CT scans provide critical information. “We noticed that there was tremendous variation in the number of [follow-up] tests patients received” and that the facility where patients received their follow-up strongly influenced the number of tests, explained the lead investigator, George J. Chang, M.D., of the University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center. The researchers used the database and additional information regarding surveillance testing and recurrence to track the patients’ care for a minimum of 5 years, beginning with their cancer surgery. Comments are moderated by CNN, in accordance with the CNN Comment Policy below, and may not appear on this blog until they have been reviewed and deemed appropriate for posting. Undergoing follow-up testing for cancer recurrence more than once a year may not benefit people who have been treated for colorectal cancer, results from two new studies show. … Abdominal and pelvic CT scans raise the risk for cancer more than brain scans, and the risk is far greater in younger patients, especially children. However, CT scans also expose patients to 100 to 500 times more radiation than other types of x-ray imaging. Polite. In a patient who is in good physical shape, I do this every three months with the advice to come in sooner if you have any worries. However, the lifetime risk of cancer from a single CT scan was small—about one case of cancer for every 10,000 scans … asked by: Steve Snodgrass; Bowling Green, Kentucky. Chief Medical Officer, I use pamidronate (trade name Aredia) or zoledronic acid (trade name Zometa). This will mean that I will have 2 CT scans … After cancer treatment is complete, the healthcare provider may want the patient to undergo periodic PET scans to determine if the cancer … These tests often find health problems that are not serious. Polite. What the results from these two studies reveal, said Dr. You may not post any unlawful, threatening, defamatory, obscene, pornographic or other material that would violate the law. Imaging tests (or scans) are ways to create pictures of the organs and tissues inside the body. Continued Some organs are more sensitive to radiation than others. Having PET and PET-CT scans can add to your stress as a cancer survivor. Within 3 years after surgery, the high-intensity group received a CT scan and CEA assay 5 times each, while the low-intensity group received both tests twice. Also, PET, and especially PET-CT scans… Studies every three months can be quite expensive and expose the patient to a hefty dose of radiation. In practice, many doctors do CT scans of the body and pelvis every few months; others do nuclear medicine tests such as PET scans or bone scans. I have metastatic breast cancer, so far in bones only. Now I am using USC, and they want scans every 4 months and the scope once a year, for the first three years. To try to detect recurrences as early as possible, people who have finished colorectal cancer treatment regularly return to their doctors for imaging tests (like CT or MRI scans) and a blood test to detect CEA, a substance that can indicate if cancer is growing. After a median follow-up period of 79 months, patients followed with chest CT scan had a significantly longer overall median and 5-year survival (P = .0009) than those followed by physical examination and CXR (hazard ratio,1.279; 95% CI, 1.086-1.507). Overall survival was also unaffected by the intensity of surveillance. The American Society of Radiology holds that individuals can receive a cumulative maximum dose of 100 mSv for normal diagnostic imaging scans … Can a nerve stimulator stop my back pain? Mine was 3B- and with us "threes" the standard is- CT yearly, I believe for 3 years? Guidelines may recommend imaging tests every 3, 6, or 12 months after surgery… After 5 years, the rate of detected cancer recurrence was unchanged between the high-intensity group and the low-intensity group. The first group I had did the scans every 6 months for the first three years. But in some patients, the cancer will return, usually within 3 years after surgery. But results from both studies, published May 22 in JAMA, showed that more frequent tests did not change the rate of detection of recurrence or death due to cancer. Physicians will often perform a follow-up PET scan on people undergoing treatment for cancer. He was scheduled to have numerous additional chemo treatments, but he was confused and reluctant to do so – because, aside from some side effects after the chemo treatments, he felt perfectly fine...no symptoms at all. “I think we will end up risk-adapting guidelines as we learn more,” he said. I think it mostly depends on the stage of the cancer. If you do CT scans too many times, it may cause harm to the body and even lead to cancer. Also, due to the volume of comments we receive, not all comments will be posted. CNN Privacy Statement.The information contained on this page does not and is not intended to convey medical advice. A test to detect CEA in the blood can be used to tell if colorectal cancer may have returned. When the researchers characterized each facility as one that performed high- or low-intensity surveillance, they found that patients who were treated at low-intensity surveillance facilities received an average of 1.6 imaging tests and 1.6 CEA tests in 3 years. Asked by Claire Myers, Rockledge, Florida. To make CT scans safer, providers use X-ray shields to protect sensitive areas and adjust doses to minimize the risk for younger patients. The report found that CT scans are often overused and conducted at higher … In addition, there was no difference in deaths overall or deaths from colorectal cancer between the two groups, the researchers found. But cancer care guidelines generally do not recommend a PET scan be used as a first-line test for determining if the cancer … I should also mention that unless contraindicated, we treat the patient with bone-only breast cancer with a bisphosphonate to harden the bones. Different types of scans are often used at different points in a person’s cancer … Before your scan … That will put him in year 3. Dr. Otis Brawley I had a CT scan with contrast two days ago at my “home” hospital. This type of scan takes a series of x-rays and uses a computer to put them together. Your question actually speaks directly to one of the controversies in medicine today regarding medical costs in the United States. Biosimilars for Cancer Emerge as Patents on Widely Used Biological Drugs Expire, Approval Expanded for Venetoclax in Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia, If you would like to reproduce some or all of this content, see Reuse of NCI Information for guidance about copyright and permissions. These tests include chest CT scan or X-ray. A friend who finished chemo in October for same Ovarian and same stage III, has not had any CT scans … “The data [from these studies] should definitely force us to get back together as a group and think about whether we need to revise the guidelines,” said Blase Polite, M.D., an oncologist at the University of Chicago Medical Center. ( 6 ) Other studies have calculated that the risk of a single CT scan causing cancer … 12/19/16- PET scan 5/5/17-CT scan 11/16/17-CT scan 5/11/18-PET scan He will have another CT in 6 months, and then a second one 6 months later. And colorectal cancer that spreads quickly between yearly surveillance tests is not likely to respond to available treatments anyway, he explained. After 5 years, they are typically done about once a year. “They don’t have to get a CT scan at every follow-up visit.”. At high-intensity surveillance facilities, patients received an average of 2.9 imaging tests and 4.3 CEA tests in 3 years. There is … All comments should be relevant to the topic and remain respectful of other authors and commenters. CT scans provide more-detailed images of more types of tissue than traditional X-rays do, which allows your doctor to detect and locate many medical conditions.. CT scans … Today I found out that the Mayo Clinic wants to do a CT scan and an MRI of my brain. He will then we believe go on to yearly PET scans … by NCI Staff, Complementary & Alternative Medicine (CAM), Coping with Your Feelings During Advanced Cancer, Emotional Support for Young People with Cancer, Young People Facing End-of-Life Care Decisions, Late Effects of Childhood Cancer Treatment, Tech Transfer & Small Business Partnerships, Frederick National Laboratory for Cancer Research, Milestones in Cancer Research and Discovery, Step 1: Application Development & Submission, Researchers Testing “Packaged” CAR T Cells for Retinoblastoma, Study Confirms HPV Vaccine Prevents Cervical Cancer, NCI Priorities in Reducing Global Cancer Burden, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. The other study was a retrospective cohort study, funded partly by NCI, of more than 8,500 people who had been treated for colorectal cancer in the United States and who were registered in the National Cancer Database—a collection of clinical oncology data gathered from multiple hospitals. “The message for survivors is one of reassurance,” Dr. Chang said. On average, patients who were initially treated for advanced stage colorectal cancer received more tests. In one study, more than 2,500 people from several European countries who had had surgery to treat colorectal cancer were randomly assigned to receive either high- or low-intensity surveillance testing. You may not post any unlawful, threatening, libelous, defamatory, obscene, pornographic or other material that would violate the law. If one is taking the medical oncology board exam, the answer is bone-only metastatic breast cancer that is being treated with hormones or that has been treated with chemotherapy and is now quiet should be followed with regular questioning of the patient about symptoms, physical examination and some blood tests to assess bone turnover, liver and renal function. Based on their findings, Dr. Chang and his colleagues agreed with the surveillance recommendations of the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence in the United Kingdom: In the first 3 years following initial surgery, people who have been treated for colorectal cancer should receive CEA testing every 6 months in addition to two CT scans. By submitting your question, you hereby give CNN the right, but not the obligation, to post, air, edit, exhibit, telecast, cablecast, webcast, re-use, publish, reproduce, use, license, print, distribute or otherwise use your questions(s) and accompanying personal identifying and other information you provide via all forms of media now known or hereafter devised, worldwide, in perpetuity. You might also have CT scans at: 1 year; 3 years 5 years; then every 2 years onwards; Higher risk of cancer coming back. But for people who have been treated for colorectal cancer and who have certain risk factors that increase the risk of recurrence, more intense surveillance might be appropriate, Dr. by NCI Staff, October 14, 2020, Before your next CT scan. However, current medical guidelines differ on the recommended surveillance tests and how often they should be performed. This may lead to more tests and procedures, including follow-up scans, and even biopsies and surgery. CNN is not responsible for any actions or inaction on your part based on the information that is presented here. That aspect of follow-up shouldn’t change, said Dr. I finished chemo last April and have had two CT scans plus one scheduled for late March. Cancer recurrence was not detected earlier in patients who were tested at high-intensity facilities, regardless of cancer stage, Dr. Chang and his colleagues found. BackgroundMany different types of tests are used to help diagnose cancer, determine the cancer’s stage, monitor how well treatment is working, and watch for a cancer recurrence (return of the cancer). A chest X-ray and X-ray of the area of metastasis (spread to bone) would also be useful. If your risk of the cancer coming back is higher, you might have a CT scan at: 6 months; 1 year; 2 years; 3 years; 5 years; every 2 years onwards; The risk of the cancer … When a severely ill patient has undergone several CT exams, the exams … This may decrease risk of broken bones and may also fight the cancer by making it more difficult for the cancer to implant in bone and grow. Many patients also demand them. Both of the new studies aimed to determine whether increased surveillance improved outcomes of colorectal cancer, but they took different approaches. Follow-up tests can be a psychological and financial burden on patients. Like other X-ray imaging exams, CT scans expose you briefly to a small, targeted amount of ionizing radiation. Is the inability of cancer patients to eat a concern? The emphasis during follow-up should be not only on recurrence detection, but on the entire survivorship experience, he added. Why CT scans are worse than X-rays. Overall, your odds are very low -- the chance of getting a fatal cancer from any one CT scan is about 1 in 2,000. Based on their findings, Dr. Chang and his colleagues agreed with the surveillance recommendations of the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence in the United Kingdom: In the first 3 years following initial surgery, people who have been treated for colorectal cancer should receive CEA testing every 6 months in addition to two CT scans.Although some patients may prefer more frequent surveillance for peace of mind, the tests are not without harms, Dr. Chang pointed out. CEA every 3 months for the first year, then every 6 months … Based on the findings of these and other studies, “there is now a considerable body of evidence that imaging and CEA testing more often than every year does little to improve survival in a meaningful way,” wrote Hanna Sanoff, M.D., of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, in an editorial on the two studies. For example, she noted, the COLOFUL trial investigators modified the design of their study to increase enrollment and aid trial completion. Guidelines vary in their advice to doctors about how often patients should get these imaging tests. But cancer … You are solely responsible for your own comments, the consequences of posting those comments, and the consequences of any reliance by you on the comments of others. by NCI Staff, September 24, 2020, There is no evidence that these tests and early detection of tumor growth benefit the patients, but many doctors do them anyway. A slow-growing colorectal cancer “probably isn’t going to change all that much between year 2 and year 3. Physicians tend to "over-image" with costly radiologic and nuclear medicine tests. Seven or eight years is not unusual. Therefore, cancer patients should be checked according to the needs of the disease. So, you’re probably not missing that window of opportunity” by doing surveillance tests once a year, he said. Whenever I go to see doctors other than my oncologist, they want to know about when and how often additional testing and/or scans are performed. They also can be used following a CT scan to determine whether a suspicious-looking area is scar tissue or active cancer. The radiation helps create an image of structures inside your body. March 31, 2009 -- As many as 7% of patients treated at a large U.S. hospital received enough radiation exposure from repeated CT scans to increase their cancer risk, according to a new … The goal of follow-up testing, or surveillance, of people who have been treated for cancer is to improve patient survival by detecting and treating a recurrence early. Many patients also demand them. It sounds like you have an orthodox oncologist who follows the rules and does not over-image. Polite added. Although these new studies are important, they do have limitations, Dr. Sanoff pointed out. Play it safe by asking the following questions next time a doctor prescribes a CT scan … Dr. Chang’s study compared the outcomes of patients who got tested at a high- or low-intensity facility, rather than comparing the outcomes of patients who received high-intensity or low-intensity testing, Dr. Sanoff noted. In an attempt to quantify cancer risks from CT scans, the National Research Council in 2006 calculated that every 10 mSv of radiation exposure increases the lifetime risk of cancer by 0.1 percent. Generally speaking, are additional testing and/or scans done in the absence of new symptoms? The longer you have been free of cancer, the less often the appointments are needed. Previous question:Have I drunk enough to cause liver cirrhosis?« Back to Conditions. The study, called COLOFUL, was led by Peer Wille-Jørgensen, D.M.Sc., of the Danish Colorectal Cancer Group. What makes CT scans more of a threat than even X-rays has to do with the way they deliver radiation. By submitting your comment, you hereby give CNN the right, but not the obligation, to post, air, edit, exhibit, telecast, cablecast, webcast, re-use, publish, reproduce, use, license, print, distribute or otherwise use your comment(s) and accompanying personal identifying and other information you provide via all forms of media now known or hereafter devised, worldwide, in perpetuity. Physical examination and CEA testing every three to six months Abdominal and chest CT scan each year (every six to 12 months for patients with a high risk of recurrence) For patients with … This encompasses monitoring people who have undergone cancer treatment for toxicities from their treatment, counseling them about leading a healthy lifestyle, and providing them with appropriate resources for psychosocial support and management of financial toxicity when needed. 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