After chemo is done, then what tests are usually done?

dianebraun
dianebraun Member Posts: 51
edited March 2014 in Breast Cancer #1
I just finished my third round of taxotere/cytoxen....one more to go in three weeks and I will be done with the chemo! I asked when my port can be removed and I was told they had to do "tests first"....oh how I love vague answers. Does anyone know the procedures? Cat scans, pet scans, mammograms, ultrasounds? What should I anticipate? My chemo will be followed by Tamoxifen then Arimidex. I sure miss my hair....

Comments

  • ms.sunshine
    ms.sunshine Member Posts: 707 Member
    #2
    I had a pet scan done. My
    I had a pet scan done. My doc told me to wait at least a year before having the port removed, just in case, God forbid, I have to use it again.
  • dianebraun
    dianebraun Member Posts: 51
    #3
    ms.sunshine said:

    I had a pet scan done. My
    I had a pet scan done. My doc told me to wait at least a year before having the port removed, just in case, God forbid, I have to use it again.

    Thanks for the information.
    Thanks for the information. I hope your's comes out in a year, as anticipated!
  • survivorbc09
    survivorbc09 Member Posts: 4,374 Member
    #4
    dianebraun said:

    Thanks for the information.
    Thanks for the information. I hope your's comes out in a year, as anticipated!

    I didn't have chemo Diane,
    I didn't have chemo Diane, so, I don't know if there are particular tests run after that. So far, I have had a mammogram and an ultrasound done. I had the MRI, CT scan and bone scan done before I had my lumpectomy to see if there was cancer anywhere else.

    I hope others will reply to you with more help.

    HUGS!
  • Kat11
    Kat11 Member Posts: 1,931 Member
    #5
    Diane
    This is what they have done with me for now.I had a lumpectomy. I was done with Chemo in November did 34 rad treatments. I am to have a mammogram on sick breast every 6 months and on both breasts yearly. I am also on Tamoxifen. I am currently still doing herceptin so my port has to stay. Other than that knowone has said anything else to me. I know how you feel about your hair.
  • carkris
    carkris Member Posts: 4,553 Member
    #6
    Kat11 said:

    Diane
    This is what they have done with me for now.I had a lumpectomy. I was done with Chemo in November did 34 rad treatments. I am to have a mammogram on sick breast every 6 months and on both breasts yearly. I am also on Tamoxifen. I am currently still doing herceptin so my port has to stay. Other than that knowone has said anything else to me. I know how you feel about your hair.

    I just have to have
    I just have to have bloodwork, my onc does not do tests unless symptomatic or blood work is off.
  • greyhoundluvr
    greyhoundluvr Member Posts: 402
    #7
    Diane
    I think this is one of the areas where the docs opinions vary significantly. I had six rounds of CT and my onvologist told me that I could have my port taken out "any time you and my nurses agree upon it".....which the nurses found pretty comical. I am in a clinical trial for Zometa but I finish my monthly infusions at the end of June and then start quarterly so I promised to keep it until after this month.

    As far as tests, they only thing mine have ordered is a vitamin D test (to make sure I will be able to absorb calcium properly), an estradiol test (to verify whether I am in menopause) and a bone density test (to look formosteoporosis) so they can decide at my next visit what pills I will be taking (Tamoxifen vs. aromoatse inhibitors). There has been no mention of any additional scans.

    I did ask about any benefit of ovary removal/hysterectomy and they said in my case they could not see a benefit to it and if I'm on Tamoxifen, they recommend the uterine biopsy pnce a year.

    Best of luck to you!

    Chris
  • Christine Louise
    Christine Louise Member Posts: 426 Member
    #8
    greyhoundluvr said:

    Diane
    I think this is one of the areas where the docs opinions vary significantly. I had six rounds of CT and my onvologist told me that I could have my port taken out "any time you and my nurses agree upon it".....which the nurses found pretty comical. I am in a clinical trial for Zometa but I finish my monthly infusions at the end of June and then start quarterly so I promised to keep it until after this month.

    As far as tests, they only thing mine have ordered is a vitamin D test (to make sure I will be able to absorb calcium properly), an estradiol test (to verify whether I am in menopause) and a bone density test (to look formosteoporosis) so they can decide at my next visit what pills I will be taking (Tamoxifen vs. aromoatse inhibitors). There has been no mention of any additional scans.

    I did ask about any benefit of ovary removal/hysterectomy and they said in my case they could not see a benefit to it and if I'm on Tamoxifen, they recommend the uterine biopsy pnce a year.

    Best of luck to you!

    Chris

    Their opinions sure do differ
    Chris, I'm sure our situations are somewhat different, still, it is odd how the opinions differ. My oncologist, breast surgeon and ob/gyn agree that getting my ovaries and uterus removed is a good idea. I'm ER+, age 56, had bi-lateral.

    I finished 4 rounds of CT recently. No follow-up tests have been ordered. I'll start 2 years of Tamoxifen soon, followed by several years of Arimidex.

    Best wishes to all!
  • DianeBC
    DianeBC Member Posts: 3,881 Member
    #9
    Christine Louise said:

    Their opinions sure do differ
    Chris, I'm sure our situations are somewhat different, still, it is odd how the opinions differ. My oncologist, breast surgeon and ob/gyn agree that getting my ovaries and uterus removed is a good idea. I'm ER+, age 56, had bi-lateral.

    I finished 4 rounds of CT recently. No follow-up tests have been ordered. I'll start 2 years of Tamoxifen soon, followed by several years of Arimidex.

    Best wishes to all!

    No chemo here, but, I have
    No chemo here, but, I have had other tests. I was having some back pain and had a bone scan. Also had a mammo and ultrasound done. A PET scan was done before my surgery.

    Good luck!
  • Skeezie
    Skeezie Member Posts: 586 Member
    #10
    DianeBC said:

    No chemo here, but, I have
    No chemo here, but, I have had other tests. I was having some back pain and had a bone scan. Also had a mammo and ultrasound done. A PET scan was done before my surgery.

    Good luck!

    Finished chemo 12-09 and no rads. No tests of
    any kind except for blood every 3 mo. when I visit the onc. I am triple neg so don't take any hormone blockers. No further testing unless there is a reason. There is a website that I got from someone here that gives the protocols for after care when treatment of bc is finished and I can't find it now. But it also states the same thing. But I think it also mite depend on your personal situation and what stage, if lymph nodes were involved etc. Best to check with your onc to see what is best for you. What is good for one of us may not work for another one.

    Isn't it great to be at a point in treatment when you can start thinking beyond?

    Hugs, Judy :-)
  • happygal
    happygal Member Posts: 1
    #11
    Scan
    Hi. I'm on taxotere and cytoxan, after treatment is complete I will then be on tamoxifen for 5 years. My last follow up visit I asked my onc if I could have a scan, he stated we did one prior to chemo, this was a CT scan from my neck to my pelvic area. I told him to put me at ease I would feel better if I could have a scan say 6 months out after chemo that scans the top of my head to the bottom of my feet and he totally agreed. I would request a scan especially if it will put your mind at ease - I'm glad I asked. Good luck!

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