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My oncologist was reluctant to agree to bloodwork at 3 months and a CT scan at 6 months (since I had Stage 1) but since it's rare (metaplastic carcinoma) and has a chance of higher recurrence I felt it was reasonable.
You definitely should insist on blood tests every three months. They normally do imaging once a year but I find this ridiculous. A friend insisted on doing it every 6 months and her doctor agreed. But it’s not the usual procedure. You can just fake some pain and ask for it under this reason. Then they really have to prescribe it and insurance will cover it. We have to advocate for ourselves because no one else will.
Yvette, this is not serious if your doctor doesn’t do tumor markers. This is the minimum to detect any recurrence. And even those are not always correct but at least they can be an indication if they trend higher. I would highly suggest to find another doctor who will actually seriously follow you in your recovery. I find this guy a joke. You have the right for a Signatera test and it is reimbursed by insurance starting with Stage 2 bc. But you can do it out of pocket even at lower stages. Please go and fight for yourself. You’ll feel so much better when you have a doc who actually listens and cares.
My dr said he'll do the 2 regular ones (the ones they checked during chemo). He doesn't do tumor markers or liquid biopsies or anything..
The frequency and type of follow-up tests after maintenance therapy depends on several factors including cancer stage, treatment type, and how well the cancer responded to treatment. For early-stage breast cancer (stage 1), especially with tumors less than 5cm and fewer than four lymph nodes involved, some patients may Show Full Answer
I agree, Karen. I forgot about that one but yes, it will be the first to detect changes! Early detection is key.
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