Liver spots

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Hi everyone. I am 39, 8 weeks pregnant and was diagnosed with invasive ductal carcinoma a few weeks ago. I am also the mother of 8 children already. I am scheduled to undergo a mastectomy next Wednesday with axillary lymph node disection. Yesterday, I had mammograms, fine needle aspiration of my lymph nodes, a chest xray, blood work, and a liver ultrasound. The mammogram showed calcification so we decided on a mastectomy rather than the original lumpectomy we had planned. The chest xray and blood work were clear. The liver ultrasound showed spots. The doctor said that during pregnancy they won't do a CT scan to see if they are cancerous or not. She said they often find them and are often benign hemangiomas. Of course I am now distraught with the idea that my cancer may have metastisized and may have a very poor prognisis. I don't understand why they did this test if they can't follow up on the results right now and if it would not change my treatment at this point. I don't know how to stop thinking that this means the worst. Anyone else have benign liver spots? If it has spread to my liver does that mean I won't live very long at all? I desperately need some reassurance.

Comments

  • shoppygirl
    shoppygirl Member Posts: 694
    edited September 2015

    homeschool

    I am so sorry that you are dealing with this!

    There are many woman onthis website that have benign spots on their liver and lungs. It does appear that these organs love to grow little benign spots. I have one on my lung that has been looked at for the last 2 years with no change. Usually they will scan you for 2 years and if there is no change the it is considered benign. Are you allowed to do an mri while pregnant?

    You are in my thoughts. Hugs

  • homeschool4us
    homeschool4us Member Posts: 255
    edited September 2015

    I have heard they can do an mri, but yesterday the dr said they couldn't do any further testing and would do a CT scan after the baby is born. I honestly don't know if I even want to know right now, since there isn't really any different treatment they can do while pregnant other than what they are doing now.

  • shoppygirl
    shoppygirl Member Posts: 694
    edited September 2015

    I guess they are protecting the baby which makes sense. Again, I am sorry that you have to deal with this, especially while you are expecting! It seems so unfair.

    Also it is reassuring that your Dr said they find this stuff all the time. My Dr told me the same thing about my lung nodule and there has been no change for two years.

    Hopefully more people will chime in with their experiences.

    Hugs to you.


  • Kimmer33
    Kimmer33 Member Posts: 386
    edited October 2015

    oh my gosh, so timely. I just had a ct scan and it came back with many hemangeomas throughout my body, as well as my liver. Onc isnt concerned about them except my liver - i am so scared! She says 97% chance it's benign, but i would sure like to hear from you ladies!

    Kim

  • jacksnana
    jacksnana Member Posts: 168
    edited October 2015

    I have a lot of cysts in my liver, as well as a hemangioma, all benign findings. Never knew I had them until I had a ct scan. There seem to be lots of things that can grow in our bodies that we never know about that are totally benign. And your other tests and bloodwork were fine! Eight children and one on the way! You have your hands full. Saying a prayer that those spots turn out to be nothing, that you have an easy recovery, an easy pregnancy, and peace of mind!

    Veda

  • Anonymous
    Anonymous Member Posts: 1,376
    edited October 2015

    This isn't first hand knowledge, but I have a friend--she was Stage IV ovarian cancer--twice--and has lived nearly 10 years, NED, now. I had a check up about a year ago that revealed higher liver enzymes. Of course I freaked out till the next test two weeks later, when they had resolved (it seems large amounts of Advil/aspirin can effect them). She calmed me down by saying she has to get a PET scan regularly because of her own status and the scan often reveals something weird in her liver that lights up, and she has to wait to get another one, and then it's okay. Point of all this is that it seems our livers just do normal, micro-things that scans because of their hyper-function pick up. I would like to offer that it's probably nothing. Hang onto that and you'll know soon, and can relax.

  • bluepearl
    bluepearl Member Posts: 961
    edited October 2015

    I had to have an emergency CT scan before my mastectomy because an ultrasound showed spots......cysts actually....19+ worth of them and one on my kidney. CT scans show up at least 5 different potential problems that turn out benign (saw this on Doctor House lol!) but oncologist said same thing. Hoping you do well every which way!!!(((HUGS))))

  • Kimmer33
    Kimmer33 Member Posts: 386
    edited October 2015

    thank you ladies, love ya

  • NettieQ
    NettieQ Member Posts: 5
    edited October 2015

    Hi all! I am 51 years old and diagnosed with invasive tubular carcinoma grade 1 and 1.7cm in size. I have had a mastectomy of my right breast, and four of my lymph nodes tested were clear. I am currently taking tamoxifen. During my breast MRI the radiologist saw a lesion on my liver and requested an ultrasound. After the ultrasound the radiologist requested an MRI and in two weeks I am having an MRI of my liver. Does anyone know the likelihood of this lesion on my liver being cancer?

  • homeschool4us
    homeschool4us Member Posts: 255
    edited October 2015

    From what I understand, it's probably pretty small. A lot.of people have benign liver spots. I still haven't had mine looked at again. I will.have to.wait until my baby is born to do an mri.

  • homeschool4us
    homeschool4us Member Posts: 255
    edited November 2015

    Minneswede, that sounds awful. I was pregnant at the time (sadly lost the baby at 13 weeks) and refused any more scans or biopsies. Now, since it's been awhile, they can look at my spots again when they do do a scan. Of the spots shrank, they will know it was cancer and the chemo shrank them. If they don't, they will assume hemangiomas. I'm scared if a biopsy!

  • homeschool4us
    homeschool4us Member Posts: 255
    edited November 2015

    My initial breast biopsy went really badly. The doctor hit my ribs. I'm terrified of all biopsies now.

  • Bail
    Bail Member Posts: 22
    edited December 2015

    hello the doctor just saw liver spots on me after having an cat scan. I was wondering how you made out and how you are doing.

  • homeschool4us
    homeschool4us Member Posts: 255
    edited April 2016

    l still have not had any more scans. I'm guessing they will look to see if they shrank or stayed the same after I'm done with chemo. I'll update then!

  • Bail
    Bail Member Posts: 22
    edited December 2015

    let's hope! I had pain on my right side for about a month now. Pain was about a 3 out of ten. Did a scan and found little lesions on my liver and one on my spine. Going in on Wednesday for a abdominal and bone scan. Let's hope for nothing serious, but who knows. Did you ever have pain on your side? How did you no that you had lesions? Anxious for Wednesday to com

  • homeschool4us
    homeschool4us Member Posts: 255
    edited April 2016

    Updating (finally!!) my original post. When I finishshed chemo, I had a CT and bone scan. I am happy to say that the liver spots did not change in size which almost defintely indicates they are hemangiomas. My MO is not worried about them at all.

  • Almosthere
    Almosthere Member Posts: 197
    edited April 2016

    Yes please don't worry about it! You are HER2+ and even IF it was trouble H&P would melt it away. There is a group of us who had liver spots and which were confirmed mets on biopsy, the lesions have completely disappeared after the treatment you are getting! Good luck with that new sweet baby and thank goodness you are ER, PR- and HER+ there is good treatment and you baby will do well. Hugs to you

  • shoppygirl
    shoppygirl Member Posts: 694
    edited April 2016

    Best news ever! I love good news!!

  • Chucksmommy
    Chucksmommy Member Posts: 16
    edited May 2018

    In April of 2017 I was diagnosed with stage III ILC, and I was told that I probably had it for at least 3 years. I was in shock because I have gone to my annual mammogram appointments like clockwork for more than a decade...then I was informed that ILC doesn't even show up on a mammogram. Further testing revealed that my 1st diagnosis of a pencil eraser sized tumor was far from the truth...and that I had multiple " tumors " of various sizes in my right breast. I never had any symptoms of breast cancer whatsoever and was told that even though I had one healthy breast that I would eventually develop ILC in that breast as well. I had numerous ultrasounds, biopsies, CAT scans, a PET scan, a bone scan, and an MRI. My husband and I opted for me to have a bilateral mastectomy as we thought that would give us the best chance of me being cancer free. During surgery 27 out of 27 lymph nodes on my right side were full of cancer. So after healing from surgery I had 5 months of chemo...4 rounds of Adriamyacin/Cytoxin ( the red devil ) and then 12 rounds of taxol. Due to severe bone pain my oncologist reduced my taxol dosage by 25%...why couldn't he just give me some stronger pain meds instead? He said if Tylenol didn't help that he had no other option and that Dr's were being watched as far as prescribing narcotics. Even for surgery and chemo side effects! So all along I mentioned my concerns that I would never be cured because I didn't get my full dose. I was told not to worry because it is the standard, and then I was also placed on a hormone blocker called Femara. Fast forward to my 5 weeks of radiation...my radiation onc said even though I was diagnosed with stage III cancer that I was on the very high end of that and they had to throw everything they had at me to try and save me...I suffered through the rashes and infected blisters to finish my whole treatment. So now last week I had a scheduled CAT scan that I was told was routine, and they are seeing a spot on my liver. There was no mention of that before my surgery and I had a lot of tests...now I am told " oh it's small so don't worry about it, and we will do another CAT scan in 6 months ". Who in their right mind wouldn't be worried at this point? I am actually offended that he even said that to me. Has anyone else had a similar experience and how were you able to insist that further testing be done on your new " spot "?

  • edwards750
    edwards750 Member Posts: 3,761
    edited May 2018

    So sorry Chucksmommy - you have the same kind of BC as my sister. They said the same thing to her about having both breasts removed. She said no. She had a MX and took Arimidex initially. This type of BC is hard to detect on a mammogram. My sister actually found the lump.

    She also had a spot on her liver even before they did the surgery and a lung nodule that thedoctor said had been there for years. Tgeh decided to remove it anyway. They weren’t concerned with the spot in her liver and it hasn’t changed in 5 years.

    Of course every ache and pain and new spot is a concern. The fear factor is there for all of us.

    I am the poster person for worry and anxiety so there is zero chance I could/would wait 6 months. I can’t understand why/ how doctors don’t get just how scared and anxious we are. Maybe they need to have a loved one walk in our shoes.

    Good luck!

    Diane



  • Chucksmommy
    Chucksmommy Member Posts: 16
    edited May 2018

    Thank you Diane! I am so glad to hear your sister is doing well...and I am a worrier by nature too. I am going to contact my chemo onc in the morning and let him know how I feel...and that they can't truly expect me to wait for another scan in six months! The other thing that annoys me is that I am the one who had to ask about the results of my CAT scans...twice!

  • edwards750
    edwards750 Member Posts: 3,761
    edited May 2018
    Good luck you go girl! I bet. We have to be our own advocates. I learned that from the onset of my DX. It’s scary because we have all solely depended on our doctors for our care.
    I’ve heard countless stories from ladies who challenged their doctors advice/decisions. Too bad if it hurts their precious ego because it’s our lives not their’s. Obviously these are decisions that have more than one option.
    I disagreed with a PA’s advice and told her I would wait for the radiologist’s report. She was highly offended and said the radiologist would agree with her. He didn’t.
    So, keep me posted.

    Diane
  • Chucksmommy
    Chucksmommy Member Posts: 16
    edited June 2018

    Diane you are so right...even though we all have to rely / depend on our oncologists we do have to be our own advocates. Why shouldn’t each one of us be a priority?! I have to have my port flushed in a few weeks and I am going to insist that my chemo onc makes time for me and has a plan!And I know this is trivial but my eyelashes and brows fell out after chemo...my brows were always a little bit sparse but I had nice full lashes...they sterted growing back...not long and thick like they used to be but at least it was something...now my lashes are falling out again...I am super bummed.

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