Scans

After my mastectomy, I had regular mammograms and ultrasound which gradually got further apart over time - now 3D mammogram only annually. Other types of scan may depend on your diagnosis - but as far as I am aware an iron clad assurance that there is nothing more is not likely. Discuss with your oncologist what’s possible and helpful, but also consider the stress that scans can bring on. Good to have scans to settle any nagging concerns but most oncologists will be hesitant to recommend scans without a concrete something to look for. Best wishes for your next step. 

I had the usual scans pre-treatment but then went to scheduled 12 month 3D mammos - coming up to my second one in a month or so.  Last year they also did as U/S as they wanted a second look.  I'm scheduled to see the onc every 6 months (although it has been a bit more often due to problems with the letrozole) and the surgeon every 6 months.

20 years ago this used to be done and was found to be of no benefit as any tiny remaining cells can't be seen.  Current care is to continue mammograms and only do additional testing if concerns, pains, lumps etc.

This is current guidelines....read number 12. 

https://thestatement.canceraustralia.gov.au/breastcancer

It's  normal to worry if any cancer remains. We all worry. Even a scan doesn't take that fear away.

Hi @Mic80,

This is another one of those "it depends" things. It depends on your doctors choices as well as other things.  For example, I finished rads in the July and they rescanned (mammo, u/s and MRI) in October as that was12 months since surgery.  In the following two years I have had multiple scans due to weird things showing up or causing problems.
 Practically every part of me has ben scanned and rescanned for various reasons. I have no faith in the mammo's and u/s on there own so always get all three done.
If you jump up and down hard enough they tend do it just to shut you up I think LOL.

Hi Mic80,

I had a CT scan and bone scan when I was first diagosed and the same after I finished chemo, they said it was good.  Then I had  WLE surgery followed by 30 rounds of radiation. I haven't had any scans since.

It is one year in November since my mammogram/ultrasound discovered the cancer.  Nobody has mentioned scans, even when I ask about them,  not even a mammogram and ultrasound which I thought would be next month?

I have a fair bit of pain in my nipple and underarm.  I asked a breast surgeon at the hospital about it and he said it's normal, not really helpful.  He was not even the one that did my surgery.  I also asked the radiation oncologist and he has scheduled a CT for December, as Kez said I felt to shut me up ;) not sure I will go through with it after reading than link of Primek's and discussing it with my GP.

I have had a pretty haphazard journey so far, best described as slipping through the cracks.  So I have booked in to see my actual Breast Surgeon for early November and I will talk to her about what the plan is, no one except my GP seems to give me the information I need, thank goodness for him. 

I am not looking for guarantees, I know that is not reasonable but I want to have a plan of some sort!

Hi @Mic80

Depending on the date of your recon - I would imagine your scans will be 12 months from detection/diagnosis ... so prob in Feb.

My team, once surgery and radiation were completed and Onc meds arranged, organised that I would see one of them approx every 3 months as well as yearly scans. So I see my surgeon in Feb, Rad Onc in May, Onc in Aug, then have my yearly scans (mammogram, and ultrasound and just had mri) in Oct, then I see my Rad Onc again in Nov. I can book in again anytime to see the Onc again if I have issues with the meds.   This goes on for 5 years, I believe.

@Nefertari - did you have a breast care nurse? They should be able to arrange your scan appointments ... that is odd that you haven’t had your yearly appts booked already.  Grrr 

My Rad Onc has been  the most Pro-active of my team with my regular scan appointments!

all the best xxx

Arpie, I was never assigned a breast care nurse ;)  
At the hospital the Breast care nurse went on leave shortly after I was diagnosed and again for long service leave around the time I finished chemo.  I rang a few times and asked but to no avail as they don't replace her when on leave. At this point I do not want to speak to her. 
I was eventually put on to the METS breast care nurse who put me on to a breast care nurse from the Mc Grath Foundation. 
She was amazing but unfortunately also went overseas on holiday after my surgery.  I missed a call from her a few weeks ago and so called but to date have not heard back.  I have my appointment with my actual Surgeon (in her private rooms) at the beginning of November, so I will ask her everything about the scans etc.

Not everyone gets a breast care nurse assigned, at least not when I was treated. I never felt any loss, my surgeon’s nurse was terrific as was the senior oncology nurse at day oncology. Any issues post active treatment have been referred successfully to my oncologist or surgeon, who have also scheduled scans etc. 

There were two metastatic breast care nurses involved in the panel discussion at the Gold Coast Conference last Sunday. I would have liked to ask them what one should do if fobbed off. I still don't know what their function is. 
As I have said before:  "Jane McGrath would be horrified!"

I didn't have a BC nurse assigned to me either - I was just lucky that my Rad Onc has taken over giving me referrals for my scans .... so far!  Maybe she felt sorry for me after last year's recall/biopsy stuffup - I wrote to her regarding the entire saga .... 

@Nefertari   -  If you ring your Surgeon's office on Monday & ask for a referral for mammogram and ultrasound on your boob/s - If you had a lumpectomy, you'd need a bilateral referral (both boobs) - otherwise just on the remaining boob if you had a mastectomy. They should send it directly to the Diagnostic Imaging company of your choice & you just ring & book the appt  at least 1 week before your check up with the surgeon. Your surgeon needs to have the results BEFORE your appointment with her - otherwise she is just guessing & you'll need another appt later!  Shame your CT isn't also in Oct/ early Nov - maybe you can arrange for both to be done on the same day - as your surgeon would need those results too.

Sometimes, we have to jump up & down to get the 'right thing' done!  GOOD LUCK!!