HER2 Support Group Forums - View Single Post - Cumulative Radiation Risk -- Don't tell me I'm crying wolf

StephN · 12-15-2009, 03:56 PM

Since most of the lower stage cancer patients get few if any scans, it is the metastatic setting where we have the most exposure. Can't tell you how many I have had!
Perhaps because in the past we did not live so long this was not a concern!
The medical community expects us to die of something before another cancer ever catches up with us.

Now that we have some better drugs and have this long monitoring time, it IS more of a concern. We have so few good ways to measure whether a treatment regimen is working, that these scans are what is relied upon.

I will certainly be asking about the new machines at my cancer center and if they are the CTs with the lower doses. Maybe I should just email my onc's nurse with the question.

12-15-2009, 03:56 PM	#12
StephN Senior Member Join Date: Nov 2004 Location: Misty woods of WA State Posts: 4,128	Re: Cumulative Radiation Risk -- Don't tell me I'm crying wolf Since most of the lower stage cancer patients get few if any scans, it is the metastatic setting where we have the most exposure. Can't tell you how many I have had! Perhaps because in the past we did not live so long this was not a concern! The medical community expects us to die of something before another cancer ever catches up with us. Now that we have some better drugs and have this long monitoring time, it IS more of a concern. We have so few good ways to measure whether a treatment regimen is working, that these scans are what is relied upon. I will certainly be asking about the new machines at my cancer center and if they are the CTs with the lower doses. Maybe I should just email my onc's nurse with the question. __________________ "When I hear music, I fear no danger. I am invulnerable. I see no foe. I am related to the earliest times, and to the latest." H.D. Thoreau Live in the moment. MY STORY SO FAR ~~~~ Found suspicious lump 9/2000 Lumpectomy, then node dissection and port placement Stage IIB, 8 pos nodes of 18, Grade 3, ER & PR - Adriamycin 12 weekly, taxotere 4 rounds 36 rads - very little burning 3 mos after rads liver full of tumors, Stage IV Jan 2002, one spot on sternum Weekly Taxol, Navelbine, Herceptin for 27 rounds to NED! 2003 & 2004 no active disease - 3 weekly Herceptin + Zometa Jan 2005 two mets to brain - Gamma Knife on Jan 18 All clear until treated cerebellum spot showing activity on Jan 2006 brain MRI & brain PET Brain surgery on Feb 9, 2006 - no cancer, 100% radiation necrosis - tumor was still dying Continue as NED while on Herceptin & quarterly Zometa Fall-2006 - off Zometa - watching one small brain spot (scar?) 2007 - spot/scar in brain stable - finished anticoagulation therapy for clot along my port-a-catheter - 3 angioplasties to unblock vena cava 2008 - Brain and body still NED! Port removed and scans in Dec. Dec 2008 - stop Herceptin - Vaccine Trial at U of W begun in Oct. of 2011 STILL NED everywhere in Feb 2014 - on wing & prayer 7/14 - Started twice yearly Zometa for my bones Jan. 2015 checkup still shows NED 2015 Neuropathy in feet - otherwise all OK - still NED. Same news for 2016 and all of 2017. Nov of 2017 - had small skin cancer removed from my face. Will have Zometa end of Jan. 2018.