Still NED!! Bit curious about surveillance scans

[Gravelyguy]

Hi Everyone,

Back from Mayo and all looks good so I don’t have to go back for scans for 6 months.

I am curious what scans you all get. I had an MRI for my liver, a separate MRI of my pelvis, and a CT of my lungs.

I am not unhappy at all about having all of them. I am actually happy they are so thorough. I am just curious what other hospitals do.

Thanks,

Dave

[Punky44]

Congratulations on NED!

[hiker]

I'm stage 4 too, a year and a half post liver resection surgery and 9 months post chemo. I get CTs from my throat to butt every 3 months with an MRI thrown in when something shows up on a scan that needs further investigation - which has happened several times so far. I'll continue with quarterly scans for at least 2 years post chemo, then go to every 6 months through year 5 post chemo. After that, I believe it goes to once a year.

The MRIs don't hit you with radiation like the CTs so you're lucky that you only had one scan that microwaved your innards.

hiker

[DarknessEmbraced]

Congratulations on being still NED!*hugs* For stage 2a colon cancer I had chest, abdominal and pelvic CT scans before surgery and a year after surgery in 2015. In 2016, I just had abdominal and pelvic CT scans. Last year, due to a rise in CEA the doctor added chest back to my CT scans. This year chest was taken off so it was abdominal and pelvic. My family doctor concerned that I am getting much radiation as I have been to the ER several times this year with abdominal pain and rectal bleeding so I've had several CT scans. I also had a CT scan to check for kidney stones. I only had a rectal MRI before surgery so the surgeon could better visualize my tumor. PET scans aren't available here.

[justin case]

My answer will probably not be popular ! I have a 4mm nodule on my lung ! I was a heavy smoker . All through every scan I had it shows up, lung damage . The 4 PET scans I had never showed uptake. At $1, 000.00 a pop I stopped scans, and did X-rays that could monitor growth . That was 5 years ago, when I took my first vacation in 20 years . I saved the money from the scans . I have no advise, heed protocol ! Hospitals and doctors, are in the business to make money .

I hope I gave you my answer,
Regards,
Michael

[crikklekay]

Congrats on the NED! It makes me nervous but our Oncologist said that for John's staging once a year CT chest/abdomen/pelvis scans is recommended, with additional scans ordered if needed. We still have quarterly bloodwork and Oncologist visits, but I would feel better if we did scans twice a year instead of one. As a previous poster said CT Scans give off a bit of radiation so they want to scan as often as needed but no more than that. He has had so many this year my DH is happy not to worry about it until next fall haha! I'm just a worry wart.

[Gravelyguy]

Thanks for sharing everyone. It is interesting to me. My first post treatment scans, back in May, were done locally which was a CT scan which led to a PET scan which led to an ultrasound all over a 3 week period, all chasing down different possible recurrences.

It was frustrating and more than a little unnerving as the first two scans conflicted each other but both showed something possibly there. The ultrasound showed nothing definitive so I ended up back at Mayo. At Mayo, they had their own protocol which is more MRI dependent. I was told because the spread had been to the liver and MRI does better at seeing things in the liver.

I decided after that first time doing scans at Mayo that it was worth the drive to know definitively what was going on within 24 hours than being drug along an emotional roller coaster at home.

Also my confidence level dropped quite a bit with my local hospital as after all that nothing was found.

Dave

[mpbser]

First off, congrats on the NED status!

It's interesting to see that you have separate MRIs for the liver and pelvis. My husband only gets "Abdominal MRIs" done.

So, initially, the oncologist said he would have every 3 months CTs (chest and upper body) and MRIs, alternating. Then, after his January 2018 liver surgery and May 2018 CT, which came up clear, the onc said, "see you in six months for a CT." Well, I was not at that appointment, and I would have spoken up. This summer, I had to argue for a MRI and it was FINALLY scheduled and done December 3rd!

Well, wouldn't you know - a met was found. Thank god I stay on top of his care. He'd be on a quick path to his grave if I left it all up to his doctors.

(I have ALWAYS had an issue with doctors, having reversed my heart disease naturally, myself, without their input. Had I listened to them, I'd be dead by now.)

[Gravelyguy]

The dual MRI's was new. The other two times it was just an MRI of the chest. This time they did both. They use different contrast agents for chest and pelvis so I got to go in the tube twice, once in the afternoon and then the next morning. I had a lot of quality time holding my breath!

What I like the most is they do everything and then before you leave you know the results.

Dave