Bone Mets???

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somerset72
somerset72 Member Posts: 30
edited June 2014 in Just Diagnosed With a Recurrence or Metastasis

I have been having upper back pain on & off for the past 3 weeks.  Had an xray for the spine/thoracic that came back negative.  I had lumpectomy Oct 07, stage 1, 2cm, her2neg, er pos.  6 wks. radiation and taking Evista because of an allergic reaction to tamoxifen.  My rheumatologist actually ordered the xray (I have rheumatoid arth) so I haven't seen my onc yet.  Have appt. in 2 wks.  Should I ask for a bone scan, mri or CT scan?  Or do I just assume since the xray was neg. there is no bone mets?

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  • aquaed
    aquaed Member Posts: 1
    edited August 2009

    somerset72:

     It is difficult to think of what might be but we have learned it is better to know, and the sooner the better.  I suggest not assuming anything.  My wife's bone mets first appeared on a bone scan.  Please have a scan to be sure.  Wishing you the best.

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  • leggo
    leggo Member Posts: 3,293
    edited August 2009

    My bone mets were initially found on an x-ray. Although, they could determine "there was something there" with the x-ray, it was followed up with a bone scan. I don't think it would hurt to ask for a bone scan to put your mind at ease.

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  • Emily2008
    Emily2008 Member Posts: 605
    edited August 2009

    Personally, I would assume it's nothing and go on with my life.  I'm guessing you had no nodes, and with your history of RA, the most likely culprit would be musculoskeletal in nature.

    CTs, MRIs and other diagnostic tests are not harmless, and I wouldn't have one unless there was a really compelling reason.  Like if the x-ray showed something suspicious, then I may have further scans to rule out anything bad.  But other than that, I'd leave it alone.

     Hope you can rest easyvery soon :)

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  • Ter
    Ter Member Posts: 357
    edited August 2009

    Dear Somerset,

    I am so sorry about all your back issues.

    I really don''t have answers, just a comment of ; why in the world prior or during or after anything with BC basically everyone has some sort of bone issues, from hips, to knees, to neck, and whatever else we have.  Its like something with BC does something with the bones.  Just a thought after reading so many post.

    hugs

    Ter

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  • pitanga
    pitanga Member Posts: 596
    edited August 2009

    Somerset,

    I have a metastasis to my cervical spine that is not visible on a simple x-ray. It first showed up as a possibility on a bone scan that my doctors had sent me for when I was dx´d with a recurrence. After the bone scan they ordered an MRI. It came back highly suggestive of malignancy but I also have arthritis in my neck so the abnormalities they were seeing might have been that. They kept asking me if I felt any pain but I have a scoliosis and I´ve had pain in my back and neck since I was in my 20s.  So I asked for a PET/CT ... it confirmed malignancy.

    On the initial bone scan, my right hip joint also showed up as a suspicious area but that was ruled out by the MRI. It turned out to just be arthritis.

    You are only stage 1 so you caught it early and the chances of a metastasis are very, very low. What grade is your tumor? This is another factor that suggests how likely it is to metastasize. Also, there are tests they usually run on the tumor cells to see how quickly they were reproducing. My initial tumor was reproducing very quickly; my recurrence tumor was a slug. My onc and I guess that my metastasis is the result of cells that were in my bloodstream before I had my initial surgery 9 years ago.

    I would think a bone scan would be a good idea anyway since you are having pain.

    Best wishes,

    Lisa

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  • somerset72
    somerset72 Member Posts: 30
    edited August 2009

    I am seeing my onc. on Monday and will ask for a bone scan and or PET whichever he thinks.  I had a PET about a month after my lumpectomy so know what to expect.  Lisa, my tumor grade was listed as 2/3 so I guess that's not so great.  I am hoping that it's just related to my rheumatoid problems but I'm making myself nauseous w/worry.  When I say that I'm having "pain", it's actually more just a discomfort, I'm not in any kind of agony.  So I keep hoping that's a good sign??  OHHHHHH, I could go on and on.

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