I was diagnosed with Urethral Cancer in April 2007.  At this time, I was lucky to have insurance that covered my chemotherapy and surgical treatment at MDA.  However, I live in the Dallas/Ft. Worth area and I have not been able to return to work.  My husband's insurance does not cover MDA, therefore I have been seeing an Internist for follow-up care and treatment.  I have tried to find a local internist who has cared for an Urethral Cancer patient before, but I have not been successful.  Although this physician does everything I tell him to do, he is really clueless about how to care for me postoperatively.  He feels an oncologist should follow me, or even a urologist.  Since I have been hopefully cured by MDA and I am currently not receiving chemo, or urology services I see no need to be followed by these two specialties.  My question is as follows:

1) I have been getting an MRI (I am allergic to iodine) with and without contrast on my pelvis and abdomen every six months.  In addition, I am getting a PA/Lat chest x-ray and a complete lab panel, including BUN and Creat.  Do I need to continue these tests on a 6 month interval, or should I move to an annual schedule? 

2) I so appreciate your bladder cancer updates, but why do you never discuss Urethral cancer?  I didn't have bladder cancer and I don't like always being rolled up into this category. 

Many thanks, Karen