I may have asked this before...but I remain confused. My husband had a CAT scan (full body) a month ago and the doctors want to schedule another one (lungs and head and neck area) in two months. Is CAT scan every 3 months in anyone else's follow-up care procedure? We worry a little about all the radiation from the scans. Also, the paranoid side of me worries that there is something in the last scan that they are not happy with, even though they didn't really say that - they were concerned about "fibrosis" in his lungs that they were attributing to the pneumonia he had at the end of radiation treatment. Perhaps this scar tissue is masking something else.

Any feedback would be appreciated.
Anita

Hi Anita,

I can't tell you not to worry - unfortunately that is part of our life with cancer. The week or so before scans is always a tough on our minds.

I can tell you that originally after my radiation finished I was on CT Scans every 3 months of my head, neck and lungs. You will have other people post on their follow-up care, but we all have scans at specific intervals to try and catch any recurrence.

It's my belief that your husband on 3 months is not unusual.

Take care,
Dinah

Anita.........I had a scheduled CT scan and blood work done every three months for almost 5 years. Finally, it is now down to a lung xray every six months with a complete blood work up. Oral cancer has a very high recurrence rate so I don't think this is an uncommon schedule for you now. Sincerely, Donna

Hi, It just dawned on me reading this that after 3 years and 9 surgeries, I will no longer be getting the full lab workup that I have been getting to be sure I was cancer free. My Doctor says he considers me cured. If he thinks that, what will my follow up be? I will be having plastic surgery and dental work done under his supervision for the next year, but what tests should I be having if any.