Hi
I know no one wants to think about the cancer coming back and I am sorry to bring it up but it worries me. How will I know if it comes back or has spread to another part of my body. My cancer had spread to my lymph nodes under my arm and I had them removed along with the primary tumour but what if it has spread through my lymphatic system to other parts how would I or the drs know. Do we get regular scans when we have our 6 monthly follow ups?
Hi
I was diagnosed inFebruary 2011. I amnow nearly four years down the line. Ii have had no check ups, albeit mammograms to check if there is anything sinister. I was only thinking this the other day.
Hi Chrissy and SML
You may both find some of the information in the ‘Moving forward from breast cancer’ pages helpful, here’s the link:
breastcancercare.org.uk/moving-forward
Take care
Lucy BCC
I’m assuming you’re being treated by the NHS in UK? Generally-speaking scans are not repeated. I was diagnosed in 2009 (large multi-focal IDC mass with node involvement), mastectomy, ANC, chemo, rads and onoing endocrine therapy. After ‘active’ treatment I and had 3 monthly outpatient check-ups and then 6 monthly and will now have annual check-ups going forward. At my local hospital it’s usual to have annual mammograms up to 5 years post-diagnosis.
Protocols do vary according to locality and individual cases but, at the end of the day, CT and bone scans are expensive so not normally repeated unless a patient shows symptoms which indicate scan(s) would be appropriate.