| Joined: Feb 2011 Posts: 6 Member | OP Member Joined: Feb 2011 Posts: 6 | I am 1 yr out 14 months SCC stg 4 tonsil. My Doc. requested i get a chest xray since he has visually inspected me every month a CT scan could be avoided. My xray revealed no mets in lungs. I'm delighted, but am now feeling maybe i do need a more extensive review (scan). I really don't want any more radiation after getting 35. What's best practice. How much is to much.
Take Care to you all.
Chris
35 radiation txs. 7 cistplatin. SCC on tonsil and 2 possible nodes. 14 months out and holding the line. Just graduated to ENT visits every other month. Life just seems to keep on happening with or without you.
| | | | Joined: Sep 2006 Posts: 1,357 Likes: 5 "OCF Canuck" Patient Advocate (1000+ posts) | "OCF Canuck" Patient Advocate (1000+ posts) Joined: Sep 2006 Posts: 1,357 Likes: 5 | Well...I've had 62 radiation treatments and numerous scans. We do what we have to in order to catch a recurrance at the earliest possible moment. I have had 7 years since 1st surgery/treatment, 3 years since the 2nd. I don't know what the "guidelines" are, I just know that aggressive treatment and early detection are the keys to good health.
Donna,69, SCC L Tongue T2N1MO Stg IV 4/04 w/partial gloss;32 radtx; T2N2M0 Stg IV; R tongue-2nd partial gloss w/graft 10/07; 30 radtx/2 cispl 2/08. 3rd Oral Cancer surgery 1/22 - Stage 1. 2022 surgery eliminated swallowing and bottom left jaw. Now a “Tubie for Life”.no food envy - Thank God! Surviving isn't easy!!!! .Proudly Canadian - YES, UNIVERSAL HEALTH CARE IS WONDERFUL! (Not perfect but definitely WONDERFUL)
| | | | Joined: Feb 2011 Posts: 6 Member | OP Member Joined: Feb 2011 Posts: 6 | Thank you for your response Pandora. You are inspirational to others (newbies) with a broader perspective. That's probably the most difficult thing about this - maintaining a perspective without burning everybody out around you.
Blessings to you and keep us posted. Wish we had socialized medicine here.
chris
35 radiation txs. 7 cistplatin. SCC on tonsil and 2 possible nodes. 14 months out and holding the line. Just graduated to ENT visits every other month. Life just seems to keep on happening with or without you.
| | | | Joined: Sep 2006 Posts: 1,357 Likes: 5 "OCF Canuck" Patient Advocate (1000+ posts) | "OCF Canuck" Patient Advocate (1000+ posts) Joined: Sep 2006 Posts: 1,357 Likes: 5 | You don't have to burn out those around you - that is what WE are for. And - even better we know and understand because we have been there. Many of us aren't experts, but we are experienced.
I didn't mean to make too light of the issue about how much radiation you should have. It is a valid concern for alot of people, but when we have it as a lifesaving tool, I don't tend to worry about it much. I even got to have a chuckle the other day about news reports re radiation from cell phones, as I'm long past worrying about things like that!
Donna
Donna,69, SCC L Tongue T2N1MO Stg IV 4/04 w/partial gloss;32 radtx; T2N2M0 Stg IV; R tongue-2nd partial gloss w/graft 10/07; 30 radtx/2 cispl 2/08. 3rd Oral Cancer surgery 1/22 - Stage 1. 2022 surgery eliminated swallowing and bottom left jaw. Now a “Tubie for Life”.no food envy - Thank God! Surviving isn't easy!!!! .Proudly Canadian - YES, UNIVERSAL HEALTH CARE IS WONDERFUL! (Not perfect but definitely WONDERFUL)
| | | | Joined: Nov 2002 Posts: 3,552 Patient Advocate (old timer, 2000 posts) | Patient Advocate (old timer, 2000 posts) Joined: Nov 2002 Posts: 3,552 | My RO and MO typically don't order CT scans for followup, preferring MRI's instead, although I was getting an annual chest x-ray (I have doubts how worthwhile they really are but they are recommended in the NCCN oncology guidelines).
I had a brief scare and got a spiral CT a few years back, which is the highest resolution image for the lungs, but it also has the highest radiation of any scan.
Be careful what you wish for, IMO, socialized medicine is not the answer. Do we really want to have the same crappy health care system that they have in the UK or Canada? I think not. The "good" socialized medicine, like they have in Sweden, has an astronomical tax rate.
Last edited by Gary; 02-25-2011 07:40 AM.
Gary Allsebrook *********************************** 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) ________________________________________________________ "You are a mist that appears for a little while and then vanishes" (James 4:14 NIV)
| | | | Joined: May 2002 Posts: 2,152 Patient Advocate (old timer, 2000 posts) | Patient Advocate (old timer, 2000 posts) Joined: May 2002 Posts: 2,152 | Gary,
My lung doctor is running me through the CT scanner every 6 months and I really don't like it in light of the fact I also just had stage 0 breast cancer. Would an MRI give him the info he needs. My lungs are clear except for a patch of what they hope is scar tissue from rads in 1997. I'm suffering from shortness of breath and it isn't heart related so he is trying to figure that out. What do you think?
Thanks, Eileen
---------------------- 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
| | | | Joined: Apr 2009 Posts: 104 Senior Member (100+ posts) | Senior Member (100+ posts) Joined: Apr 2009 Posts: 104 | Is it a CT/PET scan? I think those are more likely to see small hotspots although I'd be wondering about all the radiation exposure myself.
GM, for John who has SCC Rt tonsil with 3+ nodes, Stage T1 N2b MX; surgery 04/09; Rad X 33 completed 7/14/09...f/u imaging and scopes looking good as of Feb 2011
| | | | Joined: Mar 2008 Posts: 3,082 Patient Advocate (old timer, 2000 posts) | Patient Advocate (old timer, 2000 posts) Joined: Mar 2008 Posts: 3,082 | Chris
I'm with Pandora on the view that getting a CT and catching any cancer earlier is so much more sensible than worrying about excess radiation. Of course I have had 97 GY of radiation when the "maximum" is 77 so I discount the risks. For what its worth, all of the studies I have seen on CT radiation causing cancer conclude: [quote]Children, younger adults and women are especially susceptible. Two-thirds of the excess cancers will occur in women, the NCI researchers say. [/quote] Since it appears that this group does not include you, quit worrying and get the CT's you deserve since the odds are with you. Just my opinion of course. best wishes Charm 65 yr Old Frack Stage IV BOT T3N2M0 HPV 16+ 2007:72GY IMRT(40) 8 ERBITUX No PEG 2008:CANCER BACK Salvage Surgery 25GY-CyberKnife(5) 3 Carboplatin Apaghia /G button 2012: CANCER BACK -left tonsilar fossa 40GY-CyberKnife(5) 3 Carboplatin Passed away 4-29-13
| | | | Joined: Nov 2002 Posts: 3,552 Patient Advocate (old timer, 2000 posts) | Patient Advocate (old timer, 2000 posts) Joined: Nov 2002 Posts: 3,552 | Here's a link (from ACR) to different amounts of radiation exposure from scans/x-rays, etc. You should ask your doctor about the risks and benefits of CT vs. MRI images. http://www.radiologyinfo.org/en/safety/index.cfm?pg=sfty_xray
Gary Allsebrook *********************************** 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) ________________________________________________________ "You are a mist that appears for a little while and then vanishes" (James 4:14 NIV)
| | | | Joined: Jul 2008 Posts: 507 "Above & Beyond" Member (500+ posts) | "Above & Beyond" Member (500+ posts) Joined: Jul 2008 Posts: 507 | When the issue of excess radiation from follow up scans came up in one of our support group meetings, an RO told us we have had so much radiation already that we really shouldn't worry about this.
I am pretty sure at least one of the RO's that I see feels the same way.
Not what I want to hear, but they are probably right.
Don TXN2bM0 Stage IVa SCC-Occult Primary FNA 6/6/08-SCC in node<2cm PET/CT 6/19/08-SCC in 2nd node<1cm HiRes CT 6/21/08 Exploratory,Tonsillectomy(benign),Right SND 6/23/08 PEG 7/3/08-11/6/08 35 TomoTherapy 7/16/08-9/04/08 No Chemo Clear PET/CT 11/15/08, 5/15/09, 5/28/10, 7/8/11
| | |
Forums23 Topics18,170 Posts196,933 Members13,105 | Most Online458 Jan 16th, 2020 | | | |