Scan timing

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heiders33
Posts: 363
Joined: Sat Nov 04, 2017 11:08 am

Scan timing

Postby heiders33 » Sun Jan 14, 2018 7:48 am

My chemo ends in February and my oncologist told me that my first follow-up scan won’t be for three months after that. Is this normal? I feel like I’ve read of others on here having their first follow-up scan about a month after treatment. I actually haven’t been scanned at all since last May when I was first diagnosed (had a CT and PET scan). Both my surgeon and my onc seem to be anti-too much scanning. I’m OK with this as it reduces my exposure to radiation, but at the same time I feel pretty in the dark about what’s going on inside me. All I know is my pathology report which showed clear margins and one involved lymph node, and my CEA markers have been normal all along (last one was 2.9). I’m OK with waiting three months for a scan, but just want to know if this is normal. Thanks.
40 year-old female
May 2017: Dx rectal cancer T3N2M0
MSS, KRAS G12D
6/17: 28 days chemorad
9/17: LAR/loop ileostomy, CAPOX six rounds
3/18: reversal
9/18: liver met, resection/HAI pump, 11 rounds 5FU, 1 round FUDR
11/19 - local recurrence, brachytherapy, 3 weeks targeted radiation
12/21 - end colostomy

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susie0915
Posts: 945
Joined: Wed Aug 02, 2017 8:17 am
Facebook Username: Susan DeGrazia Hostetter
Location: Michigan

Re: Scan timing

Postby susie0915 » Sun Jan 14, 2018 9:22 am

I had my first scan a month after finishing treatment. I didn't have another for a year, then 6 months after that which was Oct. 2017. I saw my oncologist in November and graduated to 6 month visits. I will see her again in May. I'm not sure when she will do the next scan, I was assuming 6 months from the last but not sure. She told me we would schedule when I see her in May. My pulmonologist said she didn't want to do another chest scan for a year(which would be Jan, 2019) since my nodule has not changed and is so small, unless oncologist wanted to do earlier. But I did have one a month after treatment ended which was a year from diagnosis. Had a pet scan after chemo/radiation and before surgery, and a ct scan of abdomen/pelvis 4 weeks after surgery only because of a bowel blockage.
Last edited by susie0915 on Sun Jan 14, 2018 4:57 pm, edited 1 time in total.
58 yrs old Dx @ 55
5/15 DX T3N0MO
6/15 5 wks chemo/rad
7/15 sigmoidoscopy/only scar tissue left
8/15 PET scan NED
9/15 LAR
0/24 nodes
10/15 blockage. surgery,early ileo rev, c-diff inf :(
12/15 6 rds of xelox
5/16 CT lung scarring/inflammation
9/16 clear colonoscopy
4/17 C 4mm lung nod
10/17 pel/abd CT NED
11/17 CEA<.5
1/18 CT/Lung no change in 4mm nodule
5/18 CEA<.5, CT pel/abd/lung NED
11/18 CEA .6
5/19 CT NED, CEA <.5
10/19 Clear colonscopy
11/19 CEA <.5

Lee
Posts: 6207
Joined: Sun Apr 16, 2006 4:09 pm

Re: Scan timing

Postby Lee » Sun Jan 14, 2018 4:14 pm

I know the medical people are wanting us to get less scans than in the past. Since it sounds like you will be scan around May, that will be a yr since your last scan which is what I believe they are recommending now.

Butt if you want to be scanned earlier, I'm sure you can push for it.

Good luck,

Lee
rectal cancer - April 2004
46 yrs old at diagnoses
stage III C - 6/13 lymph positive
radiation - 6 weeks
surgery - August 2004/hernia repair 2014
permanent colostomy
chemo - FOLFOX
NED - 16 years and counting!

thubler
Posts: 59
Joined: Tue Sep 27, 2016 9:22 am

Re: Scan timing

Postby thubler » Sun Jan 14, 2018 6:47 pm

I was done with chemo in November 2016 and had my first scan in February 2017. I had an enlarged lymph node so I had a PET scan a week later to make sure it was ok. I had my next scan in June then another in October. My Oncologist bumped me to 6 months so my next is in April. I assume I will be on 6 month scans for a long time. I also do yearly colonoscopy/endoscopy.
III b CC @ 35 yoa.
two primary tumors on ascending/transverse stage 1 and stage 3.
Lynch Positive
Resection 05/16
2/41 nodes +
FOLFOX 6/16-11/20/16
Clear Endoscopy and Colonoscopy 12/6/16, 02/13/18,01/24/19,02/27/20,02/18/21,05/24/22
CT 02/07/17 enlarged mesenteric node.
Clear PET 02/15/17
Stable CT 06/05/17,10/16/17,04/02/18, 01/08/19, 01/14/20, 01/05/21,03/07/22
Deported 11/03/17

Aqx99
Posts: 403
Joined: Fri Mar 31, 2017 7:28 am
Facebook Username: aqx99
Location: Pfafftown, NC

Re: Scan timing

Postby Aqx99 » Sun Jan 14, 2018 7:32 pm

My first scan was within days of finishing chemo. I guess it is just what your oncologist prefers. She has me down for another scan around April, which would be 4 months after finishing chemo.
Anne, 40
Stage IIIB Rectal Cancer
T3N1bM0
2/21/17 Dx, Age 39
2/21/17 CEA 0.9
3/23/17 - 5/2/17 Chemoradiation, 28 treatments
6/14/17 Robotic LAR w/temp loop ileostomy, ovaries & fallopian tubes removed, 2/21 lymph nodes positive
7/24/17 - 12/18/17 CapeOx, 6 Cycles
7/24/17 Dx w/ovarian cancer
9/6/17 CA 125 11.1
11/27/17 CEA 2.6
12/5/17 CT NED
12/13/17 CEA 2.9
1/11/18 CA 125 8.6
1/23/18 Reversal
3/21/18 CT enlarged thymus
4/6/18 PET NED
7/10/18 CT NED
7/11/18 CEA 2.6
9/18 Bilateral Prophylactic Mastectomy

Basil
Posts: 275
Joined: Thu Mar 16, 2017 12:33 pm

Re: Scan timing

Postby Basil » Sun Jan 14, 2018 9:32 pm

Scan intervals depend on your chances of recurrence. It’s a good thing to have them spread out. It means your docs don’t think you’ll have a recurrence. If you were more at risk they would see you more often. Take solace in that.
40 y/o male (now 46), kids 11 & 14.
Dx 3/16/17, rectal cancer s3,t3,n1,m0
PROSPCT trial (FOLFOX in lieu of chemorad)
FOLFOX 4/5/17 - 6/26/17
LAR 7/31/17, temp ileo
pathological complete response
Adjuvant chemo cancelled (IDEA Study)
Ileo reversed 9/25/17
NED
1 year scans - clear
2 year scans - clear
3 year scans - clear
4 year scans - clear
5 year scans - clear (considered cured)

heiders33
Posts: 363
Joined: Sat Nov 04, 2017 11:08 am

Re: Scan timing

Postby heiders33 » Fri Jan 19, 2018 1:05 pm

Thanks everyone for your replies. It makes me feel better about the timing. I’m planning to take a little trip in April and don’t want a scan to disrupt it!
40 year-old female
May 2017: Dx rectal cancer T3N2M0
MSS, KRAS G12D
6/17: 28 days chemorad
9/17: LAR/loop ileostomy, CAPOX six rounds
3/18: reversal
9/18: liver met, resection/HAI pump, 11 rounds 5FU, 1 round FUDR
11/19 - local recurrence, brachytherapy, 3 weeks targeted radiation
12/21 - end colostomy


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