upon Dx and prior to any surgery, they knew it was Stage 4.

The biggie for is to ask your questions at the next appointment and have the Dr. justify the schedule and type of tests you are being given.  Make him/her explain it until you understand.  And Good Luck.

I know, I need a new pix.  Can't find the one I want to use until I sort thru a pile of photos.

Donna

Skagway Jack said:

Hodge Podge

 

JoJo,  CT with contrast is the preferred here....contrast and the barium shake.

I am only stage I grade 3, but my schedule post op was CT with contrast at 6 months and again at one year.  What ended up happening was a chest CT with contrast at 3 months (this due to ONC request). Then the 6 month CT with contrast on abdomen scan showed a spot on the remaining kidney that had not been remarked about before.  This caused my Onc to request another scan at the 9 mth mark.  Which brings me to this Thursday and I get my one year CT of Chest and Abdomen.  My expectation or hope is that after this scan is that it will become an annual event. 

 

Jojo, I've had scans every 6 weeks for 18 months. Then every 3 months now. And yes, I had many mets show up in my first 6 months. 1 or 2 after being on nivolumab. Nothing new since Il-2 a year ago. I have a scan next week. We'll see what is going on.

When my husband was first diagnosed with a 5 cm tumor, they did a Pet/ct of chest, abdomen, and pelvis and a bone scan.  He was then diagnosed as Stage 4.  I don't know if I should be answering your question or not, because he is not Stage 3.  He has Ct/pet scans of chest, abd and pelvis every 3 months.  When the target therapy drug was changed the scan was done at 6 to 8 weeks.  He has been NED for a year and a half and the scans are now done at 4 month intervals.  He has blood work every month.  Because he had mets on his spine, he has MRIs of his back every 3 months.  This has been for 2 1/2 years since he was diagnosed initially.  He has Medicare insurance with a supplemental plan.  Hope this information is helpful to you.    Annie.