Recurrence

Hi All,

How did you all find out about your cancer recurring? Was it through routine scans, tumor markers, or through symptoms?

My onc is only doing tumor markers and I am disappointed that we are not doing proactive scans.

Thanks

Judy

I think it would depend somewhat at what stage was w/ the original diagnosis. I am stage 3, and finished treatment in Jan 04. I was seen quarterly by either the surgeon or the oncologist. However, I felt a change in my lymph nodes on my own last fall, and saw the team then. It was a reoccurrence, and I had surgery, and am finishing up w/ taxotere and herceptin (and then I will just receive the herceptin).

I got a second opinion at the reoccurrence, and that doctor also told me it is often the patient who notices the change, oftentimes before any scheduled test would pick it up... It's a fine line for me to believe I'm cured, but to be vigilant about body changes...

My lung mets showed up on a routine x-ray I had done about 3 months after I finished my radiation.

It was a real shock for everybody.

Peggy in Florida

[Lolly]

I was Stage IIIB when dx, so had quarterly follow-ups with tumor markers done, and scans to be ordered as needed to address any concerns. My first recurrence started between appts, I noticed symptoms which I thought were complications from a cold and saw my Primary Care who alerted my onc who called me in and ordered scans...Lesson Learned: be alert to your symptoms and ask for additional scans if anything seems out of the ordinary, even if you feel you're being an alarmist!

<3,
Lolly

Judy
I found my recurrence on my own...in the lymph nodes in my neck....you have to be your own best advocate, and if you are stage 2,3, or 4, I would demand the scans at least yearly.
Hugs
Sheila

I found out I had a recurrence when I went in for a mammogram. We were planning for a mastectomy and reconstruction, so had a chest x-ray. Found out it had metastasized to my lung. I had no symptoms at all. I was in a state of shock. Sure wish I had had some scans earlier, but with no symptoms my onc never suggested it and I didn't know to ask.

Sandie

I found my recurrence to my ancillary lymph nodes 3 months after I had completed my year of Herceptin through clinical trial. I'd had ACT and rads before the Herceptin. My recurrence was just a "thickening" that I noticed under my arm near the scar line from my mastectomy. I was Stage 2A at dx.

I'd had a couple of Chest Xrays as precaution after finishing my Chemo, but other than that no other scans or tumor markers.

Cindi.

Linda's mets were found right at the beginning as spots on her liver but were dismissed as "spots" until she turned yellow 7 months later. Then it was "wake-up and smell the coffee", you have 2 weeks to live. Fortunately that was over a year ago. Life's a bitch but you gotta kep fighting.
Al

My liver mets was found because of symptoms- I started to feel sick, and had pain in my abdomen. Blood tests showed increased liver enzymes, so that was followed by a ct scan, that showed the liver tumors.