What tests are being done after chemo?

VeronicaX

I have one more round of chemo and I asked my oncologist at Sunnybrook what would be the follow-up tests. I thought there would be ultrasounds or scans but i was verry surprised to find out that the assesment of my health is clinical. If I am free of symptoms I am consideed healthy and they do no scans to confirm that. It is a bit scary because when you do have symptoms it means that you have metastases. Is this the same with your oncologist?

what can i do more to better assess my health?

kayfh

Actually just because you have symptoms doesn't mean you have mets. When you hear hoof beats think of horses, not zebras. It is more likely that feeling really lousy and run down is due to garden variety flu, or pain in your abdomen is a result of a pulled muscle because of too much gardening. Stay in tune with your body, go to yoga or some practice where you do mindful meditation, come to the discussion boards at BCO. Do the free of chemo dance, because you can!

CuterWCurves

Kay I just about died when I read the hoofbeats line. I say that often! Unfortunately I am typically the zebra girl...

Veronica... They might schedule you for regular follow up instead... i hear of a lot who get 6 or 12 month intervals... It might also have to do with type, node involvement, magins for your sugery, etc. if you are unsure of why something is done a certain way it is your right to ask more questions. It is THEIR job to answer them.

Just saying...

Shell

Lilah123

Veronica,

My mom was diagnosed in 2010 with inductal carcinoma of the right breast.  She was HER2+ and estrogen/progesterone receptor negative.  She was treated with chemo and Herceptin and also had a single mastectomy.  She had 3 and 6 month follow-up CT scans and mammograms of the remaining breast.  After that, the documentation said NO scans recommended for follow-up, just clinical visits with her PC and onc.  A few weeks ago she was diagnosed with stage IV metastatic breast cancer (cancer in the bones, lungs, liver and lymph nodes).  We did not notice there were no scans recommended for follow-up until we requested her records after this devastating diagnosis.  We are very upset that this was the recommendation given she was HER2+ and est/pro recep neg, which is considered an aggressive form of cancer.  I think we were so relieved that she was placed in remission, we just wanted to forget about it.  We are regretful. 

In retrospect, I would have pushed for CT or MRI scans of the chest given metastatic breast cancer typically moves to the surrounding areas of the breast first (but not always).  At the very minimum though, I would have pushed for that!! Perhaps we could have caught it before it moved to so many body parts.  Of course, your situation may be different and I don't want to scare you but I would push and advocate for yourself!!

Hope this helps:)

Lilah