Contradicting scans, is it because I have ILC

My understanding is that it isn't the type of cancer so much as the type of bone met that dictates whether or not it shows up on a bone scan. Some cancers cause sclerotic bone mets (where bone is growing) and some cause lytic (destructive) mets. Breast cancer is known to commonly cause both kinds. Bone scans are generally good at picking up sclerotic lesions so it's interesting that yours aren't showing up. I think when you have contradicting scans like you do with a high suspicion of mets, you either try to biopsy or start to treat and see if there's a response. Unfortunately you're not guaranteed accurate results with any one scan which is why it's not uncommon to sometimes have several different ones. It's like my palpable breast lump showed up on ultrasound but not mammogram

Hi Mel,

ILC can be a pain to dx. In my experience, I get the pain, and then about 3 months later it shows up on the scans. For me an MRI shows it earlier than a bone scan. For the record, the bone biopsy was a painless procedure, just felt a bit of pressure and that was it.

If you were taking Armidex when it progressed to the bones, then it means the drug isn't working and you would need to try another one. I stayed with AI's for a while, and used rads for pain relief as my mobility was severely affected and patches and other drugs did nothing for the pain. The rads was usually a 5 or 10 days treatment and I had great results with it, usually within a few days.

I would still try other means first, as too much rads can cause problems down the track with your bone marrow, especially if done around the pelvic area.

I'm Stage 2 ILBC. Passed bone Scan Ct showed multiple lesions on Thoracic Spine. MRI shows multiple Lesions on Thoraric Spine... but they are calling it a differential diagnoses because I have cancer and they can't say for sure if it's Osseous Mestatic disease but that it looks like it and that further testing should be done. My doctor called last night said the Oconotype DX test came back very low. And that I will not need chemo. He said Radiation, Tamoxifen and we agreed on a biopsy for one of the lesions seen on MRI. My questions are has anyone heard of this...chemo being pulled off the table because a DX score was so low enough and estrogen positive. Also I had 2 lymph nodes that tested positive.