Stage 2b

Hi sandybottom and welcome to our group.

For me, the radio planning scan was done before I started chemo, so was perfectly normal in my plan. Chemo and radiotherapy are done concurrently for stage 2 cancer, so the planning needs to be do so everything can start in the same week. 

I’m sorry you found out that your stage was higher than you had anticipated-that must have a bit of a blow. I always knew I was stage 2b from the start. 

The planning scan is very straightforward-a Ct scan to plan the radiotherapy accurately. I would recommend having an empty bowel in advance no-one warned me about this and I was sent away with suppositories to come back another day! Just a little tip for you.

Good luck with your treatment and please feel to ask any questions going forward. Lots of us have been through the same treatment so will be happy to help support you through.

Sarah xx

Thank you for your reply :) I am signed up for the 6 weeks of chemo and then the chemo and radio combined which is why I thought they'd wait to see how/if it shrank before doing the mapping. But hey ho if they have to do it again, the more info they have the better!

Top tip re the empty bowel! I will be sure to have a big coffee beforehand. 

Hope you have a good Easter xx

Ah, I’m sorry I hadn’t realised you were doing the chemo first. Are you on the Interlace trial? I was offered this but chose to go straight to chemoradiotherapy at the time, although I wish in hindsight I had given it more thought.

I can understand your thinking now-waiting to see how things went before doing the radiotherapy planning so, I’m not sure what the rationale is for doing the plan in advance. Hopefully they will explain it for you when you go.

Happy Easter weekend!

Sarah xx

It's not part of a trial but I think they now recommend doing it this way as a result of that trial xx

That’s very interesting to know-my original diagnosis was in 2018 so it’s good to see that positive outcomes from the trial are now reflected in current practice. 

Sarah xx