Follow Up Questions - Abdominal & Pelvic Necessary?

[TimsWife]

My husband has his first follow up CT after his two treatments of Carboplatin for Stage 1A Seminoma. Here are my questions:
The Oncologist wants to treat his follow up similar to Survellaince since Carboplatin is a newer treatment option.
He is doing blood work ever 4 months, a CT Scan every 4 months and a lung X Ray every 8 months (every other time.) The Oncologist is saying that he needs both a Pelvic & an Abdominal CT with Contrast. Unless I am reading eveythin wrong I thought the newer studies are showing onyl an abdominal CT w/ Contrast is necessary. We really do not want him exposed to more radiation than necessary. Help- his Ct Scan is on Thursday and we then have to wait until next Tuesday for the results. What do we do? Both?
Thanks!
Kelly (Tim's Wife)

Stage 1A Seminoma 3.8 cm, March 30, 2006
Carboplatin 2x Finished in the the beginning of May 2006

[Scott]

There was a recent discussion about chest, abdominal, and pelvic CT scans on the TC-NET mailing list. The prevailing opinion is that:

1. Pelvic CT scans aren't strictly necessary but not worth arguing over.
2. Chest CT scans are too sensitive; a chest x-ray is sufficient and much less expensive.

[Krokar]

Discussion about what to scan is always under question when you must go under scan. It was also calculated many times also on this forum that CT (abdominal and or pelvis) is nothing comparing RT treatement and even that treatement is only potential risk for second cancer.

I oncologyst suggest both exams I would stick to that. Nothing will be wrong after it and you can be more sure later everything is OK with Tim.

[TimsWife]

First Follow-up and RDW Question

My husband had his first follow-up appoinment today after the 2 doese of Carboplatin and he was all clear! The only issue at all was in his red blood cell count, which the oncologist reported was due to the Carboplatin Treatments. His RDW was 14.9, where the range is 11.5-14.5. He told us that Tim looked great and woudl see us in 4 months. (Lab work in 2.) The Oncologist stated that this would return to noraml and was a common side effect of the Chemo- did this happen to anyone else?

Something funny did happen- in the CT Scan Report is was noted that he only had one testicle- the onocologist, Tim & I had a great laugh!

-Kelly (Timswife)

[Scott]

in the CT Scan Report is was noted that he only had one testicle

What a shocking discovery!