Cat scan showed liver cyst - should I worry?

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swimangel72
swimangel72 Member Posts: 1,989
edited October 2017 in HER2+ (Positive) Breast Cancer

I had a cat scan done on June 6 to rule out an abdominal hernia following my Diep surgery back in March. No hernia - but I'm happy I finally got a copy of the report. Neither my primary doctor nor my plastic surgeon told me that the liver showed a "1.5 cm hypodensity in the right lobe of the liver measuring 15 Hounsfield units likely representing a cyst". I'll be sending a copy of this report to my new oncologist - funny that my primary never suggested that I give him a copy. So often I feel like I'm falling-through-the-cracks with my doctors and I really have to constantly advocate for myself! Yell

So of couse now I'm worried about mets............I've haven't had any tumor markers done yet but I have had symptoms of liver problems prior to my dx........especially a pain under my right rib cage that the doctors attributed to a gallstone. But when I researched online about liver cysts, it says they can cause pain, but most liver cysts are benign unless another underlying disease is present (like breast cancer??)

My question to you ladies is should I be worried about mets to my liver already? What tests should my onc perform to rule out mets? Has anyone else had a liver cyst show up on a cat scan which turned out to be nothing? I'm feeling quite anxious now AND upset that my doctors didn't mention ANYTHING to me about this.........what do they think, that I'm NOT going to get a copy of my reports - that I'm NOT going to ask questions?? Or are they so narrowly focused on one thing and one thing only (abdominal hernia) that they don't carefully read the report? The least they both should have done is mentioned the liver thing to me and reassured me it's nothing to worry about.

So here I am, nearly a month later, trying hard not to worry - trying hard to put on a normal happy face for the family - with no one to talk to about my fears except you dear ladies. Thanks for your helpful advice! Frown

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  • LizM
    LizM Member Posts: 963
    edited June 2008

    I wouldn't worry too much about.  When I was diagnosed 3 years ago I had a CT scan before my surgery that showed a cyst.  All of my doctors, my breast surgeon, plastic surgeon and my oncologist didn't blink an eye and told me scans were clear.  If they weren't worried about I wasn't going to worry about it either.  That was almost 3 years ago.  Liver cysts are pretty common I am told. 

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  • swimangel72
    swimangel72 Member Posts: 1,989
    edited June 2008

    Thanks Liz, I appreciate your sharing of information. Did anyone tell you about the cyst on your liver after your Cat scan? I had numerous cat scans in the hospital and not one doctor in the hospital (and I saw MANY) ever mentioned a liver cyst - only my gall stones. So I'm worried this cyst is something new since my dx. I need to get the radiologic reports from the hospital to make comparisons and to bring them to my oncologist. 

    Ultimately - I guess I'm not really worried so much as angry that none of my doctors had the courtesy to even discuss this with me. The problem I see is the common expectation that "no news is good news" - I'm not a believer in that. I have too often seen problems arise because doctors (and lawyers) didn't "see" something in a report or if they did see it, didn't take it seriously enough. Like I keep telling my 84 year-old-mother - if a doctor doesn't call you back with test results, don't assume everything is OK - be pro-active in your own health-care, and call the doctor. So I guess my advice to my mother applies to me as well. Frown

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  • audra67
    audra67 Member Posts: 521
    edited October 2013


    I too have just been told cyst on my liver on ct scan. Had bilateral mastectomy 5 weeks ago and now getting MRI to view liver further. I do NOT want it to show cancer...

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  • audra67
    audra67 Member Posts: 521
    edited October 2013


    Are you O.k. still? Did liver cyst show anything else later?

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  • MelissaDallas
    MelissaDallas Member Posts: 7,268
    edited October 2013


    Audra, Swimangel hasn't posted since May.

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  • PoohBear-61
    PoohBear-61 Member Posts: 263
    edited October 2013


    My CT scan also revealed 3 small cysts ....I was told not to worry ........that it was common!!!!

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  • swimangel72
    swimangel72 Member Posts: 1,989
    edited October 2013

    Hi Audra and Pooh12 - I'm sorry you are both worried about your liver cysts, but be reassured that my own fears were relieved by the passage of time. I have had other cat scans done on my abdomen in the past 5 years and always the liver cyst is there, never changing in size, so it was probably there all along. I've also had weird spots in my lungs show up that are also nothing - never changing in size. No doubt due to an old case of walking-pneumonia. Our bodies, inside and out, are like a road map of every trip we've taken in the health department and old scars never leave. The best advice I can give is to continue asking questions and advocate for your own health and continue to visit this web site. The women here saved my life in so many ways, but most especially, by understanding what I was going through. May God's angels watch over you both!

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  • audra67
    audra67 Member Posts: 521
    edited November 2013


    Thank you - I have been worried!!!

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  • Sassa
    Sassa Member Posts: 1,588
    edited November 2013


    The problem with the scans is we learn too much about our bodies. I have learned I have a uterine fibroid, an ovarian cyst and a splenic cyst. None have ever caused me any problems.

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  • Marrei
    Marrei Member Posts: 5
    edited October 2017

    Hi, my mom is breast cancer survivor, 3 years and counting. She just had her routine ultrasound and they found three hepatic cysts, all are less than 1cm. She dont have any signs and symptoms, and her liver enzymes are normal.The oncologists is concerned because he said it was three so they ordered ct scan. Kinda scared it was liver mets :(

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  • Marrei
    Marrei Member Posts: 5
    edited October 2017

    My was a breast cancer survivor, 3years and counting. She just had her liver ultrasound as part of her 6monrh routine checkup, the result shows 3 hepatic cysts in both lobes measuring less than 1cm. She dont feel any signs and symptoms. Liver enzymes are normal a month ago.The oncologist ordered for triphasic upper abdomen CT Scan because he was concerned because its multiple cyst. Please help me. I'm really scared that its a liver mets :(

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