The Colon Club

Hi everyone. I'm starting to get nervous. It's that time of year again and I'm bracing myself. If you look at my signature line, has anyone had this many nodes and nodules and had everything be ok? Doc says, "They have been there since the beginning, don't worry. They would have doubled, etc.etc." The radiologist last year said to follow them more closely. The largest left-sided central mesenteric lymph node was 13 mm last November. At the time of diagnosis it was 10 mm (1 cm) from what I read. Doc says no big deal. DH doesn't want to go to another doctor.

I guess my real question is whether or not all of these nodes and nodules would really be nothing in your experience?

Thanks everyone.

Absolutely they could be nothing...and they could be something. Can't know without proper tests. The fact that your husband's doctor only has him doing CTs every year either means he doesn't think there's a problem or he's not a very good doctor. And since the radiologist recommended watching them more closely, I would think that would mean scans often. My oncologist had me scanned every 2 months while on chemo, now every 3 months post-chemo, with an MRI of just my liver every other time since my mets were in the liver. She's incredibly thorough.

I think I would ask the doctor if scans that infrequently are really adequate when questionable nodes have been noted.

hiker

I finished chemo in April. Had a questionable CT scan in June, so DR ordered a PET. My PET was clear, but she still ordered another PET in 3 months, just to be sure. So, I have another PET scan next week. If that one is clear, then my next scan will be in 6 months. I wonder if the American Cancer Society has a recommendation for scanning? If they do, you could show the DR. I would think the DR would scan at least every 6 months for awhile.

Thanks.