Stage 1 - did you have any scans?

I only had them because I had some hip pain or something else going on. 

MDG- I had a CAT scan prior to chemo, but my insurance denied a PET scan. I am almost 7 weeks out from last chemo and my onc. only suggests scan if I feel something is not right.

I had a PET scan, but only because I requested it.  My onco said she does not normally do them with clear nodes.  I was worried about distant spread, even with the clear nodes (it does happen, particularly it seems with my type of cancer), so she did it just to ease my mind.  It came back clear and really was the turning point in my demeanor about all of this.

The only scan I had was a CT before rads started .. oh and a chest x-ray.  I was Stage I with no nodes positive and had a lumpectomy and radiation.

Bren

After my biopsy and before my lumpectomy I had CT scans of lungs, abdomen and liver area. Also had a bone scan.  I did not ask for them but my onc surgeon considered them standard. My insurance did not argue about it at all. 

My oncologist insists on initial scans no matter what stage  you are - with or without nodal involvement as she uses them as a baseline if in the future more scans should be needed.  I am triple negative, but she applies the same rules to hormone positive gals as well.  She does not do any scans after treatment unless you request them because of any symptoms lasting over a two week duration.  I pray I never have to have any as they were the most anxiety producing tests I have ever had - awful, just awful having to wait for the results.

Linda

My MRI showed a likely cyst on my liver. That is when the ghost chase began. I had an abdominal ultrasound, then abdominal ct. Those showed hemangiomas. I switched Oncologists right before treatment and he ordered a petscan. At the time I hated going through all that! I also had a chest xray so I guess you can say I got the works.

I am Stage IIa with one positive lymph node and my MO still did not do any scans. I really wish I could have a PET scan because it would put my mind at ease. I asked my MO why I did not have scans and he said the American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) does not recommend them for Stages I and II. Some doctors seem much more cautious. I saw my orthopedist last month for a hand issue caused by takiing arimidex and he ordered an MRI of my wrist to rule out any cancer spread. How I wish my MO was like my orthopedist.

Oops - sorry - didn't realize the date of this thread, and didn't realize I had responded a year prior to my last post.  Chemo brain??????

I was told by my onc that scans are not recommended for women with with stage 1 and no nodal mets, which is me.  I feel a little uneasy about that but also don't want to start "chasing ghosts" as someone posted above.

No scans.

My SNB was clear.  No scans at all prior to LX.

Good luck to you!