 Patient Advocate (old timer, 2000 posts)
Joined: May 2002 Posts: 2,152 | My doctor, (surgeon), doesn't believe in scans either. I didn't have one after the second cancer for 5 years when I finally asked for one to verify a small, what turned out to be non-problem. CT scans do expose you to additional radiation so MRIs are preferred. I can't do them because of claustrophobia. My doc says they didn't use to do yearly H&N scans but now if I want one once a year, I can have one. I have some lung/pancreatic problems they watch so get run through CT machine below the neck once a year anyway. You can probably talk them into it if you are persistent.
Take care,
Eileen
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Aug 1997 unknown primary, Stage III
mets to 1 lymph node in neck; rt ND, 36 XRT rad
Aug 2001 tiny tumor on larynx, Stage I total laryngectomy; left ND
June 5, 2010 dx early stage breast cancer
June 9, 2011 SCC 1.5 cm hypo pharynx, 70% P-16 positive, no mets, Stage I
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