Hello all,Im just wondering if any one can share their stories as far as follow up scans.i was diagnosed with breast cancer in feb. Had right mastectomy with expander, have just completed chemo, will be commencing rads in 2 weeks then will organize a date to have reconstruction.... question is... when will they re scan to make sure all is clear?? I’m not getting any solid answers from anyone I am really wanting to get a scan at the end so I can get some closure. Thank you xxxxx

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/breastcancerIt'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.

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!!

Thanks to everyone for their responses :) . It makes me feel better that I am not the only one who didn't get a BC nurse. I thought everyone was because every patient I have spoken to at my hospital has had contact with this BC nurse, except me.I have asked dozens of ladies, so I was beginning to think this is why I have to chase everything up myself and feel like a PIA for doing so. Even my followup with the rad oncologist at the Private Hospital. I had to call and ask them when that was? When I was having treatment, I was told 3 - 6 weeks after finishing rads?? That time passed with no followup,only after I called was I given an appointment, 8 weeks after treatment ended.@arpie - I will ring my Surgeon tomorrow to clarify about the mammogram / ultrasound, thankyou again ladies. I do not know how I would have survived this if I did not have your advice to fall back on.Most of the time I feel like Im flying by the seat of my pants, if not for my GP, psychologist and this forum, I would be in big trouble. :(

My GP has been the one to.listen to me. I have had CT of spine. Ultrasound of shoulder due to pain issues and the rhemstologist specialist ordered an mri and whole body bone scan to exclude why I had so much pain. Changing over my AI has made a huge difference and my bursitis (rapidly on my 1 month break) has finally resolved....so a lot of my pain...back, shoulders, neck was related to letrozole. (Ankles wrists and thumb also)The tests though stopped my worrying constantly about cancer in the bone. And my diagnosis of lactose intolerance has mostly stopped me worrying about abdominal /ovarian issues with the diet change. Survivorship is bloody hard at times.

Scans | BCNA Online Network

Nefertari
Member
6 years ago
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!
kezmusc
Member
6 years ago
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.
primek
Member
6 years ago
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.
Sister
Member
6 years ago
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.
Afraser
Member
6 years ago
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.

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