Hi all
This is all very interesting. And as so often with these threads, the topic twists and turns a bit, so apologies for wandering off-subject rather. Hope no-one has been upset or offended.
Jane, as ever, you have read round your subject thoroughly and considered many views and I know you are better informed about this than I am.
Horace, and others, I understand exactly why you don’t want scans (and with a good prognosis, who would?) and I agree whole heartedly that no-one should be made to feel they should have one when they wish to do otherwise. They ARE incredibly stressful and do nothing for one’s quality of life.
But…a personal experience. I was diagnosed with a second, much more aggressive primary (this time with lymph node involvment) 11 years after my first cancer. My initial scans were clear, although I was left in no doubt that there was a high risk of recurrence. For the next three years, I turned up for the usual ‘prod and grope’ and mammograms as directed, with no problems detected.
Then, in the course of being screened for a lymphoedema research trial, I had to have an MRI scan which flagged up a potential problem not apparent from mammograms and ‘feels’… Now…I was still symptomless and the scan was originally nothing to do with my oncologist (although she had given her permission for it to be carried out). If we apply the logic we were discussing here, the scan should have been ignored and nothing done - because I had no symptoms and my oncologist hadn’t actually requested a scan in the first place. Of course, it wasn’t ignored and action was taken which initially included a much earlier change of medication and closer monitoring than would have been the case. I was actually relieved to have had the scan - and the results - as I had spent much of the previous three years wondering what might be going on - and to consequently be given closer scrutiny as a patient. I was told I could have remained symptomless for some time, but that wouldn’t necessarily have meant nothing was happening. I realise that I may well be living on borrowed time anyway (without going into loads of detail, the issue for me is still up in the air), but this is where I am at last at one with Gordon Brown, happy to borrow as much as I can!
I realise mine may be a slightly unusual case, but I hope everyone will understand why I personally feel very ‘pro scan’, while realising, and accepting, that not everyone else may feel the same way. and for their own very valid reasons. We’re all different.
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