My mom finished her last round of chemo two weeks ago. Yay! They told her that she would need a body scan to determine whether or not the cancer was in remission. She went back to the doc a couple days ago and they put her on a 2 year regimen of an Estrogen blocking drug. She asked when they would take her port out (it really bothers her) and the nurse said not for six months to a year! Is that right? Mom is afraid that she will have to have the port in for the full two years of her taking those drugs. I told her she needs ask her doc, but I was wondering if someone can clue me in on how this worked for them?
I think she was under the impression that her chemo would be over then within a month they would do a scan, take the port out and call her done. She is pretty upset about having to wait so long.
My mom's was left in. It is better to err on the side of caution. If she can describe what exactly bothers her about having it in perhaps they can do something about it.
She should really talk with her doctor about it. Congratulations on her finishing her chemo.
My sister had chemo, a port, PET scans, etc.
They leave the port in because they want to be certain that she'd in remission.
Your mom is NOT in remission until she's been cancer free for 1 year. They want to leave in the port because chemo is SO hard on her arteries and veins...it's much easier to gain access and push drugs and fluids using the port. If she needs another round of chemo, it's best that the port is there.
Installing and removing the port are surgical procedures for which anaesthesia is used. Because of all that her body is enduring, they want to avoid putting her under unnecessarily. As you know, they put it there for easy repetitive injections, and they want to make sure that they are finished so they don't keep opening and closing her, which is a big infection risk. They want to see consistent "wellness" (whatever that will look like) for a certain period of time before they can feel fairly confident that they won't be just going right back in. Her body can only do so much at once and be effective. If it has to focus on healing that incision (from the port, installing or removing), then that distracts her "healers" from her disease. Healing takes a lot of energy; you want her system to focus on the cancer and the effects of the chemotherapy.
Yea, for her continued improvement. I wish her the very best.
My dad finished chemo several months ago, but he still has his port. His doctor told him it will stay in until she is confident that they have killed all the cancer cells.
I should say, my dad's cancer is in his sinuses/brain an that may be a whole different ballgame than what your mom is dealing with.
Maybe they'll do this PET scan and another in 6 mos...if all is clear remove it? I don't know. She'll have to ask the nurse/dr for sure.
She might have to have more maintenance chemo.
My friend had hers left in as well....going on a few months now....
I had a masectomy in april of 2007. they did chemo and then radiation (last treatment was in January of 2008. The port was removed in march of 2008. they did it right in the doctors office didn't need stitches or anything they put a butterfly bandage over it. they wont' take the port for a couple months as they have to make sure it is all gone. they won't know for sure till there has been blood work ups for several months. I had to have blood drawn weekly for the first couple months after the chemo and then monthly. I am almost 5 years out now and they still do it twice a year. going in next month for check up and all the scans etc again.
This is interesting to know, my father just had a port put in.
My memory is so terrible from that time, but I am pretty sure that my port was removed a couple of months after I finished chemo. It has nothing to do with the drugs. I'm on a 5-year regimen of Femara and still have over 2 years to go; my port was taken out over 2 years ago. Also, initially I had a PET scan every 6 months, now I'm down to yearly, I think. Chemo brain - it never quite goes away completely!
