Single spot on BS/MRI - any experience with this not being mets?

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Jsniffs
Jsniffs Member Posts: 65
edited March 2019 in Not Diagnosed With a Recurrence or Metastases but Concerned

I'm almost 3 years from my original diagnosis and have felt great (no pain). Recently, an elevated alkaline phosphatase value triggered a bone scan which found a single vertebral hot spot. A follow-up MRI showed a spot highly suspicious for metastasis. I'm currently in waiting mode for biopsy / next steps. Has anyone been in this position where it turned out not to be mets? Any other thoughts / suggestions? Thanks!

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  • KBeee
    KBeee Member Posts: 5,109
    edited January 2019

    A friend had bone scan light up for rheumatic arthritis, but I do not believe she had follow up MRI.

    Thinking of you and hoping for a benign cause. Keep us posted.

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  • Jsniffs
    Jsniffs Member Posts: 65
    edited February 2019

    Thanks KBeee for your response and support. Unfortunately, a biopsy determined it is mets. Luckily it is only a single spot currently. I am optimistic about treatment.

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  • Mamasha
    Mamasha Member Posts: 104
    edited February 2019

    jsniffs I don’t know what to say so please let me send a virtual hug.

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  • Jsniffs
    Jsniffs Member Posts: 65
    edited February 2019

    Thank you so much Mamasha.

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  • KBeee
    KBeee Member Posts: 5,109
    edited February 2019

    Sorry you're dealing with that. Hoping it stays stable, or disappears, for years and years, and years.

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  • pesky904
    pesky904 Member Posts: 402
    edited February 2019

    Jsniffs, I'm so sorry to hear this news. Can I ask what your ALP level was when they sent you for the bone scan? Mine is also elevated and keeps rising for seemingly no reason.

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  • Jsniffs
    Jsniffs Member Posts: 65
    edited February 2019

    pesky904, my ALP was 147 when my doctor wanted me to do the bone scan. It got as high as 165. It can be elevated for other reasons. I will hope for the best for you.

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  • pesky904
    pesky904 Member Posts: 402
    edited February 2019

    Thanks, Jsniffs. My ALP was normal at diagnosis and all through Taxol and AC. After my bmx, it skyrocketed to 377, then immediately started coming back down. It continued to go down all through rads/cisplatin and was back in normal range at the end of rads.

    I started Xeloda 1.5 months after rads ended and ALP remained in normal range for first few cycles. It started to climb a tiny bit towards the end of Xeloda.

    Since finishing Xeloda in late October, it has steadily climbed each time I get it tested. Last blood work was a month ago and it was 171. No idea why. I don't even take Tylenol because I know that can affect it.

    I had a bone scan yesterday. I'm not overly worried, but hearing that your ALP was 165 was surprising. I thought with bone mets, it would be much higher, which is why I haven't really worried about my result of 171.

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  • Jsniffs
    Jsniffs Member Posts: 65
    edited February 2019

    pesky904 - How did your bone scan go? I'm hoping for the best for you.

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  • svidaurre
    svidaurre Member Posts: 2
    edited February 2019

    Hi Jsniffs,

    I hope this post finds you are doing well? This is my first time entering a breast cancer blog. If that's even the correct terminology? I finally completed my breast cancer reconstruction in November of 2018. At my first follow up appointment with my primary care MD he noted my ALP was 140's., all through chemo and radiation it never was above 102. Were your Calcium levels normal? Trying to not be to concerned, but chemo did a number on my liver (Fatty Liver) , although my LFT's were normal except for ALP? Take good care, and I'll be thinking about you,

    Susan

    December 2015, Stage III Ductal Carsinoma, chemo/radiation/surgeries

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  • pesky904
    pesky904 Member Posts: 402
    edited February 2019

    Hi JSniffs, I'm just seeing your post now. It's been crazy since my mom unexpectedly died at the end of January and my father unexpectedly died last week.

    My bone scan showed an area of enhancement on the right proximal femur. I have an MRI scheduled for Monday. They don't seem very concerned at all about this solitary spot being a met. They said a single spot is "rarely metastasis." Unfortunately, you know all too well that it can be.

    svidaurre, my ALP is also my only abnormal blood test. It's been steadily rising since I finished treatment in late October. Normal range is 46-136. My last blood work in January was 171. So it's not super elevated but it keeps rising a little each time it's tested. So far they think it's just elevated due to all the chemo I had. We'll see how my MRI turns out next week and if there is any correlation between the elevated ALP and the spot on my femur.

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  • swg
    swg Member Posts: 461
    edited February 2019

    Sounds like you caught it early. I am wishing for the best for you!!

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  • svidaurre
    svidaurre Member Posts: 2
    edited March 2019

    Hi Pesky904,

    I hope everything goes well with your MRI! I stopped listening to statistics when I first got diagnosed I told my husband 30% of all women that get mammograms need a diagnostic mammogram,

    then I got the call and told my husband don't worry only 20% of those 30% need a biopsy, then I got the call, then I told him don't worry only 2% of all women that get biopsies have Cancer! Then we got the call lol, so I am trying to stay away from that this time!

    Take care, Susan

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  • pesky904
    pesky904 Member Posts: 402
    edited March 2019

    Thanks for the pep talks, guys! Svidaurre, LOL, in this case I actually want to believe the stats because I think the statistics say a solitary spot on a bone scan has a low percent chance of being a met.

    As JSniffs knows, a solitary spot can be a met though, so I am looking forward to getting it checked. Unfortunately, my MRI has been moved from Monday all the way out to March 13 due to a referral issue. Ugh.

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  • vlnrph
    vlnrph Member Posts: 1,632
    edited March 2019

    Pesky, both your mother and father passed away this year, less than a month apart? I hope you have siblings and friendsto lean on especially now since you have to wait another two weeks for your MRI! Please do something nice for yourself this weekend. You deserve it.

    Susan, there may be a typo in your second paragraph. I think the estimate is that 20% of biopsies turn out to be cancer (80% are benign). Still, when one falls into the minority category, then for them it becomes 100%...

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  • pesky904
    pesky904 Member Posts: 402
    edited March 2019

    Yes, both my parents died suddenly in the last 3 weeks. It’s been an extremely rough start to 2019. I have to move this week because the relative I’ve been living with wants their “privacy” back so I have to move into someone’s basement for no. (I’m married but my husband left before I got diagnosed and completely disappeared after I got diagnosed.) I’m praying this mri is fine so I can find a job and start rebuilding my life from scratch.


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