I had a PET scan each year for the first 2 years. Cancer free. Next year now no more PET scans are scheduled. Rad Onc. who follows me, says we will use other methods of screening from here on out, including bone scans, mammos & US for the remaining breast. And we will monitor and screen for any symptoms that may arise in the future. Pay close attention to your body, especially take care of your bone health by taking plenty of vitamin D and calcium.

I was stage IV and my onc is not doing scans either because of the cumulative radiation and that insurance companies are changing their policies also. I get blood work ups every three months and he monitors me physically. If there were some symptoms then he would order a scan at that time.

I saw my Dr twice a year, but called her Oncology nurse with any concerns. You kinda feel at a loss at first. I remember feeling safe when they were all fussing over me through treatment--then they set me loose. Whoa, I felt lost..and a little afraid. My Oncology nurse had said any pain that does not go away in two weeks and does not get better--get it checked out.

My friend had a PET scan after her chemo last June- it came back clean. She felt a lump in her mastectomy scar about 2 weeks later.- the cancer had come back and it was too small to pick up on scans. Be aware of any changes in your body and don't rely on technology.

It depends on what your diagnosis was. Doctors no longer do follow-up scans for early-stage BC survivors (I was Stage 1b) because those scans can emit small amounts of radiation. Albeit, those small amounts won't kill you but there is a cumulative effect that they think about. My doctors do manually exams, and really ask me how I am feeling. If I feel exhausted or like anything is off then I would tell them. Honestly though, two years later I feel pretty great considering :). Some doctors will do do tumor marker tests (most do that when you get bloodwork at follow-ups) but those won't tell them too much with regards to early stage. However, if you feel really concerned and want that peace of mind, ask your doctor for a scan. I was having some hip pain about 3 months after chemotherapy ended and was really scared that my cancer had mestastized. So she sent me for a PetCT scan. Everything came back clear but it was nice for me to have that peace of mind.