 Patient Advocate (old timer, 2000 posts)
Joined: Nov 2002 Posts: 3,552 | The fact is that PET scans are not indicated as standard follow up by the current NCCN Oncology Practice Guidelines. Some doctors order them anyway and there is no consensus of opinion.
There have been many discussions of the post Tx surveillance issues with PET scans and doing a search in the archives will reveal a lot of interesting information and may even answer all of your questions and reveal some things that you may not know...
For the record, no current scanning modality can detect a tumor 2mm or smaller (about 1/8").
girlcat, I have concerns that they are not visually examining your throat with mirrors or an occasional scope. The visual and palpation exam is the NCCN recommended gold standard followup exam, along with semiannual bloodwork, TSH level test and annual chest x-ray. If you are not getting these you need to find out why?
Last edited by Gary; 02-20-2008 11:45 AM.
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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