90 day post-treatment shows lung inflammation/"warm" spots

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mwellsg
mwellsg Member Posts: 66
in Head and Neck Cancer #1
I went in for my 90 day post-treatment PET and CT yesterday. All the disease in my neck and lymph nodes is GONE!! Wiped out, eliminated, kaput.

BUT, they discovered what they described as "warm" spots in my upper lungs. They say these are caused by inflammation, infection or metastatic cancer. There is still a lot of swelling and puffiness in my neck from the treatments and one of the docs said that the swelling was probably letting some food, etc, get into my lungs causing inflammation. However, the air in the room was very somber. I was sure hoping for a clean break. I am very happy about the head and next condition, but really don't want this damn metastatic cancer thing hanging over my head.

Anybody been here done this? I now have another scan set up in September to see what they can see.

Mike

Comments

  • ratface
    ratface Member Posts: 1,337 Member
    #2
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    lung spots
    Hi Mike

    I have actual lung spots as opposed to warm spots. I have never gotten a clean scan and probably never will. More than likely you will get a clean scan next time around and these are just false positives. Everyday I say to myself, "You don't have cancer today, as far as you know anyway" and that's as good as it gets sometimes. happiness is truly a clean scan, or in some cases an "unchanged'" scan is just as good. Hang in there.
  • Clearblue
    Clearblue Member Posts: 186
    #3
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    "warm spots"-
    Hey Mike
    Do you have any fluids there?
    Clear
  • luv4lacrosse
    luv4lacrosse Member Posts: 1,410 Member
    #4
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    LUNG SPOTS
    I went through this also. First off, 90 day scans can still reveal hot spots from treatment, so do not pay much attention to them.
    At my 90 day scan, and chest CT, there was a "glassy" type appearance in my right upper lobe. It was then diagnosed as scar tissue from the IMRT radiaition, or some type of inflamation. I had another Chest CT 6 months later, and the spot was gone, so it was officially diagnosed as inflamation from an unknown source, and I was told to go have a great day and to not worru any more.

    My guess is this is what you are going through.

    Mike
  • mwellsg
    mwellsg Member Posts: 66
    #5
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    Clearblue said:

    "warm spots"-
    Hey Mike
    Do you have any fluids there?
    Clear

    No
    They didn't mention fluid
  • mwellsg
    mwellsg Member Posts: 66
    #6
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    luv4lacrosse said:

    LUNG SPOTS
    I went through this also. First off, 90 day scans can still reveal hot spots from treatment, so do not pay much attention to them.
    At my 90 day scan, and chest CT, there was a "glassy" type appearance in my right upper lobe. It was then diagnosed as scar tissue from the IMRT radiaition, or some type of inflamation. I had another Chest CT 6 months later, and the spot was gone, so it was officially diagnosed as inflamation from an unknown source, and I was told to go have a great day and to not worru any more.

    My guess is this is what you are going through.

    Mike

    Thanks
    Appreciate the input
  • mwellsg
    mwellsg Member Posts: 66
    #7
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    luv4lacrosse said:

    LUNG SPOTS
    I went through this also. First off, 90 day scans can still reveal hot spots from treatment, so do not pay much attention to them.
    At my 90 day scan, and chest CT, there was a "glassy" type appearance in my right upper lobe. It was then diagnosed as scar tissue from the IMRT radiaition, or some type of inflamation. I had another Chest CT 6 months later, and the spot was gone, so it was officially diagnosed as inflamation from an unknown source, and I was told to go have a great day and to not worru any more.

    My guess is this is what you are going through.

    Mike

    Thanks
    Appreciate the input
  • Hondo
    Hondo Member Posts: 6,636 Member
    #8
    Options
    Hi Mike
    Sounds like some very good news to dance to, glad to hear you got a good report on your PET. As far as warm spots I never had a PET that did not show something.

    Keep doing what you are doing my friend
    Hondo
  • DrMary
    DrMary Member Posts: 531 Member
    #9
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    Spots before and after
    Doug's scans showed some spots in his lungs both before and after treatment - for both, they indicated it was likely due to infection/inflammation. I find it scary no matter what - Doug's father (a non-smoker) died of emphysema, so any kind of lung irregularity is alarming to me.

    However, I can only freak out about one thing at a time. Doug's agreed that, if the spots show up on the next scan, but are again considered not to be cancer, we will go see a lung guy and get it checked out. I suggest the same to anyone else with similar scans - it's wonderful to not have cancer, but other things can get you as well (aren't I cheery?).

    Fortunately, emphysema takes a while to develop, and might even be prevented if caught early, before symptoms show up (according to my asthma doctor).

    Mike, I don't remember - did you get a neck dissection? If you did, then your ENT might be able to reassure you; if the cancer did not spread beyond a certain point in your lymph nodes, it is very unlikely it spread to your lungs.

    Enjoy your cancer-free status; I hope your September scan adds to the good news.
  • Greend
    Greend Member Posts: 678
    #10
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    DrMary said:

    Spots before and after
    Doug's scans showed some spots in his lungs both before and after treatment - for both, they indicated it was likely due to infection/inflammation. I find it scary no matter what - Doug's father (a non-smoker) died of emphysema, so any kind of lung irregularity is alarming to me.

    However, I can only freak out about one thing at a time. Doug's agreed that, if the spots show up on the next scan, but are again considered not to be cancer, we will go see a lung guy and get it checked out. I suggest the same to anyone else with similar scans - it's wonderful to not have cancer, but other things can get you as well (aren't I cheery?).

    Fortunately, emphysema takes a while to develop, and might even be prevented if caught early, before symptoms show up (according to my asthma doctor).

    Mike, I don't remember - did you get a neck dissection? If you did, then your ENT might be able to reassure you; if the cancer did not spread beyond a certain point in your lymph nodes, it is very unlikely it spread to your lungs.

    Enjoy your cancer-free status; I hope your September scan adds to the good news.

    Warm Spots
    I had the exact same thing and it turned out to be nothing. Hope the same for you.

    Denny
  • rozaroo
    rozaroo Member Posts: 665
    #11
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    Greend said:

    Warm Spots
    I had the exact same thing and it turned out to be nothing. Hope the same for you.

    Denny

    Ditto!
    Three hot spot's showed up on my Pet/ct scan! Follow up scan showed all was good! Scared the hell out of me. Wishing you my best!
  • luv4lacrosse
    luv4lacrosse Member Posts: 1,410 Member
    #12
    Options
    DrMary said:

    Spots before and after
    Doug's scans showed some spots in his lungs both before and after treatment - for both, they indicated it was likely due to infection/inflammation. I find it scary no matter what - Doug's father (a non-smoker) died of emphysema, so any kind of lung irregularity is alarming to me.

    However, I can only freak out about one thing at a time. Doug's agreed that, if the spots show up on the next scan, but are again considered not to be cancer, we will go see a lung guy and get it checked out. I suggest the same to anyone else with similar scans - it's wonderful to not have cancer, but other things can get you as well (aren't I cheery?).

    Fortunately, emphysema takes a while to develop, and might even be prevented if caught early, before symptoms show up (according to my asthma doctor).

    Mike, I don't remember - did you get a neck dissection? If you did, then your ENT might be able to reassure you; if the cancer did not spread beyond a certain point in your lymph nodes, it is very unlikely it spread to your lungs.

    Enjoy your cancer-free status; I hope your September scan adds to the good news.

    NECK DISSECTION
    Hi Mary, yes I did get a Neck Dissection, just a "modified", not a radical. My ENT was able to get clean margins, but not without some dilligent surgery.

    Hope Doug is doing well and back to stopping shots on a regular basis.

    Mike
  • luv4lacrosse
    luv4lacrosse Member Posts: 1,410 Member
    #13
    Options
    DrMary said:

    Spots before and after
    Doug's scans showed some spots in his lungs both before and after treatment - for both, they indicated it was likely due to infection/inflammation. I find it scary no matter what - Doug's father (a non-smoker) died of emphysema, so any kind of lung irregularity is alarming to me.

    However, I can only freak out about one thing at a time. Doug's agreed that, if the spots show up on the next scan, but are again considered not to be cancer, we will go see a lung guy and get it checked out. I suggest the same to anyone else with similar scans - it's wonderful to not have cancer, but other things can get you as well (aren't I cheery?).

    Fortunately, emphysema takes a while to develop, and might even be prevented if caught early, before symptoms show up (according to my asthma doctor).

    Mike, I don't remember - did you get a neck dissection? If you did, then your ENT might be able to reassure you; if the cancer did not spread beyond a certain point in your lymph nodes, it is very unlikely it spread to your lungs.

    Enjoy your cancer-free status; I hope your September scan adds to the good news.

    WRONG MIKE
    Sorry Mary, wrong Mike.

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