Regular scanss/test

Hi I am 4 years post-diagnosis and am now on annual check-ups and 2 yearly mammograms. My oncologist made it clear at the outset that no follow-up tests would be done unless I developed symptoms, and added that if bc patients develop secondaries, it doesn\'t make any difference when they\'re discovered. I find this very odd - surely if a tumour is discovered early rather than late, it can be treated more effectively? A blood test for liver function isn\'t very invasive, after all!

It\'s all very testing! Hi all.
My hospital also have a no tests policy. At first this terrified me, as in the early days my thinking was different. I didn\'t understand the implications of getting this illness, so thought that every test in the world should be done. However as you get deeper into this illness and its treatments it\'s clear, especially if you have a good oncologist, that if you do get a reacurrence then unfortunately the treatment becomes a \'management\' situation. My onc was very honest and I trust what he said, it did make sense to me but was hard to hear. He advised that my main concern should be reacurrence, as this would be more likely than a new cancer starting in the other side. Although my prognosis is good, of course there is still that tiny chance etc. He explained that although there some tests being researched, they are not in main stream because they can be unreliable and this can cause anxiety. He also said that you could have a test and it could show nothing at the time and then six weeks later something could occur. Over all he said that whether we are tested or present with symptons then the outcome is the same, i.e they can\'t cure us! It\'s all a bit of a mine field, with different trusts advising slightly different courses, but I know that when I\'m not having treatment I feel better about the whole thing. When I was inbetween treatments I almost felt like my old self so, for me, not being tested is the right thing as once my rads are over I hope that maybe I can start to move on a bit.
I know every one is different, but it\'s interesting to see all our different experiences and sometimes reassuring [well I find it reassuring] to know that your hospital or trust are not short changing you.

Hope you are all well where ever you are on this journey,
Scarlet. xx

I was diagnosed with my breast cancer and bone mets at the same time and I have monthly CA15-3 markers taken (bloods) rather than regular scans as my markers are very reliable, they don\'t work for everyone.
Mets can be micoscopic so I\'m not sure regular scans would be worthwhile but if anyone suspects they might have spread I would urge them to investigate it sooner rather than later.
As Kay has said secondaries are not curable but I\'m in remission and have been since the Summer 2005, (was diagnosed in 2003).
I know women who have been living with their mets for many years.
Prompt treatment, (especially in the case of bone mets) can really help stabilise and in some cases put breast cancer into remission for very long spells.
Belinda.