Is getting a CT scan & bone scan standard for early breast cancer?

How long inBetween your scans did they find MBC? Im having my first PET scan tomorrow. Wondering how often I should do them now

how was bones scan? I'm afraid. Any bad reaction?

My bone scan did not require dye. It was just a one arm scanner . I laid on the table with knees propped, changed position once and done. It was not uncomfortable in any respect.

My bone scan did not require dye. It was just a one arm scanner . I laid on the table with knees propped, changed position once and done. It was not uncomfortable in any respect.

Hi @jsclarkfnp1 I had stage 1 breast cancer BRCA2+ in 2013. Had a mastectomy as only treatment. They followed me with MRIs and ultrasounds the first couple years then just annual ultrasounds. I only had CT and PET at the beginning to diagnose. Optimal to monitor with no radiation (ultrasound & MRI) or low radiation (mammogram) tests unless warranted.

It wasn't until 2020 that the cancer came back in my chest wall and muscle. I actually found the lump myself 2 days before my ultrasound was scheduled. I had the chest tumor removed, but there was a positive margin. Had radiation and am on Kisqali and Letrozole. It's very aggressive this time Ki67 50% (20+ is aggressive) so they think cells likely got away before we did the surgery. I'm having routine CT scans of chest, abdomen and pelvis every 6 months now. If I have symptoms for bone or brain issues then they'll check that -- not routine. If something new shows up on the CT scans then they'll do a PET scan. PET scan is more for diagnosing extent of cancer than for routine screening -- most expensive scan and highest in radiation.

This is all just my understanding of my case. Every case is different. Your doctor can give rationale for your case, but it's always good to ask lots of questions. Best of luck to you.

Sorry to hear of your recurrence. We are living in a time where detection and treatment options are constantly being available and refined.

Have you been tolerating Kisquali well ? It has been discussed with me, as a first line due to a KI-67 at 22. Apparently it’s about to be approved by FDA as a first line treatment.

Blessings on the path 🌸

Hi @anjalima -- I am tolerating Kisqali well. I've been on it for 27 months now and don't intend to stop. It seems to be working. When I first took 600 mg, that was a problem. Be sure they do an EKG after the first week to check for QT prolongation which is a serious cardiac side effect. Only 4% of women get it, but I was one of them. So we had to stop Kisqali for a couple weeks until everything went back to normal and then I started on 400 mg and QT didn't happen again. I started taking Kisqali and Letrozole at the same time. Fatigue, hair thinning, constipation (improved over time), low blood pressure and heart rate. Now joint pain my oncologist thinks is from the letrozole. I also had an issue for a few months with a very itchy rash that lingered if I was in the sun even briefly. My dermatologist thought it was the letrozole. I've never done chemo, but I'm betting Kisqali/Letrozole is way easier to tolerate. 25 months ago, I added Octreotide injections for my neuroendocrine lung cancer so that just piled on and made some side effects worse. Hard to assign blame when you're taking multiple meds. Good luck! It's worth it!

Hi @anjalima -- I am tolerating Kisqali well. I've been on it for 27 months now and don't intend to stop. It seems to be working. When I first took 600 mg, that was a problem. Be sure they do an EKG after the first week to check for QT prolongation which is a serious cardiac side effect. Only 4% of women get it, but I was one of them. So we had to stop Kisqali for a couple weeks until everything went back to normal and then I started on 400 mg and QT didn't happen again. I started taking Kisqali and Letrozole at the same time. Fatigue, hair thinning, constipation (improved over time), low blood pressure and heart rate. Now joint pain my oncologist thinks is from the letrozole. I also had an issue for a few months with a very itchy rash that lingered if I was in the sun even briefly. My dermatologist thought it was the letrozole. I've never done chemo, but I'm betting Kisqali/Letrozole is way easier to tolerate. 25 months ago, I added Octreotide injections for my neuroendocrine lung cancer so that just piled on and made some side effects worse. Hard to assign blame when you're taking multiple meds. Good luck! It's worth it!

I love your upbeat attitude and doing “ what it takes” to regain your health.

I appreciate all the information and warnings that you shared. Thank you.

I’ve been on AROMATASE for one year… I have the added joint stiffness and discomfort until I get moving; yoga really helps and walking/hiking. I’m a huge outdoor enthusiast including skiing ⛷ at 72. I definitely had some initial hair thinning … which also could have been from my two surgeries; hair follicles don’t like anesthesia. Now it’s normal. My one year DEXA showed basically no change so that was good but we will keep monitoring bone density. I have good density now. I feel like the AI keeps me safe as I was 98-99% ER + so I’ll take whatever the side effects over BC!

I was under the impression that Kisquali caused diarrhea vs constipation. But everyone has their own unique response to meds.

So happy that you are tolerating a med that has been so helpful to you! Thank you for taking the time to answer my question. 🌸

I'm impressed that you are still skiing at 72! I do go walking every day.

Yes, Kisqali can cause diarrhea or constipation. Luckily, not the former for me. I've heard Verzenio causes really bad diarrhea so I plan to avoid that. That's a quality of life issue. It's a similar drug to Kisqali and Ibrance.