Do I need Natera blood tests every three months?

Blood test schedules can vary quite a bit depending on your specific clinical trial protocol and what the research team needs to monitor. It's completely understandable to feel confused when the frequency changes from what was initially explained - this kind of communication mix-up happens more often than it should, and it's worth reaching out to your clinical trial coordinator to clarify the testing schedule and understand why the frequency may have changed.

I do it every 3 months and have been over a year now. Gives me peace of mind if/when it comes back we'll be able to get a jump on it before showing any signs

Thank you!

My cigna will not cover signatera It's on appeal. Do you pay anything for the blood tests?

I do. Same as you

The trial I’m on doesn’t offer the Signatera test and when I inquired about it, I felt like the oncologist kind of blew me off, minimizing the value of the test. I feel like it would give me peace of mind since I only take Letrozole.

I had to push my oncologist to order it. I told him I wanted a base line.

I was diagnosed January 2025. I asked my oncologist what test can be done to check for recurrence, she suggested Natera. I began the test In December 2026, I do them every 3 months. It definitely gives me a peace of mind. However I often question the results. This only checks for. Breast cancer. My mother had breast cancer and was in remission , when cancer was found in sternum. This scares me so much. I asked about PET scans but that was brushed off.

Same here with not thinking PET scan. I reminded him of his suggestion of Natera at initial consult. I called insurance myself to see if they covered it. They did,so I got script/order for it. I use Health Springs..which was Cigna at time. It's been covered, but just received a bill Friday, so I am calling about it Tuesday. Ladies:Be your own advocate, change doctor or get second opinion. It's our body,our life. I changed mine because I told him he didn't make me feel like we were on Same team..Told him my life was more than me being a number or him herding cattle.

I just feel like my doctors are motivated by the pharmaceutical companies. I was diagnosed in January 2025. I had three different doctors because they kept leaving the cancer center. Each new doctor felt like I had to start over. I had a mastectomy in may of 2025 and then my cancer surgeon left the network never to be heard of again. After a year since I was diagnosed the cancer center closed completely. I don’t like my new oncologist. I guess I’m going to looking for another one. I gained 30 lbs on medication they prescribed. Then they put me on ibrance which dropped my platelets so low I almost died. Just on letrozole. He screamed at me and said ibrance didn’t cause weight gain but letrozole can. Then he prescribed kisquali which I said I didn’t want to take. He just prescribed natura. I had one in June and one just recently. I feel like he didn’t explain anything about them. Just told me the results could be viewed in my medical portal which I don’t even know what I’m reading.

@maya Just to clarify one important point: if breast cancer recurs in another part of the body, such as the sternum (like your mom), liver or lungs, etc it is still breast cancer. It is considered metastatic breast cancer, not a new bone, liver or lung cancer. Because Signatera is designed using the unique DNA from your original breast tumor, it is intended to look for that breast cancer DNA regardless of where a recurrence might occur. Hope that helps! 💛 Suzanne (Community Moderator)