Pet Scan showed lesion on spine

caall1234

I had pet scan and showed a new lesion on spine. Has anyone else had this problem? If so what

did they do for it/

pajim

Hi caall, I'm gathering this is your first spine lesion? Or is it just a new one? I would guess what you do depends on the size.

Sometimes if there's only one, you can radiate it out of existence.

When I got a new lesion, I actually had two new ones. They were small. We did nothing. Seriously. waited four months to scan again. They hadn't grown so we waited again. A year later they still hadn't grown but my tumor markers had risen. So we added a drug to my regimen.

You do not need to panic, particularly if it isn't causing you any problems. If you're not on Zometa or Xgeva (the bone strengheners) you should probably start one of those.

sandilee

Hi caall1234,

Talk to your doctor about radiation. It may not be necessary if you have no pain and if the lesion is small. But if it's just one, it is possible that they can radiate it (kill it) it, and you may not progress. Your oncologist should be discussing all of this with you. At the very least they will put you on some kind of medication to stop progression. I had radiation and was on Faslodex and Xgeva for 3 1/2 years, which kept my rather profuse bone mets stable. Faslodex was my miracle drug, but I am ER+.

kayrnic

I initially had a spine lesion and they radiated it. Hasn't given me trouble since. I also went on anti-hormonals and zometa. I have had a few new spots pop up in other areas. But, 4 years later and I am going strong.

caall1234

I ask about radiation and he said since I was not having any pain he would not do it. He put me

on new med Letrozole and Ibrance and said that should take care of it. I was on faslodex and my

tumer markers went up. So he just put me on this new med. Any one else on it? Also this was my

first one and I don;t think it was very big.

Longtermsurvivor

Hi caall,

I've had a small number of bone mets for at least 4 years. Because I have so much trouble with both lung and liver, treatment has been for those. I don't get bone strengtheners either. In fact, my bone mets aren't even monitored...so it's possible to live long and well with untreated, unmonitored bone mets.

But, if they are bothering you, it's possible to have them radiated.

Radiation for bone mets isn't like the 35 days post-lumpectomy radiation, but rather is given for a very short time...10 days or 5 days or even 1 day.

Guidelines for radiating bone metastasis have changed from 10 days to 1 day. Some radiation oncologists wait until the patient has pain or symptoms before radiating.

http://www.choosingwisely.org/wp-content/uploads/2...

Here's one story by a woman with breast cancer chose the 1 day treatment for a painful metastasis.

http://www.jhartfound.org/blog/adventures-in-choos...

warmest healing wishes, Stephanie