What type of follow up treatment (scans etc) do you get

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Amstar15
Amstar15 Member Posts: 41
edited January 2016 in Managing Side Effects of Breast Cancer and Its Treatment

My wife finished her chemo (TCH) in October and is currently receiving Herceptin every 3 weeks for the next year and she is on Arimidex as well - for at least the next 5 years

When we visit with her Oncologist for her 3 month check up -- what should we expect? I know some MO's say no on scans and it seems like her MO is one of those.

Should I be requesting a PET Scan/MRI etc? I know her MO said that he plans on scheduling a bone density scan to get a baseline -- and she had an echo gram before Christmas to ensure the TCH and follow on Herceptin haven't damaged her heart.

Is there something I should be asking for scans, blood work etc -- or is this normal now.. visits every three months.. then scan when symptoms pop up? I guess I am with the feeling.. I have a good job, we have great insurance... why not request the moon?

thoughts?

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  • ruthbru
    ruthbru Member Posts: 57,235
    edited January 2016

    Because nothing will show up. IF there is something out there, it will be too microscopic to be seen with present technology.

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  • Sjacobs146
    Sjacobs146 Member Posts: 770
    edited January 2016

    I finished treatment in March, and have had several follow up visits. No tests have been done (except for mammogram in September). This stuff actually grows pretty slowly, I don't expect that anything would be seen so soon after treatment. Plus the mammograms, and CT scans expose you to a lot of radiation, which actually isn't very good for you. Unless symptoms are shown, I wouldn't expect anything other than annual mammograms

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  • badger
    badger Member Posts: 34,614
    edited January 2016

    hi Amstar15,

    I'm six years out from diagnosis. Did five years of tamoxifen & now on month ten of anastrozole (generic Arimidex). So far so good. Saw MO every three months for the first year PFC (post final chemo), now it's every six months. Not sure when I graduate to yearly visits but in no hurry to see him less frequently. I have decent insurance. Thus far they have covered whatever the docs have ordered and my co-pays have been affordable.

    The only scan I've gotten is a baseline DEXA to check bone density prior to starting anastrozole.

    The only blood work I get now is annual complete metabolic panel to check the basic numbers.

    I had bilateral mastectomy without reconstruction so no more mammograms EVER. When I was dx, my primary care doc office was new to electronic medical records and it took them a year to stop the system-generated overdue mammo notices. Funny now but infuriating then.

    Good luck for the follow-up appointment and ((hugs)) to you both.

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  • Jujube2
    Jujube2 Member Posts: 29
    edited January 2016

    hi badger! I'm four years out and have the same follow ups you do. I'm on exemestane, year three. I did a year on tamoxifen and developed ovarian cysts. Had complete hysterectomy and then started exemestane. At my six months visits to my onc I have the complete blood work and he feels my neck and armpits.

    Happy new year!!

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