bloodwork

[Guest guest]

,

Thank you .. I've gotten some much feedback and it all says the same, so I

must not be crazy!!!

As far as bloodwork goes, nope, they don't believe in that either, they said

it isn't a good judgement call...however, I will just have my primary, gyn or

therapist order bloodwork, there are ways around some things!!! I refuse to be

left behind..

Thanks again,

peace and prayers,

Michele

ajtf.tm@...> wrote:

Hi & Michele,

I'm just about to have my 1st post-treatment visit with my oncologist.

She's already told me the same thing - scans are not done unless there's

a specific area of concern. This is according to the latest guidelines

from the 2006 ASCO meeting. I've also read that earlier detection of a

recurrence doesn't affect overall survival, but I would like to think

that statistic doesn't reflect the new data with the new drugs and

treatments coming out.

It seems that in the year+ that I was diagnosed and underwent treatment

that alot of new research has come out that is helping women prevent

recurrences and live with cancer. I keep up with message boards at

her2support.org and there are many women with stage iv who are doing

fine with treatments.

Also, we all respond to treaments differently, and detection methods may

work for some, but not for others. Michele, does your doctor recommend

blood work? You can test for certain markers. Again, those markers may

not work for every woman. But I believe some of the blood work can test

for liver function. I'm just throwing this out there - I don't know what

all blood work is usually done, but hope to find out this Friday. I

think that's the one thing my onc. said she would recommend doing.

-

laurava23233 wrote on 2/5/2007, 9:01 PM:

> My oncologist doesn't do any kind of scans to look for recurrence

> either. I got the same information as you. Finding a recurrence

> early doesn't improve the long term survival rate. Scans produce a

> large number of false postive results which lead to more biopsies

> and stress for the patient.

>

> I am not sure I believe this logic, but he is the cancer expert, not

> me, and I trust him.

>

> He wants to know if I have any pain that is concentrated in a

> particular area for more than 2 weeks. Other than that, I have to

> see him every 3-6 months to check for local recurrences.

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