Scans at Progression

gailmary

Hi everyone, we know that with new pain and increasing tumor markers that is an obvious indication of it's time to scan for progression. My question is do you feel you were scanned too soon and a tumor wasn't found and there was a need to scan again soon after to look again?. I guess I thought I've read that happening pretty often.

I've had pretty intense pain for nearly 3 months, believing that I really overdid it working outside. 2 weeks after the injury I had a thoracic MRI which showed nothing. and bone scan showed lots of arthritis I never had before. Will a scan just show inflammation?

Some pain is cording. Back pain I just called a muscle strain. I've tried about everything and feel little better. Finally got an appointment with pain specialist for Wednesday, but yesterday my PA ordered a cervical mri stat. Yay. Hoping for an answer. I've been unable to do much of anything. I will still be surprised if cancer shows up. Especially after 3 girlfriends this spring broken bones they don't know how. And they weren't taking bone meds like xgeva. If I didn't have the pain I'd have put off the scans. Tumor markers are normal. OUCH.

Gailmary

exbrnxgrl

hi gailmary,

Having been stage IV for 10 years, I have had lots of scans! Some were regularly scheduled as part of my follow up care but several were done because of persistent pain. It is really difficult to say that someone is scanned too soon. How would you define that? Remember there is often no way of knowing how far along undetectable mets may be or how fast they will grow before they are large enough to be detectable. Not all mo’s do tumor markers as they are not considered reliable for everyone. I have never had tumor markers done so if I have a pain complaint my mo goes straight to PET. Yes, it stinks that mets have to grow large enough to be detectable. It would be a great medical advancement if we could detect them at a much earlier phase. Take care

gailmary

I guess I defined scanning too soon when nothing shows up but there is a tumor there 2 or 3 moths later.

exbrnxgrl

Well, that is certainly possible. Remember that no one can predict exactly when a tumor/lesion goes from undetectable to detectable on imaging. It’s maddening, isn’t it?

moth

I get scanned regularly. I was on q8 weeks while on a clinical trial but now am mostly q 12 weeks. But any new symptoms and they will scan faster. I was getting just CT w/ contrast but since I had a bone met recently I now get CT + nuclear bone scan.

I get what you're saying about the too early to catch but I also sort of think if it wasn't showing on scans it probably shouldn't be giving symptoms? So if it is causing symptoms it probably should be caught on a scan? My T11 met gave me no symptoms. First I heard of it was on a regular CT

gailmary

The cervical mri showed arthritis, stenosis and a bulging disc. Some of which we will treat,but 1 at a time. No wonder I'm miserable and found little relief. Monday I will go for regular scans again. We know how cancer can up and move but not show for a while on scans like I had 3 months ago. Otherwise, why are we going every 3 months. I will be totally shocked if they find a new lesion. I am adamant my severe pain was overdoing it in the garden likely when I got the bulging disc.

However now I acknowledge that the severe cording , though triggered by the yard work, may in fact be the arthritis or stenosis.The

stenosis explained the painful upper back arm when cold and pinky finger itch. I've had both for over a year.

I was shocked by the arthritis, even though Oncologist always said it was in report. I never complained or took a pain pill for it. Turns out it's in my neck, lower back and shoulders. I think it's bothers me little but impossible to know with what else is going on.

Now I'm concerned that Radiologist won't know the difference between new cancer and arthritis. What a mess.

I sincerely hope you all are doing better than ever.

Gailmary