Tell me about your follow up care...

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petals007
petals007 Member Posts: 23
in Esophageal Cancer #1
Hi everyone,
My husband has been getting CT scans every three months since his surgere. It's been almost a year since his surgery and his doctor is suggesting a visit every 6 months.
So I'm curious as to what type of follow-up care everyone is getting? CT scans? PET scans? Bloodwork?
Thanks!

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  • BMGky
    BMGky Member Posts: 621
    #2
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    A little bit of each.
    Husband one year post op. About every 4 months sees oncologist, the a little later sees his surgeon. In between, there is a scan. Then later there is a scope. Bloodwork each time see oncologist. As I understand this sort of rotation goes on for about a couple of years and then it spreads out. Haven't got that far but that's how I think it goes.
  • Unknown
    Unknown
    #3
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  • bingbing2009
    bingbing2009 Member Posts: 177
    #4
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    My followup care
    I am currently 15 months post-op. My followup care includes seeing my oncologist every 3 months after having labs with either a CT scan or an ultrasound. My oncologist alternates the CT scan and ultrasound so I have a CT scan every 6 months and an ultrasound every 6 months. Of course I have to have my port flushed every 6 weeks. Yes, my oncologist has left my port in just as a precaution, but so far, so good. By the way, I was Stage III.
  • Joel C
    Joel C Member Posts: 174
    #5
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    bingbing2009 said:

    My followup care
    I am currently 15 months post-op. My followup care includes seeing my oncologist every 3 months after having labs with either a CT scan or an ultrasound. My oncologist alternates the CT scan and ultrasound so I have a CT scan every 6 months and an ultrasound every 6 months. Of course I have to have my port flushed every 6 weeks. Yes, my oncologist has left my port in just as a precaution, but so far, so good. By the way, I was Stage III.

    I’m six months out from my
    I’m six months out from my MIE and the current plan is as follows. CT scan every four months at Brigham & Women’s in Boston and visit with my surgeon the same day to review scan and a check up. I then visit with my oncologist within a couple of weeks for blood work, scan review and check up. I’ve been told this will continue until two years post op then the same routine will continue with the cycle time pushed out to every six months until we hit five years. My surgeon said at five years we break out the champagne.

    Joel
  • Gatoraid
    Gatoraid Member Posts: 66
    #6
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    My Routine
    I am only 5 months out of surgery. I am having CT Scans from my neck to my groin and bloodwork with my Oncologist. I have been told that after a year, the scans will then be 6 months a part. I was also told that the Pet scan would show alot of false positives from the radiation and surgery and that the CT scan is sufficient. Maybe that will change going forward but as long as the scans and bloodwork is clean, that's all I can ask. I'm 90% back to normal at this point and very happy.

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