Will CT Scans from BC pick up other cancers?

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wasn’t sure where to post this but my question is simply around the ct scan that most folks have after a diagnosis. I had mine about one year ago. Now I am having some symptoms of concern for another area (colon cancer). I was thinking, well I did a CT scan a year ago so if I had issues from that wouldn’t the CT have picked it up? I also had tumor marker test about two months ago and although it was the ca 15-3 specific to breast cancer I wonder if it would of lit up for any other sings of cancer

I looked through my ct scan write up and although it didn’t mention the colon or intestine specifically it did say “the visualized bowel is unremarkable”....so I wasn’t sure if that was it. Anyway like many of you, as soon as I see some strong symptoms of other potential cancers I freak out. Have an appointment with a GI next week but trying to find things to keep me positive I guess.


Anyone have thoughts on this

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  • AliceBastable
    AliceBastable Member Posts: 3,461
    edited July 2019

    It depends on how much of your body is being scanned. I had a pre-op chest CT because I was a smoker, and my MO wanted more detail than an x-ray would show. It caught the top half of my kidney, with a good-sized tumor sitting on it. So I had to have another CT, this time with contrast, later that month before meeting with the urologist. But that first CT was only for the upper torso. That one also showed an aortic aneurysm, so now I've got a cardiothoracic surgeon in my life. I'm trying to get them all to cooperate and coordinate my CTs, because the kidney protocol is scans every six months for three to five years, and the aneurysm gets scanned annually to monitor its growth. I'll probably die from contrast exposure first!

    Your scan probably just showed the upper loop of the bowel. According to my MO, they don't order CTs after treatment unless there are symptoms or other indicators to justify it.

  • Scrafgal
    Scrafgal Member Posts: 631
    edited July 2019

    My pre mastectomy ct scan showed the small and large bowel...that was mentioned specifically along with stomach, spleen, gallbladder, adrenals, bladder and pancreas.

    I also think that CA 15-3 is used for colon cancers too.

  • Scrafgal
    Scrafgal Member Posts: 631
    edited July 2019

    and...I was worried about the same thing during treatment for bc. I was diagnosed at 50 and was planning on my colonoscopy that year...then I had to wait until treatments and surgery was over. I looked back at my ct scan and got some comfort until I had my colonoscopy post treatment.

  • Avh112
    Avh112 Member Posts: 26
    edited July 2019

    Scrafgal did your doctor know you had a ct scans when He ordered the colonoscopy? I been reading that some do them interchangba

  • Scrafgal
    Scrafgal Member Posts: 631
    edited July 2019

    Yes... my pcp, gyn and oncologist still advised me to get the colonoscopy. My guess is that there are tiny precancerous lesions that a ct might not pick up in the colon? The most deadly and aggressive colon cancers start out as flat lesions that are very hard to see...which is why the colon cleanse is critical. The regular polyps are much easier to spot.

    My aunt had colon cancer so I didn't want to take any chances.

    For what it's worth, a lot of the symptoms of colon cancer also are symptoms of other noncancerous gastrointestinal conditions that are treatable.

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