Head/Neck Scan

[Marco1975]

Hello, just a question that came up in my mind reading other topics.
I'm cancer free from July 2004, non seminona stage IIB with 3xBEP and L-RPLND, but doctors never asked for a total body CT Scan (...never had my head "scanned"). Is that normal? Somewhere (in this forum) I read that cancer (mostly seminoma?) can skip lynfonodes and go directy to lungs or brain (isn't that what happened to Armstrong?). In my case my lungs were free from "mets". Shouldn't they have checked my head?
Thank you,
Marco.

[Bagpipe]

Hi Marco-

I was similar stage to you with 100% Embryonal Carcinoma (non seminoma). This is most likely to skip lymph nodes and progress to lungs and then liver, brain, bone etc. In my case, I did have mets in lymph node (one node at 1.5cm that grew to 3cm on surveillance). I received 3X BEP (July 2005) and only have chest xrays as main follow up (along with AFP markers. etc. of course). My follow up regimen was issued by Dr. Einhorn at IU and I don't believe there is usually cause for a brain/head scan post treatment (with full response to chemo). Maybe it is different in Europe.

Good luck.

[Davie]

The guideline in the UK are that a CT scan will also be done if the prechemotherapy bHCG is greater than 10,000 mIU/ml.

TC has to be pretty advanced if it in the brain, and at lower bHCG levels than 10,000 mIU/ml, I guess it's very unlikely it has spread to the brain.

[Marco1975]

Hi Marco-

and only have chest xrays as main follow up (along with AFP markers. etc. of course).

Good luck.

no CT Scans?
not even one per year?
i think i'm going to have ct scans for the first 5 years (and no Xrays to lungs).