HER2 Support Group Forums - View Single Post - Scans or ways to evaluate cancer after chemo?

StephN · 01-24-2006, 07:50 PM

Hi -
And you have asked a question that has been batted around on this board for literally years now.

There is a standard protocol for followup that has emerged from many responses.
You wife should have followup blood tests during her chemo and radiation. Then every three months for a year. Is she having radiation??
She should have a chest x-ray and a Dexa bone scan to establish her bone density and see if she is in need of anything to strengthen her bones.

If she has any kind of unusual pain that lasts for more than a few days she should report it.

What I have given above is the VERY MINIMUM!
Many med oncs will ask for a chest/abdoman CT scan for a baseline for comparison sould mets be found later. Often we do have some little spots in our lung, liver or brain that are harmless, and the Rad oncs are good at spotting those differences. If something does show up, they will often take a wait and see and check in 3 months to see if the little spot did anything. This is not a bad thing. Only "con" is that CT scans do expose us to a small amount of radiation.

01-24-2006, 07:50 PM	#4
StephN Senior Member Join Date: Nov 2004 Location: Misty woods of WA State Posts: 4,128	Followups Hi - And you have asked a question that has been batted around on this board for literally years now. There is a standard protocol for followup that has emerged from many responses. You wife should have followup blood tests during her chemo and radiation. Then every three months for a year. Is she having radiation?? She should have a chest x-ray and a Dexa bone scan to establish her bone density and see if she is in need of anything to strengthen her bones. If she has any kind of unusual pain that lasts for more than a few days she should report it. What I have given above is the VERY MINIMUM! Many med oncs will ask for a chest/abdoman CT scan for a baseline for comparison sould mets be found later. Often we do have some little spots in our lung, liver or brain that are harmless, and the Rad oncs are good at spotting those differences. If something does show up, they will often take a wait and see and check in 3 months to see if the little spot did anything. This is not a bad thing. Only "con" is that CT scans do expose us to a small amount of radiation.