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What cancer patients, their families, and caregivers need to know about COVID-19.
Anyone with experience with Axumin PET scan?
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Jan 15, 2020 - 9:57 pm
will Waite for any possible responses before I tell my whole story. Doc wants me to get radiation of the whole prostate bed, oncologist mentioned it's a good probability that is the right target but no guarantee. I would like to have an AxuminPET scan but have to wait for my number to go from it's current 0.10 to 0.20 otherwise Medicare will not pay. I'm 73 - 4 years from my prostatect and my Gleason was 7. Numbers have been 0.05 until this past year when they rose to 0.09, back to 0.05 and the last one being 0.10. My doctor is quite conservative as well as concerned about the cancer moving into my bones - so am I! Any input would be helpful. Clinics that do these scans are not keen to discuss much over the phone. |
Joined: Jan 2020
PS
Not asking for medical advice but am hoping perhaps I could find somewhere to address my concerns. Forgot to mention I live where there are no Axumin PET providers. So doctors here don't know much about it other than they are willing to give me a referral to a provider.
Joined: Jun 2017
Pet scan
Hi Hack,
Are you sure that Medicare will not pay? I had an Axumin scan in November, 2019, and my Psa had only risen to .07. Medicare paid for mine and approval was quick.
Joined: Jun 2017
Pet scan
Just out of curiosity, where do you live?
Eric
Joined: Nov 2010
PET scan
Hack,
Welcome to the board. I think you doing well in getting a PET scan before the treatment. However, having this exam when the PSA is low (lower than 0.7 ng/ml) one risks to get false negatives. In fact, recurrence after surgery is considered when the PSA reaches 0.2. At 0.4 the AUA recommends salvage therapy. This is probably what your doctor is doing but you see it as conservative.
In your shoes I would wait longer to allow the PSA to increase to levels that can warranty a positive result that would become the targets for the radiation. Nobody can expect to hit the bullseyes in the dark.
Best,
VG