Steph N
05-13-2004, 05:39 AM
Shirley wrote: "the following tests are NOT recommended by the American Society of Clinical Oncology(ASCO): chest x-ray, bone scan, ultrasound of liver, CT can, breast cancer tumor markers CA 15-3, CA 27.29 & CEA, for routine follow-up care, if no symptoms are present and the person seems in good physical condition."
You said you don't agree with this. I don't either, but would like to know more about the context of this recommendation. We ladies who are Her2 positive with high grade tumor are put into the category of High Risk. For these patients my med onc would not have a 6-month follow-up period - we are on 3-month follow-up. This was my schedule before mets and still is my schedule after complete response. My doctor knows that our type of cancer can come raging back, as did happen in my case.
Even with Herceptin, I am seen every 3 months and have two tumor markers taken with each infusion. He does not let me off his radar screen for a moment!
You said you don't agree with this. I don't either, but would like to know more about the context of this recommendation. We ladies who are Her2 positive with high grade tumor are put into the category of High Risk. For these patients my med onc would not have a 6-month follow-up period - we are on 3-month follow-up. This was my schedule before mets and still is my schedule after complete response. My doctor knows that our type of cancer can come raging back, as did happen in my case.
Even with Herceptin, I am seen every 3 months and have two tumor markers taken with each infusion. He does not let me off his radar screen for a moment!