Bone mets to one rib

LuvMyFam

Hi everyone, I come to you wonderful ladies for silent support (I'm usually a lurker .  Back in December, I had a very sharp pain in my upper left chest (cancer side).  It hurt when I took a breath, so I went to the ER.  They did a CT (December 26th) and found nothing (they were looking for a pulmonary embolism).  

My ribs just left of my sternum are very tender and getting worse even though I've been active and stretching.  Last week, my Onc sent me for an US, which showed nothing, then sent me for a CT Scan, with contrast.  It shows a pathological fracture and bone erosion (in the 2nd rib, not the area that is SO tender).  So, she then sent me for a PET/CT Scan, which came back clear.  That just seems strange.  Although, she did say over and over that it is a "tiny" spot, so maybe it's too small to be picked up on the PET?  It's been a roller coaster kind of week.  I go see her today to see what she suggests.

I guess I have lots of questions, that will be best answered by her, but just wanted the support of all of you, since you all know what I'm going through to one extent or another.  

I hope you all have a beautiful day. 

Erica

LuvMyFam

I'm posting here, too to show my diagnosis and treatment so far.

pajim

Hi Erica, I don't have any good advice, but it might help if you knew how a PET scan does it's thing.  It looks for fast growing cells.  Basically cancer cells take up the radioactive sugar and regular cells don't.  They use the CT to look at the structures.

Sounds like you broke a rib in December, but don't know the cause.  Could it just be osteoporotic?  Have you had a bone density test?  Tamoxifen doesn't affect the bones like aromatase inhibitors do, but maybe the chemo in 2012 did a number on your bones.  Ribs aren't weight bearing so exercise wouldn't build them back up.

It is common for the diagnosis of bone mets to be made as a result of breaking a bone (in my case my spine).  BUT if you had mets and they were advanced enough to break a rib, the PET scan should find it.

Round and round.  I hope your doc has some good advice.

LuvMyFam

Pajim, thank you for responding to my post.  That is the same thing my onc told me.  As I have been reading, it is rare to have mets to just one bone, but I guess it has to start somewhere!

I will have a follow up PET/CT in 6 months, and she said to call her if my bone pain gets worse.  So, I will just sigh a sigh of relief and hug my kids.....