Hi,lovely ladies,just a quick question. When I had my double whammy of primary and mets in June last year I had a CT scan that’s how they found the mets. But I haven’t had one since. I’ve had tamoxifen fail and now waiting to see if letrozole is working and I don’t see onc for 8 weeks,so it will be nearly 10 months since last one. He’s never mentioned having one,so just wondering how often people get scanned?
Huge hugs,Helen xx
Hi Helen
Whilst I was stable with mets I was scanned every 6 months but since progression in 2012 I have had a scan after each chemo (2 lots) and then every 3 months. Am now on Capecitabine and having scan after 4 cycles to see if it is working.I think all oncs are different so I don’t think there is any set timescale and some use tumour markers as an indication to how things are going (mine are of no benefit to me) but I would expect your Oncologist to do a scan when you see him next just to check how the Letrozole is working out.
Best wishes
Smartie x
Are thry monitoring your tumour markers with blood tests? They do those for me every three months, but I have to remember and add them to my blood form - for the blood test that i have before Zometa. They have continued to fall which pleases the ONC.
They did a second scan six months after the first one…which showed no further progression. I then had another one about six months after that…they did that, i think - because i had complained about aches and pains increasing. This one also showed no progression. :-)). I am sure thry told me that it would be every six months but they definately said “regular” scans.
Why not contact your BCN and ask if u can have one a couple of weeks before you see him…if they request one now u should have it done and reported on in 8 weeks.
I have read somewhere tho that some ONCS say that they don’t like to do too many…‘because they can cause cancer!!!’
Hi I have a ct scan every 4 months and muga every 4 months too xx
Hi helen
I was same last year diagnosed jan had mac and a ct and bone scan then in feb found out it spread and have liver mets.
My onc when i had chemo and herceptin saw me start of chemo had ct half way through cycle and at the end and i see and have scan every 3 months aprox.
Treatment is going well although mets are shrinking she found abnormalities in centre of chest and left arm. So onc said that im am dues another load of scan 3 months times but if all well shes gonna start slowly making the gap bigger so eventually it will be every 6 months.
I think its worth discussing with onc his plans and why and request regular scan even if its just for piece of mind you been through enough without have unneccessary stress added.
Good luck with everything xxx