PET Scan Interval for 3b
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PET Scan Interval for 3b

› Forums › General Melanoma Community › PET Scan Interval for 3b

  • Post
    • December 2, 2015 at 4:22 am
    Toby0987
    Participant

    I was diagnosed feb 2013 with 3b Mel-right forearm mel went to right armpit-1 large Mel node. No other recurrences. I go to Mayo in Rochester. Any idea when the PETS will be just once a year or once every couple a years? 

    Thanks-any experiences would be appreciated 

Viewing 20 reply threads
  • Replies
      • December 2, 2015 at 6:21 am
      gregor913
      Participant
      I think after 5 years. I’m 3b too. What kind of treatment are you doing.
      • December 2, 2015 at 6:21 am
      gregor913
      Participant
      I think after 5 years. I’m 3b too. What kind of treatment are you doing.
      • December 2, 2015 at 6:21 am
      gregor913
      Participant
      I think after 5 years. I’m 3b too. What kind of treatment are you doing.
        • December 2, 2015 at 1:07 pm
        Toby0987
        Participant

        I did surgery and watch and wait

        • December 2, 2015 at 1:07 pm
        Toby0987
        Participant

        I did surgery and watch and wait

        • December 2, 2015 at 1:07 pm
        Toby0987
        Participant

        I did surgery and watch and wait

      • December 2, 2015 at 7:25 am
      Squash
      Participant

      In the same situation scans are scheduled every six months after two years NED.

      • December 2, 2015 at 7:25 am
      Squash
      Participant

      In the same situation scans are scheduled every six months after two years NED.

      • December 2, 2015 at 7:25 am
      Squash
      Participant

      In the same situation scans are scheduled every six months after two years NED.

      • December 2, 2015 at 12:11 pm
      jenny22
      Participant

      i too am 3b, with two local/instransit recurrences….i have been told they donot do  PETS for follow-up, only at intial staging….now all CT scans and Brain MRIs…

      CT scans of Head, Neck, Chest, Abdomen and Pelvis, every 6months, and brain MRI once annually…..

       

      • December 2, 2015 at 12:11 pm
      jenny22
      Participant

      i too am 3b, with two local/instransit recurrences….i have been told they donot do  PETS for follow-up, only at intial staging….now all CT scans and Brain MRIs…

      CT scans of Head, Neck, Chest, Abdomen and Pelvis, every 6months, and brain MRI once annually…..

       

      • December 2, 2015 at 12:11 pm
      jenny22
      Participant

      i too am 3b, with two local/instransit recurrences….i have been told they donot do  PETS for follow-up, only at intial staging….now all CT scans and Brain MRIs…

      CT scans of Head, Neck, Chest, Abdomen and Pelvis, every 6months, and brain MRI once annually…..

       

      • December 2, 2015 at 2:02 pm
      ed williams
      Participant

      Toby0987, if you look up on youtube " peer exchange melanoma" as your search you should find a series from Onclive with a panel including Dr. Weber, Dr.omid Hamid, Dr.Andbacka and Dr.Mario Sznol, Dr.Jeffrey A Sosman of Vanderbilt. The series has about 15 videos and they talk about when to scan and how often to scan in the video titled " Strategies for the Detection of Recurrent Melanoma" . You should find that the standards are all over the place based on very little research. Ed

      • December 2, 2015 at 2:02 pm
      ed williams
      Participant

      Toby0987, if you look up on youtube " peer exchange melanoma" as your search you should find a series from Onclive with a panel including Dr. Weber, Dr.omid Hamid, Dr.Andbacka and Dr.Mario Sznol, Dr.Jeffrey A Sosman of Vanderbilt. The series has about 15 videos and they talk about when to scan and how often to scan in the video titled " Strategies for the Detection of Recurrent Melanoma" . You should find that the standards are all over the place based on very little research. Ed

      • December 2, 2015 at 2:02 pm
      ed williams
      Participant

      Toby0987, if you look up on youtube " peer exchange melanoma" as your search you should find a series from Onclive with a panel including Dr. Weber, Dr.omid Hamid, Dr.Andbacka and Dr.Mario Sznol, Dr.Jeffrey A Sosman of Vanderbilt. The series has about 15 videos and they talk about when to scan and how often to scan in the video titled " Strategies for the Detection of Recurrent Melanoma" . You should find that the standards are all over the place based on very little research. Ed

      • December 2, 2015 at 3:42 pm
      mkirkland
      Participant

      Hi – I am a stage 3A and I'm a patient at MD Anderson. My dr advised me we would do scans every 3 months for the first 2 years, every 4 months year 3, every 6 months year 4 and then once at year 5. We do CT and MRI's. 

      • December 2, 2015 at 3:42 pm
      mkirkland
      Participant

      Hi – I am a stage 3A and I'm a patient at MD Anderson. My dr advised me we would do scans every 3 months for the first 2 years, every 4 months year 3, every 6 months year 4 and then once at year 5. We do CT and MRI's. 

      • December 2, 2015 at 3:42 pm
      mkirkland
      Participant

      Hi – I am a stage 3A and I'm a patient at MD Anderson. My dr advised me we would do scans every 3 months for the first 2 years, every 4 months year 3, every 6 months year 4 and then once at year 5. We do CT and MRI's. 

        • December 2, 2015 at 3:50 pm
        Who_am_i
        Participant

        I too have questioned that. I have had no scans since one year NED 3b, mitosis18. New oncologist said initial every three month scans after diagnosis for first year was only because of concerning areas and not protocol. It has never made sense to me after reading everyone's posts here. I have never had a PET scan, CT scan as said every three months for first year then nothing????

        • December 2, 2015 at 3:50 pm
        Who_am_i
        Participant

        I too have questioned that. I have had no scans since one year NED 3b, mitosis18. New oncologist said initial every three month scans after diagnosis for first year was only because of concerning areas and not protocol. It has never made sense to me after reading everyone's posts here. I have never had a PET scan, CT scan as said every three months for first year then nothing????

        • December 2, 2015 at 3:50 pm
        Who_am_i
        Participant

        I too have questioned that. I have had no scans since one year NED 3b, mitosis18. New oncologist said initial every three month scans after diagnosis for first year was only because of concerning areas and not protocol. It has never made sense to me after reading everyone's posts here. I have never had a PET scan, CT scan as said every three months for first year then nothing????

        • December 2, 2015 at 5:51 pm
        mkirkland
        Participant

        If u don't mind me asking, is your oncologist a melanoma specialist? If not, that could be why they aren't as aggressive with scans. 

        • December 2, 2015 at 5:51 pm
        mkirkland
        Participant

        If u don't mind me asking, is your oncologist a melanoma specialist? If not, that could be why they aren't as aggressive with scans. 

        • December 2, 2015 at 5:51 pm
        mkirkland
        Participant

        If u don't mind me asking, is your oncologist a melanoma specialist? If not, that could be why they aren't as aggressive with scans. 

        • December 2, 2015 at 9:10 pm
        Who_am_i
        Participant

        Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center Boston, it just really weird to me. I had disagreement with oncologist about every three month visits, why bother I told him unless he had X-ray vision!  He tried to tell me if something popped up I'd get an appt faster if I come every three months! Say what?!?! Three hour drive to feel my armpits? my PCP around the corner can do that! I've become very discouraged

         

        • December 2, 2015 at 9:10 pm
        Who_am_i
        Participant

        Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center Boston, it just really weird to me. I had disagreement with oncologist about every three month visits, why bother I told him unless he had X-ray vision!  He tried to tell me if something popped up I'd get an appt faster if I come every three months! Say what?!?! Three hour drive to feel my armpits? my PCP around the corner can do that! I've become very discouraged

         

        • December 2, 2015 at 9:10 pm
        Who_am_i
        Participant

        Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center Boston, it just really weird to me. I had disagreement with oncologist about every three month visits, why bother I told him unless he had X-ray vision!  He tried to tell me if something popped up I'd get an appt faster if I come every three months! Say what?!?! Three hour drive to feel my armpits? my PCP around the corner can do that! I've become very discouraged

         

      • December 2, 2015 at 6:19 pm
      kpcollins31
      Participant

      I am stage 4 approaching 2 years NED and I get scans every 6 months. These scans alternate between a full body PET/CT and a brain MRI and just a CT of the upper body. At 5 years NED the frequency would drop to once a year. My oncologist is a melanoma specialist and we had talked about scan frequency early on. He is simply not a huge believer in scans as the primary means of detecting a recurrence.

      The important thing is that you are comfortable with the frequency, but insurance is another consideration as these scans are quite expensive.

      Kevin

       

      • December 2, 2015 at 6:19 pm
      kpcollins31
      Participant

      I am stage 4 approaching 2 years NED and I get scans every 6 months. These scans alternate between a full body PET/CT and a brain MRI and just a CT of the upper body. At 5 years NED the frequency would drop to once a year. My oncologist is a melanoma specialist and we had talked about scan frequency early on. He is simply not a huge believer in scans as the primary means of detecting a recurrence.

      The important thing is that you are comfortable with the frequency, but insurance is another consideration as these scans are quite expensive.

      Kevin

       

      • December 2, 2015 at 6:19 pm
      kpcollins31
      Participant

      I am stage 4 approaching 2 years NED and I get scans every 6 months. These scans alternate between a full body PET/CT and a brain MRI and just a CT of the upper body. At 5 years NED the frequency would drop to once a year. My oncologist is a melanoma specialist and we had talked about scan frequency early on. He is simply not a huge believer in scans as the primary means of detecting a recurrence.

      The important thing is that you are comfortable with the frequency, but insurance is another consideration as these scans are quite expensive.

      Kevin

       

        • December 8, 2015 at 5:50 am
        swissie
        Participant

        Interesting that your oncologist is not a believer in scans as the primary means of detecting a recurrence.
        What does he suggest?

        Thanks,
        Sabine

        • December 8, 2015 at 5:50 am
        swissie
        Participant

        Interesting that your oncologist is not a believer in scans as the primary means of detecting a recurrence.
        What does he suggest?

        Thanks,
        Sabine

        • December 8, 2015 at 5:50 am
        swissie
        Participant

        Interesting that your oncologist is not a believer in scans as the primary means of detecting a recurrence.
        What does he suggest?

        Thanks,
        Sabine

      • December 3, 2015 at 3:18 am
      mjanssentx
      Participant

      Well talk about inconsistency on a topic.  

      For 3A, fully body PETs every 3 months and brain MRI once a year.  My specialist has said that PET are becoming increasingly more difficult to get approved but not in my case.

      Michel

      • December 3, 2015 at 3:18 am
      mjanssentx
      Participant

      Well talk about inconsistency on a topic.  

      For 3A, fully body PETs every 3 months and brain MRI once a year.  My specialist has said that PET are becoming increasingly more difficult to get approved but not in my case.

      Michel

      • December 3, 2015 at 3:18 am
      mjanssentx
      Participant

      Well talk about inconsistency on a topic.  

      For 3A, fully body PETs every 3 months and brain MRI once a year.  My specialist has said that PET are becoming increasingly more difficult to get approved but not in my case.

      Michel

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