Suggested scans following treatment - 1257154

dawnd
Posts:13

My husband completed treatment 14 months ago and has had 2 scans, one 3 months and the next 8 months after treatment ended. He is scheduled for a follow-up this month. Just wondering what the recommended protocol for scans should be especially since he has a rare aggressive cancer that often comes back. Adenosquamous of the vocal cord. Also, how often should he be having a follow-up scope with his doctors?

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JimC
Posts: 2753

Given the rare nature of this cancer, there probably isn't anything you'd call an established standard for follow-up, but with most cancer the follow-up interval tends to start at 3-6 months for the first year or two, then lengthen. And Dr. Weiss has described the typical treatment and follow-up:

"[S]urgery followed by adjuvant cisplatin chemorads is aggressive and appropriate treatment. Surveillance typically includes NPL scope exams, cross-sectional imaging of the neck (CT or MRI) and imaging of the chest (chest xray or chest CT)." - http://cancergrace.org/hnscc/topic/rare-adenosquamous-carcinoma-of-the-…

Good luck with his follow-up.

JimC
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