PET scan interval

I am 3b and just completed a 50 week IPI/NIVO. For the past 18 months I had CT scans every 12 weeks.  I did not want PET scans every 12 weeks as I think and most DRs would say that is too much radiation and radioactivity from the contrast. MRI once a year of the brain. Now that I have been cancer free for the past year I move to CT scans every 6 months.

I am 3b and just completed a 50 week IPI/NIVO. For the past 18 months I had CT scans every 12 weeks.  I did not want PET scans every 12 weeks as I think and most DRs would say that is too much radiation and radioactivity from the contrast. MRI once a year of the brain. Now that I have been cancer free for the past year I move to CT scans every 6 months.

I am 3b and just completed a 50 week IPI/NIVO. For the past 18 months I had CT scans every 12 weeks.  I did not want PET scans every 12 weeks as I think and most DRs would say that is too much radiation and radioactivity from the contrast. MRI once a year of the brain. Now that I have been cancer free for the past year I move to CT scans every 6 months.

I've had PET/CT scans every 12 weeks for the past year, the exposure has been the least of my worries. My doctor and the hospital I get treatment at is very knowledgeable in the field of melanoma and cancer in general, so I know they wouldn't order scans that they felt the risk of exposure outweighed the benefit of finding something early.

I've had PET/CT scans every 12 weeks for the past year, the exposure has been the least of my worries. My doctor and the hospital I get treatment at is very knowledgeable in the field of melanoma and cancer in general, so I know they wouldn't order scans that they felt the risk of exposure outweighed the benefit of finding something early.

I've had PET/CT scans every 12 weeks for the past year, the exposure has been the least of my worries. My doctor and the hospital I get treatment at is very knowledgeable in the field of melanoma and cancer in general, so I know they wouldn't order scans that they felt the risk of exposure outweighed the benefit of finding something early.

Hi Anon, I am coming up on 3 years on checkmate 067 trial of Ipi+Nivo or either as a monotherapy. For the first 15months I had Ct scans of chest down to hips every 6 weeeks and Mri of head every 3 months. After 15 months we switched Ct to every 12 weeks. A brain scan once a year seems like a long time to wait especially since Stereotatic treatments like Cyberknife or Gammakife work better on smaller tumors!!!!Best wishes in your journey!!!Ed

Hi Anon, I am coming up on 3 years on checkmate 067 trial of Ipi+Nivo or either as a monotherapy. For the first 15months I had Ct scans of chest down to hips every 6 weeeks and Mri of head every 3 months. After 15 months we switched Ct to every 12 weeks. A brain scan once a year seems like a long time to wait especially since Stereotatic treatments like Cyberknife or Gammakife work better on smaller tumors!!!!Best wishes in your journey!!!Ed

Hi Anon, I am coming up on 3 years on checkmate 067 trial of Ipi+Nivo or either as a monotherapy. For the first 15months I had Ct scans of chest down to hips every 6 weeeks and Mri of head every 3 months. After 15 months we switched Ct to every 12 weeks. A brain scan once a year seems like a long time to wait especially since Stereotatic treatments like Cyberknife or Gammakife work better on smaller tumors!!!!Best wishes in your journey!!!Ed

Hi,

Think there are benefits if things were to progress – they are found early.

If the price of accessing a PD1 drug at stage 3 is extra scans- then I would go for it. I had the extra scans at stage 3c- but was on placebo- in a keytruda trial but they found progression earlier than otherwise and am now on ipi nivo.- 7 days and counting.

Standard of care is variable- stage 3 usually 6 monthly in UK unless on trials. 3 monthly seems more common in the USA but it does not seem to be standardized. There are pros and cons but I think you are on the right side of the equation with accessing Keytruda at an early stage. 

Understand the scan anxiety, They usually fob you off with – need time to read MRI etc but with recent brain scan was told immediately – as would have been banned from driving home if they found anything – symptoms or no, Fortunately that bit was clear….

Best wishes

Deb

Hi,

Think there are benefits if things were to progress – they are found early.

If the price of accessing a PD1 drug at stage 3 is extra scans- then I would go for it. I had the extra scans at stage 3c- but was on placebo- in a keytruda trial but they found progression earlier than otherwise and am now on ipi nivo.- 7 days and counting.

Standard of care is variable- stage 3 usually 6 monthly in UK unless on trials. 3 monthly seems more common in the USA but it does not seem to be standardized. There are pros and cons but I think you are on the right side of the equation with accessing Keytruda at an early stage. 

Understand the scan anxiety, They usually fob you off with – need time to read MRI etc but with recent brain scan was told immediately – as would have been banned from driving home if they found anything – symptoms or no, Fortunately that bit was clear….

Best wishes

Deb

Hi,

Think there are benefits if things were to progress – they are found early.

If the price of accessing a PD1 drug at stage 3 is extra scans- then I would go for it. I had the extra scans at stage 3c- but was on placebo- in a keytruda trial but they found progression earlier than otherwise and am now on ipi nivo.- 7 days and counting.

Standard of care is variable- stage 3 usually 6 monthly in UK unless on trials. 3 monthly seems more common in the USA but it does not seem to be standardized. There are pros and cons but I think you are on the right side of the equation with accessing Keytruda at an early stage. 

Understand the scan anxiety, They usually fob you off with – need time to read MRI etc but with recent brain scan was told immediately – as would have been banned from driving home if they found anything – symptoms or no, Fortunately that bit was clear….

Best wishes

Deb