Suspicious CT scan - need feedback

Please feel free to read, share your thoughts, your stories and connect with others!
folbright
Posts: 9
Joined: Sun May 01, 2016 9:50 pm

Suspicious CT scan - need feedback

Postby folbright » Fri Dec 13, 2019 11:31 am

I had a colon resection in November 2015 and have been clear since then except for one nodule that had appeared in my lung between the pre-surgery CT scan and the beginning of chemo two months later. This nodule was monitored and seemed stable but when it started growing I asked for it to be removed, surgery in July 2018, and CT scans of both the lungs and my abdomen/pelvis area have been clear since then. However, my last scan was on December 5th and this week I got a call from my oncologist's office asking me to come in the next day - I didn't hear the message until then though so I have an appointment for next Tuesday instead. I checked my lab report online and it says:

"BONE/SOFT TISSUES: Multiple apparent ill-defined lytic lesions are evident throughout the lumbar spine. These cannot be completely characterized on the current examination. No confirmed suspicious osseous lesion. No acute fracture." and "Apparent multiple scattered lytic lesions throughout the bones are incompletely characterized and may be artifactual related to the relatively low dose for this patient, or reflect nonspecific marrow heterogeneity. However, correlation with total body bone scan and / or serum protein electrophoresis could be considered if these have not already been completed to increase confidence that the apparent lesions do not represent osseous metastases."

I'm very worried about what this means. I don't know if the lesions are new or if they just weren't notice before (I will find out when I see him) but thanks to Dr Google I'm now concerned this might be a sign of early multiple myeloma or some sort of bone cancer (I've also had slightly elevated levels of creatinine and low iron for some time).

I'm actually very worried. I've told myself that I'm cancer free and the lung nodule that was removed last year was just a leftover from before chemo so I've been counting my "cancer free" status as being three years. I'm very worried that it may be back and that this time it will be chronic and the best I could hope for is to be in remission rather than be "cancer free". Am I winding myself up over what is probably nothing?
Last edited by folbright on Fri Dec 13, 2019 6:49 pm, edited 1 time in total.
Admitted to ER November 2, 2015 after collapsing following several weeks of digestive issues and days of vomiting bile
Diagnosed November 3, 2015 with colon cancer
Surgery November 16, 5 cm resection. Stage III diagnosed following biopsy (tumour + 1 lymph node cancerous). Folfox semimonthly (12 cycles) January to June 2016
CT scans clear for colon. Suspicious spots in lungs detected in January 2018. Wedge resection July 31 to remove 1 nodule that had grown. Biopsy found it malignant. Scans clear since then

claudine
Posts: 809
Joined: Tue Mar 12, 2019 2:41 pm
Location: Montana

Re: Suspicious CT scan - need feedback

Postby claudine » Fri Dec 13, 2019 11:59 am

I guess I'd be more concerned about multiple myeloma if you'd received a lot of radiation treatment for your cancer, but that doesn't seem to be the case based on your signature, correct? After a bout with cancer, it is so hard not to think that anything out of the ordinary is cancer! I really hope that the analyses show that it's just artifacts like the report says XXXXX
Wife of Dx 04/18 (51 yo). MSS, KRAS G12A, no primary

Tumors: L4 04/18; left adrenal gland & small lung nodules 03/19
rectum 02/22 (pT3 pN0 stage 2A); L3 09/22

Surgeries: intestinal resect. 05/18 (no cancer - Crohn's); adrenalectomy 02/20
L3-L4-L5 fusion and corpectomy 05/20; LAR 04/22; ileo reversal 09/22
L2-L3 fusion and corpectomy 09/22

Treatments: EBRT 04/18; SBRT 02/19; Failed adjuvant Xelox ; Folfiri/Avastin 03/19 - 01/20
adjuvant chemorad (Xeloda) 06/22; SBRT 11/22; Xeloda/Avastin since 01/24

folbright
Posts: 9
Joined: Sun May 01, 2016 9:50 pm

Re: Suspicious CT scan - need feedback

Postby folbright » Fri Dec 13, 2019 12:35 pm

I've never had radiation. Thanks for your response, it's very helpful. I guess I'll have to have more tests and/or schedule my next scan sooner. I would normally discuss this with my wife but I don't want to alarm her needlessly over something that could be nothing so it's good to have somewhere to talk about this.
Admitted to ER November 2, 2015 after collapsing following several weeks of digestive issues and days of vomiting bile
Diagnosed November 3, 2015 with colon cancer
Surgery November 16, 5 cm resection. Stage III diagnosed following biopsy (tumour + 1 lymph node cancerous). Folfox semimonthly (12 cycles) January to June 2016
CT scans clear for colon. Suspicious spots in lungs detected in January 2018. Wedge resection July 31 to remove 1 nodule that had grown. Biopsy found it malignant. Scans clear since then

justin case
Posts: 4269
Joined: Sun Sep 04, 2011 8:26 am
Location: Katy, Texas

Re: Suspicious CT scan - need feedback

Postby justin case » Fri Dec 13, 2019 1:36 pm

To alleviate or confirm your fears, you might get a PET scan.
7/11 diagnosed Stage 2 colon and rectal cancer
chemo/rad
lar/temp ilio
Reversal & port removal
21 round of chemo Folfox 9tx, 5fu 12 tx
Last treatment July 2012

Deb m
Posts: 558
Joined: Tue Jan 14, 2014 10:08 am

Re: Suspicious CT scan - need feedback

Postby Deb m » Fri Dec 13, 2019 1:52 pm

I do hope that you can get all these additional tests done soon so you can relax. The not knowing is absolutely the worst. I do hope that is't all a big nothing.

folbright
Posts: 9
Joined: Sun May 01, 2016 9:50 pm

Re: Suspicious CT scan - need feedback

Postby folbright » Tue Dec 17, 2019 9:11 am

Saw my oncologist this morning. He thinks they're probably artifacts because they just appeared out of nowhere compared to earlier scans but he's doing a blood test and I'm being scheduled for a bone scan test and MRI just to make sure.
Admitted to ER November 2, 2015 after collapsing following several weeks of digestive issues and days of vomiting bile
Diagnosed November 3, 2015 with colon cancer
Surgery November 16, 5 cm resection. Stage III diagnosed following biopsy (tumour + 1 lymph node cancerous). Folfox semimonthly (12 cycles) January to June 2016
CT scans clear for colon. Suspicious spots in lungs detected in January 2018. Wedge resection July 31 to remove 1 nodule that had grown. Biopsy found it malignant. Scans clear since then

Deb m
Posts: 558
Joined: Tue Jan 14, 2014 10:08 am

Re: Suspicious CT scan - need feedback

Postby Deb m » Tue Dec 17, 2019 9:35 am

Sounds to me like your going to get the all clear. We'll see.

User avatar
CRguy
Posts: 10473
Joined: Sun Feb 10, 2008 6:00 pm

Re: Suspicious CT scan - need feedback

Postby CRguy » Tue Dec 17, 2019 11:18 pm

folbright wrote:Saw my oncologist this morning. He thinks they're probably artifacts because they just appeared out of nowhere compared to earlier scans but he's doing a blood test and I'm being scheduled for a bone scan test and MRI just to make sure.

Sounds to me like your doc is on top of things !
" You will miss more for not looking...than not knowing ! "
YOUR DOC is looking

Well Done Doc !!!!!

Best wishes
CRguy
Caregiver x 4
Stage IV A rectal cancer/lung met
17 Year survivor
my life is an ongoing totally randomized UNcontrolled experiment with N=1 !
Review of my Journey so far


Return to “Colon Talk - Colon cancer (colorectal cancer) support forum”



Who is online

Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 123 guests