Why does famous cancer sufferers get different treatments to ordinary patients

Living with secondary breast cancer Supporting each other and sharing experiences
1

I’ve queried this with my doctor quite a few times why I don’t get regular PET CT scans (had one a few years ago) but get regular mri and Ct scans. I never get a satisfactory answer.

when I go on for example instagram the social media patients always get regular PET CT scans (normally at hospitals such as Royal Marsden) 

Why does monitoring scans differ between hospital trusts and social media patients always seem to get a more up to date care.

i think it’s great that these cancer sufferers publicise there life and struggles but it does highlight sometimes how your own experiences are different 

2

I think the sad reality is that it all comes down to money I also have asked about this and was basically told I need to go private.

Poppy xx

3

That’s an interesting question.  Could possibly be that the celebs have money and can afford insurance that will pay for all these PET scans etc.  I asked my consultant about a PET scan but got a big no, asked about CT or even a chest X-ray to look for mets etc.  Nope, only when I have symptoms of these will they even think of an xray or even a CT. 

I am in a social-media group (my cancer type - metaplastic) and the girls (most in USA) there talk of their 3-6 monthly CT’s, PET-scans and genomic testing’s with better targeted therapy etc and it does cause me to think how unfair it all really is.  In the end money has a lot to do with it, more money = more resources. 

But instead of being jealous/envious of their resources I am at thankful that despite covid I’ve received my chemo without delay, had my mastectomy without cancellations and a wonderful phone contact with my BCN’s.