Lolly
05-13-2004, 01:20 AM
Hi Shirl,
I am interpreting your request for input to include any who have comments, so here are mine;
From what I gather, follow-up scans after the first year of recovery following treatment for primary disease are at the discretion of the doctor. Some do, some don't, and I think it depends to a degree on the patient's level of risk and anxiety, and of course symptoms.
In metastatic disease, regular scans are routine, the variable seems to be how definitive a scan is ordered, and that seems to be where the question of symptoms comes in.
In my case, after primary treatment I was scheduled for a clinical exam by my oncologist and tumor markers every six months, with CT and Bone Scans annually, but saw my Primary Physician at least once a month for general follow-up.
After my first recurrence, which was suspected due to symptoms, I saw my onc. every month until I was stable, then every 3 months since, with tumor markers every 3 months and scans annually or more frequently depending on symptoms and/or anxiety.
Tumor markers aren't always reliable, but in my case they've always shown an increase when I've had active disease. This latest recurrence, my second, was caught very early, but my marker had started to rise. It was still within normal range, but after being rock steady for the last 3 years, I was slightly concerned. Then symptoms developed, and scans picked up enlarged nodes.
Now that I have active disease again, I will see my onc every month, tumor markers will be done every month, and in three months we'll decide on if we're on the right track or if I need to change protocol. Whether we do scans then or not will probably depend on symptoms, but I'm sure that if I feel strongly that I want scans, he'll order them.
I hope this helps, and will be interested to see what others have experienced.
Love, Lolly
I am interpreting your request for input to include any who have comments, so here are mine;
From what I gather, follow-up scans after the first year of recovery following treatment for primary disease are at the discretion of the doctor. Some do, some don't, and I think it depends to a degree on the patient's level of risk and anxiety, and of course symptoms.
In metastatic disease, regular scans are routine, the variable seems to be how definitive a scan is ordered, and that seems to be where the question of symptoms comes in.
In my case, after primary treatment I was scheduled for a clinical exam by my oncologist and tumor markers every six months, with CT and Bone Scans annually, but saw my Primary Physician at least once a month for general follow-up.
After my first recurrence, which was suspected due to symptoms, I saw my onc. every month until I was stable, then every 3 months since, with tumor markers every 3 months and scans annually or more frequently depending on symptoms and/or anxiety.
Tumor markers aren't always reliable, but in my case they've always shown an increase when I've had active disease. This latest recurrence, my second, was caught very early, but my marker had started to rise. It was still within normal range, but after being rock steady for the last 3 years, I was slightly concerned. Then symptoms developed, and scans picked up enlarged nodes.
Now that I have active disease again, I will see my onc every month, tumor markers will be done every month, and in three months we'll decide on if we're on the right track or if I need to change protocol. Whether we do scans then or not will probably depend on symptoms, but I'm sure that if I feel strongly that I want scans, he'll order them.
I hope this helps, and will be interested to see what others have experienced.
Love, Lolly