Mtngrl
04-15-2012, 11:43 AM
Recently a number of medical specialty associations were each asked to name five tests or practices that should be discontinued because they are ineffective and/or counterproductive.
The American Society of Clinical Oncology said, among other things, not to do routine staging with newly-diagnosed patients at "low risk" of metastasis, defined as stage 0, 1 or 2 with no symptoms.
It's hard not to personalize such things, but following that recommendation would have misdiagnosed me as Stage 2. I would have had surgery, chemo, and (maybe) radiation. From my research, there is at least some evidence that surgery (and/or general anesthesia) might exacerbate metastasis.
From what I gather about HER-2, there may be no such thing as "low risk" of metastasis with a HER-2 positive cancer.
See for yourselves: http://choosingwisely.org/wp-content/uploads/2012/04/5things_12_factsheet_Amer_Soc_Clin_Onc.pdf
The American Society of Clinical Oncology said, among other things, not to do routine staging with newly-diagnosed patients at "low risk" of metastasis, defined as stage 0, 1 or 2 with no symptoms.
It's hard not to personalize such things, but following that recommendation would have misdiagnosed me as Stage 2. I would have had surgery, chemo, and (maybe) radiation. From my research, there is at least some evidence that surgery (and/or general anesthesia) might exacerbate metastasis.
From what I gather about HER-2, there may be no such thing as "low risk" of metastasis with a HER-2 positive cancer.
See for yourselves: http://choosingwisely.org/wp-content/uploads/2012/04/5things_12_factsheet_Amer_Soc_Clin_Onc.pdf