HER2 Support Group Forums - View Single Post - Post treatment scans

Paris · 03-04-2008, 08:15 AM

Just a thought and I understand the validity of each side of the question regarding scans. We are told to get a baseline mammogram between 35 and 40 years, then get an annual mammogram beginning at age 40. If we were to follow the guidelines used to scan for recurrance then no one would have a mammogram until they had symptoms i.e a visible lump or symptoms elsewhere in the body. What would the survival rate be if this is was the protocol? How many more people would be diagnosed with late stage cancer? So why wouldn't we want to have routine scans to find metastisis early when less agressive forms of treatment could be used instead of finding it late and only having the "big guns" to use? How bout that QOL?

Granted I know the latest scanning methods are not foolproof and you could have a pet scan and six months later have a recurrance that wasn't there before. The same thing can be said for mammograms though. They don't find all breast cancer. We don't have a foolproof screening tool to diagnose primary breast cancer yet we get a yearly mammogram. We don't have a foolproof method for detecting recurrances at an early stage yet the guidelines are to do no scans until symptoms are present.

Can anyone make sense of this?

Jamie

p.s. I enjoy reading everyone's opinions!

03-04-2008, 08:15 AM	#20
Paris Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2007 Posts: 73	Just a thought and I understand the validity of each side of the question regarding scans. We are told to get a baseline mammogram between 35 and 40 years, then get an annual mammogram beginning at age 40. If we were to follow the guidelines used to scan for recurrance then no one would have a mammogram until they had symptoms i.e a visible lump or symptoms elsewhere in the body. What would the survival rate be if this is was the protocol? How many more people would be diagnosed with late stage cancer? So why wouldn't we want to have routine scans to find metastisis early when less agressive forms of treatment could be used instead of finding it late and only having the "big guns" to use? How bout that QOL? Granted I know the latest scanning methods are not foolproof and you could have a pet scan and six months later have a recurrance that wasn't there before. The same thing can be said for mammograms though. They don't find all breast cancer. We don't have a foolproof screening tool to diagnose primary breast cancer yet we get a yearly mammogram. We don't have a foolproof method for detecting recurrances at an early stage yet the guidelines are to do no scans until symptoms are present. Can anyone make sense of this? Jamie p.s. I enjoy reading everyone's opinions! __________________ Diagnosed 11/06 IDC left breast Stage 1, High Grade w/extensive High Grade DCIS. Right breast extensive hyperplasia w/calcifications. ER-/PR- HER2+++ Bi-lateral masectomy 12/15/06 w/expanders SNB Node Negative Chemo Taxotere, Cytoxan 2/07-4/07 Herceptin Started 5/07 Exchange surgery 6/15/07 Herceptin stopped after 12 rounds due to herceptin induced cardiomyopathy On heart meds 'til? Age 40 at diagnosis Cancer may have been a defining moment but it does not define me!