Waiting for follow-up pet scan after chemo for Hodgkin's Lymphoma

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hi all i have finished my  6 cycles of chemo hodg lymp and am waiting for pet scan possibly first week in feb. just wondering what are the next few steps tyia

  • Hi grumpy 116

    My name is Gemma and I am one of the Cancer Information Nurse Specialists on the Macmillan Support Line.

    Firstly well done for getting through your 6 cycles of treatment for non-Hodgkin lymphoma, I am sure it wasn’t easy and you are relieved you have got through all of those cycles.

    The follow-up process after treatment is there to give you support, ask how you are feeling and let you know what your response to treatment is by taking blood and imagery.

    Pet Scans or Positron emission tomography (PET) scans produce detailed 3-dimensional images of the inside of the body. It is very similar to other scans you may have experienced; the scan usually takes 30 to 60 minutes. Having the scan is completely painless, but you may feel uncomfortable lying still for this long.

    Starting follow-up and active surveillance after treatment can sometimes feel daunting and waiting for results.

    You might feel relieved when you finish cancer treatment. However, you may also worry about whether the treatment has worked and what might happen in the future.

    Living with uncertainty can be difficult to manage and managing feelings and life in general can feel tough. Some people find it useful to decide to think about ways to improve their well-being and long-term health. This could be part of your recovery. Your cancer team and GP can give you advice about this.

    I hope this information is helpful, sometimes it is useful to ring us on 0800 808 00 00 we are open 8 til 8 and you speak to one of our Macmillan nurses its whatever works best for you.

    Best wishes

    Gemma

    Cancer Information Nurse Specialist  

    You can also speak with the Macmillan Support Line team of experts. Phone free on 0808 808 0000 (7 days a week, 8am-8pm) or send us an email.  

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