PET Scan Today

i am jealous! docs in va dont believe in scans for stage three.

I just started chemo today for my stage 2a cancer. Initially, my MO said no scans for this stage if there are no medical issues (i.e. aches and pains). Because of the pathology report (which had some odd findings), she took it to a tumor meeting and they changed the treatment. After I got a 2nd opinion at MDAnderson where the MO there actually called and discussed the pathology findings with the pathologist, she said the initial chemo regimen was what she would recommend (nothing's ever simple with me). But in the interim 3 body scans were ordered. I got through them all and mercifully they didn't show any cancer (well they had plenty of things that *might* be metastatis but I think they were just covering bases). The MO's seem to think I'm all clear and I'm going to agree with them.

So anyway, dealing with my 2nd (more serious) bc I have come to the conclusion that:

I really don't want any more of these scans.

Unless I am experiencing pain or some kind of physical problem and it's to diagnose that.

or

They are strongly recommended by the MO.

For years I eagerly went for mammo's and did all the tests that were requested after my DCIS and I still ended up in a chemo chair. I have decided if after treatment is over and I'm feeling okay then I won't be getting scans. What for? I have no breasts so if it does recurr I'd be stage iv and quite frankly the longer I could go without knowing that fact the better off I'd be. Unlike, stages i-iii, stage iv is not yet curable, so "early detection" is not necessarily an advantage. Say a scan shows a small spot somewhere that you'd only know about because of the scan and it's not bothering youand you get it treated with chemo or radiation. You've just used up 2 bullets in a gun with a limited amount of chambers. You have limited the amount of treatment you can get in the future when the cancer IS causing problems. Maybe you can't get that area radiated again or the spot became chemo resistant and you won't be able to use it if/when the cancer spreads.

I dunno, I respect everyone's opinion here and we all have to do what we feel is best. But I have done a 180 degree turn on testing. I try to do the bare minimun. If they can help me great; but I've come to realize that testing is stressful and not always as helpful as one might think. Plus I'm tired of be radiated. But to each his own.

Violet,

I felt better getting tests/scans too when my Dx was a small low grade DCIS. I had a very early cancer with very good expected outcomes. I wasn't focusing so much on the cancer I had but the cancer I was afraid of getting. The scans were for early detection of a future cancer. In my position now, any recurrence would put me at stage iv. With your early, small stage 1 cancer the odds of you going to stage iv are much lower than mine (very small odds) and it would seem to me to be a waste of a test (with the worrying and radiation).

Take it from me, finish any treatments you have and then try to move on ... what will be will be and worrying to death over something that may or may not happen is a waste of energy and life. I spent years obsessing over bc only to get it again anyway. All that time wasted when I could have been doing something fun or productive. This most likely will NOT happen to you so just try move on after this is over. I know I'm going to try to do just that (after I finish chemo and recovery). In fact, I try to push bc out of my mind and live as normally as I can now, during treatment. Ok I've rambled enough,

sundermom: praying that you have good results!!