Opinion on a final scan after chemo is done.

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Mariannemm
Mariannemm Member Posts: 136
edited March 2014 in Breast Cancer #1
I am in the middle of chemo treatments and I have found out that my Dr will not be doing a final scan after chemo is done. He told me that is will only do scans when I have an ache or pain that lasts for a couple of weeks. Did your Dr do a scan at the end of chemo to check that the cancer hadn't spread and that you were cancer free? How will I know that I am cancer free if we don't do a full body scan? How can I be positive that I am on the road to recovery if we don't check?!!!! Take his word for it, that all the chemo worked and the radiation too!? Thoughts?

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  • Jeanne D
    Jeanne D Member Posts: 1,867
    #2
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    ♥ Mariannemm ♥
    I didn't have chemo Marianne, but, after my radiation, my oncologist and rads oncologist ordered a mammo, ultrasound, bonescan and a CT scan, just to check me out. All of my tests were clean, thank goodness, but, I guess they just wanted to be sure. I am glad they did, as it gave me peace of mind. But, you have to remember that all doctors are not alike, nor, are our treatments alike. Trust in your doctors, but, if you feel you want additional tests, question them and tell them your concerns. Wishing you well!

    Love, Jeanne ♥
  • MAJW
    MAJW Member Posts: 2,510 Member
    #3
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    After Chemo.......
    My surgeon, medical oncologist and radiation oncologist are of the same mind as your doctors...they do not ROUTINELY do scans after all treatmentis finished due to a number of reasons.....First is the exposure to even more radiation.....second is the expense and insurance companies.....I know, I know..insurance companies!...I was told the same thing.......ONLY if I were experiencing pain for more than several weeks, with no explination, example, pain in my back, if they could determine I had not injured it in some way and the pain didn't go away after 2 weeks or so, then would they have reason for more scans.

    Even with post treatment scans, it doesn't insure us that there is no cancer present somewhere in our bodies as they can only pick up "cancer cells" that are of a certain size..I asked the same question......"how do we know this worked?" Oncologist's reply......"when it doesn't come back!" I was a little dismayed at his answer but when I really gave it thought, it made perfect sense to me.........there is no way to know for sure.........I do have blood work done every 3 months and have physical exams of my breasts.....in the blood work they look for a "tumor marker", it's done by numbers......all doctors are not in agreement with this particular test as it can give a false positive and or a a false negative.....but this is the best they have, I've been told.......so I just go every 3 months for that and I just had my first post treatment mammogram........I guess in the end, we just have to have faith that we've done all we can do, pray that it doesn't come back and get back among the living.....that's what I've chosen to do.....I can't let the "what if's" ruin my life......I fought to hard to get to this stage......that's not to say I don't think about it, because I do....but I try my best to just push the thoughts away and get on with living......I had a real scare two weeks ago with my mammo.....they found a cyst in my "good boob"......thought I was going to lose my mind at first until it was determined to be JUST a cyst.....

    I've rambled enough.....hope this helps in some way
    Peace be with you
  • GrandmaJ
    GrandmaJ Member Posts: 209
    #4
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    MAJW said:

    After Chemo.......
    My surgeon, medical oncologist and radiation oncologist are of the same mind as your doctors...they do not ROUTINELY do scans after all treatmentis finished due to a number of reasons.....First is the exposure to even more radiation.....second is the expense and insurance companies.....I know, I know..insurance companies!...I was told the same thing.......ONLY if I were experiencing pain for more than several weeks, with no explination, example, pain in my back, if they could determine I had not injured it in some way and the pain didn't go away after 2 weeks or so, then would they have reason for more scans.

    Even with post treatment scans, it doesn't insure us that there is no cancer present somewhere in our bodies as they can only pick up "cancer cells" that are of a certain size..I asked the same question......"how do we know this worked?" Oncologist's reply......"when it doesn't come back!" I was a little dismayed at his answer but when I really gave it thought, it made perfect sense to me.........there is no way to know for sure.........I do have blood work done every 3 months and have physical exams of my breasts.....in the blood work they look for a "tumor marker", it's done by numbers......all doctors are not in agreement with this particular test as it can give a false positive and or a a false negative.....but this is the best they have, I've been told.......so I just go every 3 months for that and I just had my first post treatment mammogram........I guess in the end, we just have to have faith that we've done all we can do, pray that it doesn't come back and get back among the living.....that's what I've chosen to do.....I can't let the "what if's" ruin my life......I fought to hard to get to this stage......that's not to say I don't think about it, because I do....but I try my best to just push the thoughts away and get on with living......I had a real scare two weeks ago with my mammo.....they found a cyst in my "good boob"......thought I was going to lose my mind at first until it was determined to be JUST a cyst.....

    I've rambled enough.....hope this helps in some way
    Peace be with you

    After chemo
    My oncologist said the same thing...no more tests until my year anniversary in July. Then I will have chest x-ray, mammogram and ultrasound and I'm sure I'll be scared out of my mind that day.

    Judy
  • cindycflynn
    cindycflynn Member Posts: 1,132 Member
    #5
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    Same for me
    My oncologist said that the risks of increasing the radiation to my body outweighed the benefits of the remote possibility they would find something. I was stage 1 IDC, had a lumpectomy in October, followed by chemo and rads, which I just finished about 2 weeks ago. I have a follow up appointment with my onco next week and will discuss a schedule for follow-up mammos/MRIs, but that's all she's recommending.

    I think the mammo will demonstrate that they go all the cancer they originally found, and from there, I should not have any increased risk for cancer appearing anywhere else in my body than someone who's never had cancer, so I'm OK with just doing the mammos to make sure they got all the cells there.

    I do know how you feel, though. Emotionally, I'd feel a lot better if they could somehow guarantee that I'm clear, but I do believe intellectually that what my doctor is recommending is appropriate.

    Take care,
    Cindy
  • TraciInLA
    TraciInLA Member Posts: 1,994 Member
    #6
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    cindycflynn said:

    Same for me
    My oncologist said that the risks of increasing the radiation to my body outweighed the benefits of the remote possibility they would find something. I was stage 1 IDC, had a lumpectomy in October, followed by chemo and rads, which I just finished about 2 weeks ago. I have a follow up appointment with my onco next week and will discuss a schedule for follow-up mammos/MRIs, but that's all she's recommending.

    I think the mammo will demonstrate that they go all the cancer they originally found, and from there, I should not have any increased risk for cancer appearing anywhere else in my body than someone who's never had cancer, so I'm OK with just doing the mammos to make sure they got all the cells there.

    I do know how you feel, though. Emotionally, I'd feel a lot better if they could somehow guarantee that I'm clear, but I do believe intellectually that what my doctor is recommending is appropriate.

    Take care,
    Cindy

    Chemo & tiny cancer cells
    Marianne,

    I think it's important to remember that chemo after surgery (which is, I think, what you're doing?) is given to kill off any microscopically tiny cancer cells that may have escaped the original tumor, that would never have shown up on any scan anyway. That's the whole point of chemo after surgery -- to kill off cells that are too tiny to detect.

    After my surgery, I did chemo and radiation to search and destroy any of those tiny little escapees, but I haven't had any scans other than my 3-month mammogram, which will now go to 6-month mammograms. Like others, my oncologist relies more on other diagnostic factors: A physical exam every 3 months, including a breast exam and much poking and prodding of my liver, and blood work to check tumor markers.

    Scans have important uses in our diagnosis and treatment, but my oncologist feels that sometimes old-fashioned examinations, careful attention to any unusual symptoms, and blood work are better ways to monitor my health after treatment.

    Traci
  • carkris
    carkris Member Posts: 4,553 Member
    #7
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    TraciInLA said:

    Chemo & tiny cancer cells
    Marianne,

    I think it's important to remember that chemo after surgery (which is, I think, what you're doing?) is given to kill off any microscopically tiny cancer cells that may have escaped the original tumor, that would never have shown up on any scan anyway. That's the whole point of chemo after surgery -- to kill off cells that are too tiny to detect.

    After my surgery, I did chemo and radiation to search and destroy any of those tiny little escapees, but I haven't had any scans other than my 3-month mammogram, which will now go to 6-month mammograms. Like others, my oncologist relies more on other diagnostic factors: A physical exam every 3 months, including a breast exam and much poking and prodding of my liver, and blood work to check tumor markers.

    Scans have important uses in our diagnosis and treatment, but my oncologist feels that sometimes old-fashioned examinations, careful attention to any unusual symptoms, and blood work are better ways to monitor my health after treatment.

    Traci

    Ihad scans before chemo but
    Ihad scans before chemo but will not have any unless I am symptomatic. or my blood work reveals something. I really am fine withthat. I dont want anymore right now.
  • pattimc
    pattimc Member Posts: 431
    #8
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    carkris said:

    Ihad scans before chemo but
    Ihad scans before chemo but will not have any unless I am symptomatic. or my blood work reveals something. I really am fine withthat. I dont want anymore right now.

    Yep, my doc
    Said the same thing as these ladies. No routine scan unless I have some aches and pains that don't go away within a few weeks. Had a concern a few weeks ago about my hips but that pain has gone away.

    I have my first mammo on June 4th, I have bloodwork every 3 months and I see my onco or radiologist every 3 months for a year. I'm fine with all of that!
  • heidijez
    heidijez Member Posts: 441
    #9
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    this question has bothered
    this question has bothered me too. i have ibc - my medical oncologist told me we would do a pet scan or mri after i finished chemo before surgery - since the cancer is in the skin, they need to be sure chemo did its job before cutting in to me. the breast surgeon said no, just cut. i decided to seek out a second opinion and met with that surgeon yesterday. he was dismayed that i have not had any scans or been contacted by the surgeon since april 1. i did contact her by phone and her nurse was extremely rude to me. i am glad i listened to the little voice in my head and sought out a second opinion.

    however, as we all know, we are all different, our circumstances are different, so what is right for me may not be right for you. all i can say, is listen to your inner voice.

    much luck to you with the rest of your chemo! (((hugs)))

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