What is the norm on scans

Paula G.
Paula G. Member Posts: 596
edited March 2014 in Colorectal Cancer #1
My husband has had 7 treatments of FOLFOX + Avastin. His Onc. does an exam before every treatment and can tell that the liver has gone down in size. He has Mets to the lungs and a spot on one of his adrenial glands. The doc says they will wait a month after his 12th treatment and do a scan. Do others have scans more often? Does this seem normal? If there is a normal with this stuff!!! Paula G.

Comments

  • Sundanceh
    Sundanceh Member Posts: 4,392 Member
    #2
    Scans
    Hi, Paula
    Scans can vary. And you are right, there's nothing normal about any of it.

    Generally, my scans have been between 2-3 months during a treatment. I've always had scans every 6 months when we were in a "hold" pattern.

    I'm 5 years into my fight and this has generally been the pattern.

    Blood/labwork gets done monthly and then we talk about that.

    I'm getting ready to switch my oncologist after recently getting a 2nd opionion.

    Yours sounds normal, certainly does not sound funny or anything, but I encourage you that if you feel funny about it, go ahead and seek a 2nd opinion. That cannot hurt anything.

    I did this last week and don't know if I'll go back to my other doctor based on what the new doctor had to say.

    Be your own advocate. I just found this site myself and wish I had had some of the help I see people giving. Lots of information.

    Take care - Craig
  • Paula G.
    Paula G. Member Posts: 596
    #3
    Sundanceh said:

    Scans
    Hi, Paula
    Scans can vary. And you are right, there's nothing normal about any of it.

    Generally, my scans have been between 2-3 months during a treatment. I've always had scans every 6 months when we were in a "hold" pattern.

    I'm 5 years into my fight and this has generally been the pattern.

    Blood/labwork gets done monthly and then we talk about that.

    I'm getting ready to switch my oncologist after recently getting a 2nd opionion.

    Yours sounds normal, certainly does not sound funny or anything, but I encourage you that if you feel funny about it, go ahead and seek a 2nd opinion. That cannot hurt anything.

    I did this last week and don't know if I'll go back to my other doctor based on what the new doctor had to say.

    Be your own advocate. I just found this site myself and wish I had had some of the help I see people giving. Lots of information.

    Take care - Craig

    Thanks
    We just joined in May. I think you will like this site. It has been so helpful to us both. We are going to get a 2ed opinion after his treatments and scan. I think it is the right thing to do. You are five years into the fight huh? What was your DX. Hope you stay with us. Paula G.
  • PhillieG
    PhillieG Member Posts: 4,866 Member
    #4
    Scans
    I get a CT scan every 2 months unless I have surgery, then it varies until I get back on track with treatments, then it's every 2 months again.
    -phil
  • Sundanceh
    Sundanceh Member Posts: 4,392 Member
    #5
    Paula G. said:

    Thanks
    We just joined in May. I think you will like this site. It has been so helpful to us both. We are going to get a 2ed opinion after his treatments and scan. I think it is the right thing to do. You are five years into the fight huh? What was your DX. Hope you stay with us. Paula G.

    Paula

    Originally diagnosed with colorectal cancer. Chemo, radiation and a bowel resection and just missed having to have a colostomy, I was spared that.

    Then it metastasized to the liver...I had a radio frequency ablation, followed by 3 CyberKnife radio surgeries (highly concentrated radiation in a defined space...laser pinpoint accuracy, so was different than the general radiation...then 8 cycles of chemo: Oxaliplatin, Avastin, along with many months of Xeloda - 5fu in a pill.

    Now, we're looking at 2 spots on the pleura of my lung. My oncologist could not tell me anything after I got the last P.E.T. so we decided to seek a 2nd opinion - that oncologist's opinion varied so much and was so different.....we decided to try these people because they are taking an interest and we're at a critical juncture.

    I just stumbled into this website the other day and have been helping as many people as I can. I had to learn everything the hard way, with no one "shining a light" so to speak. I'd do my homework on the web.

    But I think the big thing with this site, is that you see there are people like you, and we have the same stuff and similar experiences: meds, symptoms, treatments etc.

    It really helps. I'm learning stuff too, so I think I will hang out with you.

    Thanks for your reply.....hope I was able to offer something.
    -Craig

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