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Too Much Radiation or Just Careful Followup???
I’ve had two abdominal/pelvic CT scans now in the course of my BC diagnosis and followup, with the third scheduled in October. Both times I was double scanned using the Non-Contrast/Contrast protocol which I thought was the norm.
This New York Times article specifically addresses CT scans of the chest and says too much radiation is used and it is too costly, and most of the time unnecessary. It is based on Medicare records. Just wondering if this thinking is applied to most areas of the body that are CT scanned.
Do you think this applies to us BC patients? What are your thoughts on this?
Best wishes… CatherineTURBT 1/21/10 at age 55
Dx: T2aN0M0 Primary Bladder Adenocarcinoma
Partial Cystectomy 2/25/10
Vanderbilt Medical Center
Nashville, TN3 Replies-
Each institution or even uro has their own protocol on this after radical cystectomy. My uro wanted only pelvic CT scans with/and without contrast every 6 months for the first 3 yrs. I also had a yearly x-ray of the chest. I had a talk with my internist who suggested i spread those scans out a bit more unless symptomatic which i did…i would go 8 months and then yearly after the third year for 2 more years. And then they forget about you!!!
When i was in the hospital in Jan for the 6 blood clots in my leg….6?? YEs 6…..they did a full body CT on me to rule out any other cancer or mets as developing blood clots is a symptom of cancer or one of them. I was clean but i hated that i had a full body scan.
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You’re right, Sara Anne, it is a tough one to weigh in on. In my case, my tumor was invasive T2a and the scans are to both check for recurrence and mets, along with the cystos. It seems there is not much data to go on when it comes to adenocarcinomas, and he is being cautious which I have to say, I do find reassuring because that possibility still has me truly scared.
Dr. Cookson did say that if my next scan in October is clear, we can let up a bit as that will take us to almost the two-year mark. This is the first time I have gone 6 months between cystos.
All that said, I do worry about the radiation exposure and that article hit home because I know a lot of us here get scanned fairly often compared to the general population. What to do??? Never a clear path is there?
Best wishes… CatherineTURBT 1/21/10 at age 55
Dx: T2aN0M0 Primary Bladder Adenocarcinoma
Partial Cystectomy 2/25/10
Vanderbilt Medical Center
Nashville, TN
Catherine, I get very nervous every time a doc wants to do a CT on me. Have had two CT-urograms so far, both with and without contrast medium. He says he will order another in three years.
Meanwhile, my internist has been nagging me to get on for some stomach issues I have been having. I have balked….he says that
“any cancer it would cause would happen long after my life expectancy has expired.” Fortunately, referral to a gasteroenterologist voided that request!!I guess I would always ask…how will the results of this change the treatment we are doing. IF it is absolutely necessary, then it is absolutely necessary. IF it is a “fishing expedition,” I might not agree.
Tough one.
Sara Anne
Diagnosis 2-08 Small papillary TCC; CIS
BCG; BCG maintenance
Vice-President, American Bladder Cancer Society
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