Query from Concerned Daughter of Mom with Stage IV

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KPhilli
KPhilli Member Posts: 22
edited June 2014 in Just Diagnosed With a Recurrence or Metastasis

My mom has Stage IV with mets to C5 and C6 areas of spinal column. They cancelled lumpectomy when MRI revealed metastasis. Interestingly, subsequent PET revealed "hot spot" only at C5 (shouldn't diagnostic scans reveal same info?). Have yet to meet with medical oncologist at Princess Margaret Hospital, but her Naturopath suggested she take progesterone. To me, this seems completely counter-intuitive and I urged her to wait until we see oncologist before proceeding with Prog. treatment.

Anybody have experience with this? Or could you explain the rationale to me? I'm out of my mind with anxiety and fear.

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  • cancersuks
    cancersuks Member Posts: 258
    edited February 2010

    KPhilli,

    I'm sorry about your Mom and what you are going through!  I also have mets to my spine, have been in treatment for the past 2 months.  I agree with you, your  Mom should wait to take anything until she meets with the oncologist first.

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  • bkglenn50
    bkglenn50 Member Posts: 138
    edited February 2010

    Im sorry about your mom, it is scary. i was just diagnosed with liver mets, my kids are freaking out too. my pet scan showed nothing but mine were found during a ct scan and then biopsy so sometimes they dont show i guess. tell your mom to talk to her onc. lots of prayers,BK

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  • mimi1030
    mimi1030 Member Posts: 700
    edited March 2010

    Hi Philli,

    My mom has mets to liver, bones and last week they found it in her brain.  Her PET scans are very wishy washy and have been since she was diagnosed with mets to liver and bones in 2007.  It was finally discovered that she did not have bone mets, just liver mets.  The PET scan showed that she had 2 spots in liver that lit up, and yet after two recent liver biopsies there was no cancer there.  So that is why they had to do the craniotomy to confirm the spots in brain were BC mets and not a new cancer. 

    PET scans are very touchy and can pick up inflammatory lesions that are unrelated to cancer.  My mom's PET of Jan 2010 showed one spot in the brain, after an MRI she ended up with 10.  So, you have to mix and match and follow up. The only sure way to know is to get it biopsied.

    I hope your mom gets good treatment and knocks those suckers out.  My mom's liver mets disappeared in a month, the docs were floored.  The liver is still clean 2 and a half years later.  Now she has to tackle the brain mets, whole brain radiation next week so we will see how it goes this time.  She is also on Tykerb and Xeloda too.

    Hugs to you, take care of yourself also

    Michelle :)

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  • KPhilli
    KPhilli Member Posts: 22
    edited March 2010

    Thanks Michelle.  I'm embarassed to say that it has taken me almost 2 months to realize that none of the diagnostic imaging devices are definitive. From reading posts here, I gather that there is still a great deal of guesswork that takes place in this process. Mom has started her tamoxifan, with minimal side effects. Your post gave me hope.

    I hope your mom deals with the brain mets in exactly the same way she dealt with her liver mets.

    Thank you for sharing.

    Krista

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