Mammograms, MRIs, and Staying Vigilant

One of the hardest things about living with metastatic cancer is the need to stay constantly vigilant for signs of "disease progression" (don't you love that term?) or a recurrence, without driving yourself crazy over every little thing.

It's a hard line to walk.

I had just had my annual mammogram on my remaining breast when I read a news report that women who have breast cancer on one side should have MRIs to check the other breast.

Reuters reported the new recommendation from the American Cancer Society, which recommends using MRI to check the other breast because it picks up more tumors than a mammogram. Reuters also reported that one in 10 women who have had breast cancer on one side will develop cancer in the other breast--something I didn't know.

I haven't gotten the results of my mammogram yet, but now I need to e-mail my doctor and ask her if she thinks I should be getting regular MRIs on the left side. More tests, sigh.

Saturday Update
Talked to my doctor on the phone yesterday, and she said my mammogram was fine. (Relief.) She also said that I could have an MRI if I wanted, but that with women like me with metastatic disease, she doesn't worry so much about a "second primary" a new, unrelated cancer, because I'm in treatment all the time anyway. Plus a new tumor in the other breast would most likely show up on the scans I already get regularly.

I love it when my doctor does this: Explains things clearly, and then leaves it up to me to make the decision. I opted not to get a breast MRI. I've got better things to do with my time.

We also talked about my shortness of breath when I exercise, and it turns out I'm anemic from the chemo. So I need to swing into action on that one--more iron in my diet, and also an iron tonic, which is better absorbed than iron supplements in pill form.

But at least the shortness of breath is not caused by damage to my heart from the Herceptin, which I was afraid it might be.

Read the report:

New recommendations call for MRI in breast cancer

@ Jeanne Sather 2007.