Pet scan after finished treatment

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My dad finished radiotherapy on his throat in October and this week had his PET scan to see if has gone or has grown else where, he has been asked to go in to see his consultant for the results, is this normal? He is very scared is bad news

  • Hi Hayes93

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

    I am sorry to read that your dad is scared and worried about hearing bad news.

    To reassure you, after your dad’s main treatment ends, cancer teams will usually arrange for you to have check-ups or any scans you may need. This is called follow-up care. or active surveillance.

    During this time it is normal to have worries about your cancer returning, waiting for scan results or getting called in can feel very frightening.

    Try to reassure him that this is a normal process to see how his response to radiotherapy has been.

    The PET scan is particularly helpful for investigating confirmed cases of cancer to determine how well it's responding to treatment.

    I hope this is helpful to you and your dad, please don’t hesitate to contact us again after the appointment if you have any questions.

    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.  

    Ref  GeS/GmR