 Patient Advocate (old timer, 2000 posts)
Joined: Nov 2002 Posts: 3,552 | Steve,
I would question them why they think a CT is a better idea than an MRI. 1 CT = 3 years of background radiation. The chest x-ray = to 10 days of background radiation.
The numbers I have read on recurrence are: IF (and that is a BIG IF) you are going to have one, the first year there is an 80% chance(with a 20% chance of dying from it if advanced stage), second year 15%, so by the beginning of year 3 the recurrence rate (at the original tumor site) drops to around 5%. That's why 1st and 2nd year anniversaries are important milestones.
And also, Jennie, the reason for the importance of keeping those followup appointments and tests current. Denial (and it's closely related brother procrastination) is not a river in Egypt.
NONE of us were looking foward to any of our early testing I can asuure you. He just has to get it over with.
Gary Allsebrook
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Dx 11/22/02, SCC, 6 x 3 cm Polypoid tumor, rt tonsil, Stage III/IVA, T3N0M0 G1/2
Tx 1/28/03 - 3/19/03, Cisplatin ct x2, IMRT, bilateral, with boost, x35(69.96Gy)
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"You are a mist that appears for a little while and then vanishes" (James 4:14 NIV)
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