Mets to sternum?

DeanieK

Hi, I'm new to this forum, but am 4 years out from my TNBC diagnosis. Last Sunday I thought I waa having a heart attack and went to the hospital. Long story short. No heart attack or blood clot. The ED doc diagnosis me with costochondritis and sent me home 🏠 with pain meds. I had a 6 month check up 2 days later. First, my doc noticed a small rash above where my right side mastectomy scar is and said she thought it waa shingles, and lab tests confirmed it. She ordered a CT bone scan. The bone scan report said there is a small are and a "small osseous lesion or insufficient fracture not noted on CT cannot be ruled out." I'm putting on a brave face but I'm scared. My doc said she is ordering an MRI next. She thinks it may be inflammation from shingles and costachondritis. I just don't know what to feel. My fam/friends want to stay positive but I have a feeling of dread. When they have had cancer they can see and feel how hard it is. I know they are just trying to be helpful. I just need the MRI NOW to get an answer! Then, I can move on one way or the other. Any thoughts? Knowing you're *there* helps! D

Moderators

Hello DeanieK,

Welcome to the BCO community.

We hope you are finding the forums helpful and easy to navigate.

Its understandable for you to feel worried however the women and men here are very supportive and helpful.

If you have any questions or concerns please don't hesitate to get in touch and we'll do our very best to help.

Warm wishes,

Moderators.

dlb823

Deanie, welcome to BCO. I'm glad you found us, but I'm sorry for the scare you're going through at the moment. It sounds like your onc is doing a thorough job of figuring out what's going on. I guess the only other thing I would ask is, have you had any blood work? I went through something similar -- although I was truly deathly ill when I had my chest/rib pain -- and one of the tip offs that something was going on was a significant rise in my CA27-29 tumor markers, as well as increases in my liver function tests. Hopefully, your onc is correct about inflammation, but normal blood work results would also be a good thing to ease your mind.

Hugs, and keep us posted! Deanna

DeanieK

Thank you, Deanna. I will ask if she will consider ordering those tests.

My MRI is tomorrow afternoon. I want to camp out at the hospital until a radiologist reviews the results with me - but I know that's not likely to make them move faster in giving me results. The waiting is torture! I'm so fearful this time around. I've had a few scares, but the spot on the bone scan is more concerning than the other times something has come up.

Do you mind me asking what your next course of action was when they found the tumor markers were elevated?

Off to try to get some rest tonight…

dlb823

Deanie, my next course of action at the time was a CT, which, in my case, left little doubt that I had extensive bone mets. I also had a follow up MRI a month or two later, when I went back to UCLA, where I'd been treated initially.

OTOH, when reading scans, I think radiologists put a lot of weight on our previous dx. I sometimes think if they looked at the same scan and hadn't known our history, they wouldn't be so quick to suggest the possibility of mets.

Good luck tomorrow! I'll be thinking of you and praying for a clear MRI. Deanna