Bone Scan for Breast Cancer Patients

I just finished up several days at MD Anderson (#1 Cancer Center in US according to US News&World). Maybe their practices has some bearing on this discussion. I can only speak for my situation.  They ordered a bone scan as part of my workup.  They told me during registration that a schedule of tests had already been set up for me but that I should not make plans based on the tests as the Dr. may add or remove tests once he reviewed all my tests and info from the original diagnosing center. I'm going to side with believing there is value in this test.  He did not schedule a breast MRI which surprised me as so many of you seem to have had that as a matter of course.  So I am fairly confident that the tests chosen were made partly as standard practice but with the understanding that the Dr. would have the last word on what tests he wanted.

    After my initial diagnosis I had a mastectomy and they removed 19 lymph nodes, all negative.My tumor was very small .9 cm.   I had a bone scan two years after that which was negative.  I later stupidly switched oncologists because I thought it would be nice to go for dr's appts with my mother.  This one did not do bone scans and when I asked why she said because it was so small and that I had no lymph node involvement.  She still did not do a bone scan when I started complaining about pain in my chest and it wasn't until two years later when I was still complaining and told her she had to do something that she ordered one.....a little too late because by then it was very advanced in my sternum and the CT scan that came after that showed cancer in my left lung as well as a spot on my liver.  I then switched oncologists and thanks to that move and still alive 11 years later and I am very thankful for that.  I think if the other onco had done scans earlier the cancer would have been discovered sooner and would not have gone on to my lung and liver...don't know that for sure, but as they say early detection is best. Looking back and thinking what if does no good I know and I am just thankful to still be here, but I think it is good oncos look for things before waiting for symptoms.     

speaking of evidence based medicine check out this site

http://breastcancer.evidencewatch.com/  

  For all you trekkies.....did you ever see that card where there was this little Scotty dog standing in front of a window and I foget if it was a cat or a dog looking up at the window and the caption....guess?....Beam me up Scotty.   I thought it was so cute. 

Swimangel??

Have we had this Star Trek conversation before?

I have NO idea why it is printing that twice? *shrug*

It may be my image....it is not even showing on my page at all....I saw a new oncologist yesterday and he suggested a PET scan in 6 months and I just laughed out loud!! I was thinking of this thread, he just thought I was CRAZY!

Dawnn...........PERFECT photo to go with your post! I'm happy you were able to laugh............it's really the best medicine! I'm thinking about switching onc's soon too..........I need to do some research first - I'm getting the feeling that my onc has me coming in once-a-month for blood work just to keep himself in business. I finished all my chemo and Herceptin in April 2009........I need to find out if this once-a-month visit is really necessary. When I complain about other issues (like my cough that won't go away) he does nothing. He even promised me to find a "thinking orthopedic" to talk to me about non-surgical treatments for my hip.......you guessed it.......Nada. The onc I'm thinking of switching to is part of the same medical group as my PCP and ob/gyn........it'd make it so much easier for all my doctors to access my records since this group puts everything in electronic format. Anyway - these thoughts probably need a new thread.......I do ramble on and on, sorry!

Marybe,

When I had my Mx and the surgeon started talking to me the next morning about future nipple reconstruction, I told him I was having Yoda tattooed there, not a nipple! My DH still laughs about it. Hey! Yoda is cool!

Morphine & my mouth do not mix....

hello everyone,

I’m just so confused. My mom had a biopsy and they took out a 9mm carc from the breast and a 2mm carc from a lympth node. There was calcifications on that breast too so they booked a mastectomy immediately. They DIDNT order any tests. Not the surgeon, not her doctor. We have to wait weeks until the surgery path report and I am freaking out tryinf to figure out why they didn’t ordermore scans!! Why why why