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Annual Testing - Long Term Survivors
Head & Neck Cancer | Last Active: Jul 29 10:01am | Replies (17)Comment receiving replies
I am at year 3. My ENT surgeon and Oncologist still want 6 month visits but I have stretched that to 9 months. I will continue to go in year 4 but after that I am done. I cringe every time I have a Head and then Chest CT as I know how much radiation I have already had. The odds of recurrence are in the first 3 years in reading most data. There is a slight risk beyond but I will monitor my own symptoms. I realize most will continue to get follow up testing which is the norm. The HPV throat cancer follow up protocols are really all over the place. Everyone must do what they feel is right. Moving forward I believe the NavDx blood test will be a game changer in HPV cancer surveillance. One blood test a year. If negative no worries. If positive then you start up your CT scans and throat scopes.
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@jonesja
Makes you wonder how much of the excess treatments and surveillance after treatments are profit motivated, even at the non-profit organizations.
I like the idea of using the NavDx test instead of the PET/CT scan .
I think I will ask for it in the future and see what kind of response I get.
But this blood test is done by an outside private group so there isn't much financial incentive for some cancer centers to use it .
That and private equity has been taking over many hospitals nationwide so
we know how that ends.
I was scheduled for a CT neck scan only 2 mos. out of treatment which I cancelled after getting the neg. NavDx test back. Told the nurse no more radiation !
But there was pressure and reasons I needed the CT scan even though the following month was scheduled for the PET scan which seems to be the normal surveillance protocol.