No. We want to balance between being judicious about not wanting to overscan people but needing to keep tabs on what is happening with a cancer. We certainly want to minimize scanning in people who don't have an active cancer and may be undergoing periodic imaging surveillance for a very long time, but in someone with an active cancer, especially if metastatic, that is the overwhelming pressing issue. This means that it's more important to have timely feedback about whether the cancer is growing or responding to treatment than to worry about a risk of problems in the more distant future that may well be more theoretical than real.
Reply # - October 17, 2013, 07:40 PM
Reply To: how many X-Ray scans?
No. We want to balance between being judicious about not wanting to overscan people but needing to keep tabs on what is happening with a cancer. We certainly want to minimize scanning in people who don't have an active cancer and may be undergoing periodic imaging surveillance for a very long time, but in someone with an active cancer, especially if metastatic, that is the overwhelming pressing issue. This means that it's more important to have timely feedback about whether the cancer is growing or responding to treatment than to worry about a risk of problems in the more distant future that may well be more theoretical than real.
-Dr. West
Reply # - October 18, 2013, 04:50 AM
Reply To: how many X-Ray scans?
thanks alot
that was very helpful