Black Spot during CT scan

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mahmoodstarz
mahmoodstarz Member Posts: 2
edited February 2016 in IBC (Inflammatory Breast Cancer)

hi, my mother, aged 57, was diagnosed with IBC in left breast in july 2014. Underwent surgery, follwed by chemo. After that she had another minor surgery which was finally followed by Radiotherapy and got completed in April 2015. Since then she has been taking Armadex (medicine). She still feels her area of skin very hard at which Radiotherapy was performed. Secondly, most of the time her left arm stays swollen. I have following questions?

1. Is is normal to have both these after effects? Are they harmful?

Recently, during a follow up, a dark spot was observed at centre chest during CT scan. Doctors have advised PET test to further diagnose it. My question is how effective this test is? Has anyone else also experienced this thing?

I shall b highly thankful for a prompt reply.

Thanks

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  • ShetlandPony
    ShetlandPony Member Posts: 4,924
    edited February 2016

    Hello and welcome, Mahmoodstarz. Radiotherapy can cause skin changes. Your mom should show it to her doctors to get their opinion as to whether that is the reason for the hard skin. As far as the arm swelling, I urge you to have your mom see a lymphedema specialist. Perhaps her doctor will refer her to one. Of course, I can't say why your mom's arm is swollen, but if it is lymphedema, the sooner she gets it treated, the better her chances of it getting better. They can do specialized massage and fit her for a compression sleeve. I believe PET scans can be very helpful. The CT scan shows a shape, and to help figure out what the shape is, the PET scan shows whether there is metabolic activity there that might indicate actively growing cancer.

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  • mahmoodstarz
    mahmoodstarz Member Posts: 2
    edited February 2016

    thanks for such a nice reply. Doctors say that the hardened skin will cure with the passage of time however, its been around 10 months now and the improvement is minimal. How long does it take to have a significant improvement.


    About the lymphodema, while my mom is taking precautions, is there any treatment for that? What needs to be done. Doctors arent really bothered about that.

    The PET report came today for the sternum bone. Doctors have asked for a biopsy of liver or that area plus other blood tests. But they are also hopeful that a medicine (which they gona advise later) will suffice and there will be no need for chemo or radio. Any hit on that?


    Thanks for the support

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