colonoscopy frequency

CAMaura
CAMaura Member Posts: 719 Member
edited March 2014 in Colorectal Cancer #1
Hey, I am two years NED and my onc is batting the ball into my gastro's court for frequency of my colonoscopy. I know my gastro will jump into the statistics thing and have me look at a two to three year interval. I am not very secure with that.
Thoughts? Of course my doc said if I did have a genetic marker he would go for more frequency, but I am feeling that during the first five years that the docs should be super vigilant...
Thanks, Maura

Comments

  • KierstenRx
    KierstenRx Member Posts: 249
    #2
    I total agree your doctors should stay on top of things. My gastro said we would be doing twice a year colonoscopy for at least the first 3 years, then yearly after that.
  • shmurciakova
    shmurciakova Member Posts: 906 Member
    #3
    I had one done a year after I was diagnosed and there were no polyps, so then I waited 3 years, that was last summer, no large polyps were seen, but I didn't get "clean enough", so I am repeating
    the scope at the end of this month. If no polyps are seen I will wait another 3 years, if any are seen, then I'll have another one in a year.
    It probably depends on a number of variables, for example, how many polyps you had when you were diagnosed, etc...
    I hope that helps, normally it takes from 5-10 years for a polyp to become cancerous, so I think that is where the 3 year intervals come from, unless you have some problem like FAP.
    -Susan
  • Unknown
    Unknown
    #4
    This comment has been removed by the Moderator
  • foxy
    foxy Member Posts: 188 Member
    #5
    Hi Maura, I have only just gone onto 3 yearly colonoscopy's after 14 years and my cancer was not the polyp type. Maybe here in NZ with so called free medical care things are different. I would certainly push for yearly at least for the first 5 years if I was you.

    Virginia.
  • scouty
    scouty Member Posts: 1,965 Member
    #6
    Hi Maura,

    You know my history and last month my oncologist and I had some very serious talks about all sorts of things with one being about colonoscopy frequency. I trust his 30 years of experience and world reknown status. He told me that if I was at the 2 year surgical remission stage, he would recommend them for every 2 years but since I am at the 2 year NON surgical remission stage, he recommends yearly test and will for several more years.

    That being said, when he wanted me to go from quarterly to semi-annual testing late last year, I freaked and we compromised. I bet you can do the same, your sanity is worth it.

    Any news from your appt yesterday? I've been thinking about you!!!

    Lisa P.
  • Betsydoglover
    Betsydoglover Member Posts: 1,248 Member
    #7
    I think it really depends a lot on your Stage and individual situation.

    I am Stage IV - had a second colonoscopy 5 months after my colon resection. It was clean. At that time, my GI doc said we could go 2 years before another one. My oncologist was not in favor of that - wanted me to wait only 1 year (said the GI doc probably said 2 years cuz he assumed I'd be dead before then!).

    So 1 year later I had another scope - it also was clean. My GI doc said that unless my oncologist really pitched a fit, 3 years should be fine. I told her (oncologist) his recommendation was 3 years, expecting her to say it should be two. But, she is fine with 3 years. In her opinion we now know that the "natural history" of my disease does not involve frequent polyp formation, and that, combined with the fact that the colon tumor was resected, makes her feel comfortable with waiting 3 years for another scope (with a fecal occult blood test every year).

    I am personally comfortable with this - at this point, much more worried about a met showing up somewhere than about another primary colon tumor.

    Betsy
  • chynabear
    chynabear Member Posts: 481 Member
    #8
    Betsydoglover said:

    I think it really depends a lot on your Stage and individual situation.

    I am Stage IV - had a second colonoscopy 5 months after my colon resection. It was clean. At that time, my GI doc said we could go 2 years before another one. My oncologist was not in favor of that - wanted me to wait only 1 year (said the GI doc probably said 2 years cuz he assumed I'd be dead before then!).

    So 1 year later I had another scope - it also was clean. My GI doc said that unless my oncologist really pitched a fit, 3 years should be fine. I told her (oncologist) his recommendation was 3 years, expecting her to say it should be two. But, she is fine with 3 years. In her opinion we now know that the "natural history" of my disease does not involve frequent polyp formation, and that, combined with the fact that the colon tumor was resected, makes her feel comfortable with waiting 3 years for another scope (with a fecal occult blood test every year).

    I am personally comfortable with this - at this point, much more worried about a met showing up somewhere than about another primary colon tumor.

    Betsy

    Due to my husbands employment, I have now been to 3 different gastro's for my scopes and all were specialists in colon cancer.

    DX Stage III 2004 after 1st colonoscopy in Texas. Opinion was to have annual scope for the first 2-3 years post cancer.

    2005 first scope after cancer dx in South Dakota. Opinion was that if my 2nd scope came out clean, would span time to 3 years and then 5.

    2006 third scope post cancer dx in Colorado. Opinion was to span scope out to 3 years and then 5.

    Oncologist said that we could do 3 years or 2 if I wasn't comfortable or play it by ear.
  • taraHK
    taraHK Member Posts: 1,952 Member
    #9
    After my last clean scope, my doc said normally it wd be 3 years till the next one. BUT since CEA was never reliable for me, she recommended annually. I think there is some 'wiggle room'.
  • KathiM
    KathiM Member Posts: 8,028 Member
    #10
    My onc wants yearly for a little longer. I am 1 year NED, and my gastro wants to make sure...unfortunately, I, too, never had a high CEA...

    Hugs, Kathi
  • jsabol
    jsabol Member Posts: 1,145 Member
    #11
    Hi Maura,
    Just had this discussion with my GI doc; I am now 3+ years out of surgery, and just had my 3rd annual colonscopy (and all clear) since my original diagnosis. We were talking about a 2 year interval this time.
    My cancerous polyp was 7 mm and had already involved 1 node. That level of aggressiveness is a bit scary, so my onc and I will have this discussion at my next 3 month follow up. GI doc said he is willing to do whatever we decide would be best for my physical and mental health...gotta love the guy! and now that I have found the Miralax prep, I can actually imagine doing another one! I did not have an elevated CEA prior to surgery, so it was not a reliable marker for me. Judy
  • CAMaura
    CAMaura Member Posts: 719 Member
    #12
    scouty said:

    Hi Maura,

    You know my history and last month my oncologist and I had some very serious talks about all sorts of things with one being about colonoscopy frequency. I trust his 30 years of experience and world reknown status. He told me that if I was at the 2 year surgical remission stage, he would recommend them for every 2 years but since I am at the 2 year NON surgical remission stage, he recommends yearly test and will for several more years.

    That being said, when he wanted me to go from quarterly to semi-annual testing late last year, I freaked and we compromised. I bet you can do the same, your sanity is worth it.

    Any news from your appt yesterday? I've been thinking about you!!!

    Lisa P.

    Hey Lisa, I'll shoot you an email.
    Thanks for your thoughts - Maura
  • CAMaura
    CAMaura Member Posts: 719 Member
    #13
    Thanks you everyone for your kind thoughts and replies. Interesting mix of ideas...I'll see where this takes me.
    All the best - Maura
  • Lucylu
    Lucylu Member Posts: 7
    #14
    jsabol said:

    Hi Maura,
    Just had this discussion with my GI doc; I am now 3+ years out of surgery, and just had my 3rd annual colonscopy (and all clear) since my original diagnosis. We were talking about a 2 year interval this time.
    My cancerous polyp was 7 mm and had already involved 1 node. That level of aggressiveness is a bit scary, so my onc and I will have this discussion at my next 3 month follow up. GI doc said he is willing to do whatever we decide would be best for my physical and mental health...gotta love the guy! and now that I have found the Miralax prep, I can actually imagine doing another one! I did not have an elevated CEA prior to surgery, so it was not a reliable marker for me. Judy

    just curious, what is a miralax prep?

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