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Mary Jo · 10-21-2006, 07:15 PM

Hi,

My oncologist also does not believe in scans unless symptoms warrant. I do tend to agree with her but everyone feels differently on that one. Don't get me wrong, if it were possible to "catch" cancer before anything "bad" could happen to us I would be all for scans as often as possible but unfortunately, there are no such guarantees. My oncologist explained it to me this way............................"there are just way too many false positives. You would be checking this and that and literally chasing after things that just aren't their (not cancer). The stress of it on the patient isn't worth it." She checks me over every 4 months at this point (finished my chemo Nov. 2005, radiation finished Feb. 2006 and herceptin finishes Oct. 2006) She checks my blood work - does a physical exam and asks how I am feeling. That's it. Honestly, me personally, I'd go nuts going through scans on a regular basis. I couldn't handle the stress of it.

Like I said, we are all different and all need different things. All doctors do things differently as well and we all need to find the doctor that suits our individual needs.

Good Luck to you and God Bless..............

Mary Jo

10-21-2006, 07:15 PM	#3
Mary Jo Senior Member Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: Sheboygan, WI Posts: 2,582	Hi, My oncologist also does not believe in scans unless symptoms warrant. I do tend to agree with her but everyone feels differently on that one. Don't get me wrong, if it were possible to "catch" cancer before anything "bad" could happen to us I would be all for scans as often as possible but unfortunately, there are no such guarantees. My oncologist explained it to me this way............................"there are just way too many false positives. You would be checking this and that and literally chasing after things that just aren't their (not cancer). The stress of it on the patient isn't worth it." She checks me over every 4 months at this point (finished my chemo Nov. 2005, radiation finished Feb. 2006 and herceptin finishes Oct. 2006) She checks my blood work - does a physical exam and asks how I am feeling. That's it. Honestly, me personally, I'd go nuts going through scans on a regular basis. I couldn't handle the stress of it. Like I said, we are all different and all need different things. All doctors do things differently as well and we all need to find the doctor that suits our individual needs. Good Luck to you and God Bless.............. Mary Jo __________________ "Be still and know that I am God." Psalm 46:10 Dx. 6/24/05 age 45 Right Breast IDC ER/PR. Neg., - Her2+++ RB Mast. - 7/28/05 - 4 cm. tumor Margins clear - 1 microscopic cell 1 sent. node No Vasucular Invasion 4 DD A/C - 4 DD Taxol & Herceptin 1 full year of Herceptin received every 3 weeks 28 rads prophylactic Mast. 3/2/06 17 Years NED <>< Romans 8:28