saw this in Dr. Susan loves site:
{There isn’t a lot we can do to detect recurrent cancer, aside from regular checkups and mammograms. Unlike primary cancers, recurrent cancers do not have a better prognosis when they are detected early. Many doctors still do blood tests every three to six months. This may include a blood count (CBC) as well as CEA, CA 15-3, CA 27.29, and liver blood tests. Many patients and physicians assume that using these tests to find metastases early improves outcomes. Unfortunately, we have lots of data that this is not true. This also holds true for the routine use of bone scans, chest X-rays, and CAT scans.
Surveillance guidelines issued by the American Society of Clinical Oncology and the National Comprehensive Cancer Network advise a physical exam every six months and a mammogram every six months for a year or two and then once a year. If you are taking tamoxifen, you should also have a yearly pelvic exam.}
This shocked me after all our conversations here about getting scans etc... what is the deal? Is this true? Anyone here have any opinion on this?
Finding recurrance early does not help?
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