Scan or not to Scan - Post treatment
I have now completed treatment and I’m on Letrazole. I had IDC grade 3 ER + clear margins, 2x lymph nodes with adenocarcinoma and High grade DCIS - margins involved. I had 3x FEC and 1 out of 3 Doce...
Forum Discussion
It remains a slightly distressing fact though, no matter the science and stats behind it. You have the awful Big C diagnosis, incredibly invasive, toxic and destructive treatments, and for 70%, are then placed onto long term medication that is often very difficult to take. To be met with a 'but we won't be checking if any of this has worked/is working', especially if the technology exists, seems odd to weird to the lay person.
I do understand why, but I still scratch my head that at 51, with a strong family history of BC (mother, and deceased sister) I have not had a single scan in the entire experience.
I know that if it metastasises it metatastises and knowing now or six months later will make no difference to the outcome. My oncologist said that it takes a million cancer cells before anything is visible.
It doesn't stop me worrying about finding a recurrence (or a new breast cancer) earlier rather than later, for myself and anyone else. So much of surviving BC is the mental struggle. It'd be so nice to have the possibility of settling our worries once every year or two.
I do understand why, but I still scratch my head that at 51, with a strong family history of BC (mother, and deceased sister) I have not had a single scan in the entire experience.
I know that if it metastasises it metatastises and knowing now or six months later will make no difference to the outcome. My oncologist said that it takes a million cancer cells before anything is visible.
It doesn't stop me worrying about finding a recurrence (or a new breast cancer) earlier rather than later, for myself and anyone else. So much of surviving BC is the mental struggle. It'd be so nice to have the possibility of settling our worries once every year or two.