5 years Ned officially told I'm done with the scans

My son was T1a chromophobe six years ago and his dr. has released him. No more scans. 

icemantoo said:

Scans after 5 years

I would discus with your doctor ultrasoungs after 5 years and or get a second opinion.

 

 

 

icemantoo

Agreed.  In terms of five year scan limits, I don’t know if the medical community is driving it based on science or if it’s Insurance companies not wanting to foot the bill For a CT scan.  I was told at my appointment this Past Monday that next year (my fourth anniversary) would be my last required CT.  When I go for next year’s appointment, I am certainly going to ask about future scans, either by CT or ultrasound.  While I understand the odd# of a recurrence of my type of cancer is very small, the fact that it is a number greater than zero means I want to b3 active in monitoring myself.

My tumor was a little over 5 cm, fully contained, but I had positive margins.  My next scan (tomorrow) is my first on the annual scan schedule.  I've asked my doctor about a long-term schedule and he hasn't been real clear about it.  I plan to ask this again when I meet with him (or a member of his team) tomorrow afternoon while reviewing my results.  I have the same perspective on long-term scans as Iceman and Bay.  An US may be an option and is well worth checking into.  

By the way...Congratulations on 5 clear years.  

Stub

How about looking at it as you HAD cancer five years ago?  All follow-ups have been clean, so put that episode to bed once and for all and get on with life.  If you were a low stage and grade, it means you had a treatable disease.  They treated it, followed up, and now you're done with that part of your life.  Do you worry this much about everything else health-related that could possibly, eventually go wrong?  Get out there and live.  Don't let cancer be a permanent albatross tied around your neck.

rdoyd2 said:

I think it's mostly insurance

I think it's mostly insurance companies not wanting to pay. Im going to talk with my doc and about us every other year 

I had a 2.9 cm tumor removed 5 years ago this month.  As I understand from my nurse practitioner at Memorial Sloan Kettering, there is no plan to stop my annual scans, and I am glad for it. As far as the insurance cost, we have a $6-7,000 family deductible, and we rarely use doctors/hospitals.  I don't see how my insurance company could balk as long as I am not costing them anything.

Thank you for your posts.  Just had my 5 year scan and result is clear.... waiting to see the surgeon. So will ask about forward checks.  Yes it has been a hard 5 years.  As retired physician got to appreciate how different it is on the other side of the desk. Defintely the mental health effect is hard.  Thanks for the advice of getting on.  That is what i am hoping to do.

Steve,

Sorry to hear abut your latest devleopment but I agree, you can never be sure it won't come back.

Best of luck with your treatment.  Did they not consider immunotherapy to fix your mets?  Worked for me.

Best Wishes, Fred

I just saw my oncologist and he said I will have scans under him for 5 yrs then we will discuss whether I remain with him or see my family doctor for follow-up scans after that. He said  kidney cancer does tend to come back. Even though I have a low chance I still need to be monitored for many yrs. I agree with this seeing as how I apparently had the cancer for 6-7 yrs and had no clue. I definitely want to keep an eye on things.