Metastasis ro the 6th and 8th rib

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O had an old sprain in my right ankle years ago......a week ago I was blowing snow and been outside for almost 2 hrs clearing the snow in ny backyard......the cold weather must jave sip in to my ankle and now it's been swollen for a week and couldn't walk......I have metastasis to my ribs and is afraid that this is just not an ordinary sprain ..........Can the cancer spread from my ribs to my ankle that quickly? I had my x-ray and never heard of the results yet.....thanks..

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  • todd121
    todd121 Member Posts: 1,448 Member
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    Mets in Ankle

    You asked about "that quickly", but I didn't see anywhere in your post how long has passed between you finding the mets in your ribs and you having a problem with your ankle.

    I think it's unlikely you have a met on your ankle, but only the bones that tend to have mets are closer to the body, based on what I've read and heard on this site. Usually they are on the femur, pelvis, spine, or ribs. I can't say for sure in more advanced Stage IV, but so far I've never heard anyone report mets to bones in the extremities on this site.

    It's probably just a sprain. Still you should get it checked out. Not sure an Xray will show if it's a met on the bone. Nuclear bone scan is usually the test to find/confirm mets to the bone (CT first then nuclear bone scan). Perhaps someone else can say whether the Xray will show it?

    Best to you,

    Todd

  • vccortes713
    vccortes713 Member Posts: 51
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    todd121 said:

    Mets in Ankle

    You asked about "that quickly", but I didn't see anywhere in your post how long has passed between you finding the mets in your ribs and you having a problem with your ankle.

    I think it's unlikely you have a met on your ankle, but only the bones that tend to have mets are closer to the body, based on what I've read and heard on this site. Usually they are on the femur, pelvis, spine, or ribs. I can't say for sure in more advanced Stage IV, but so far I've never heard anyone report mets to bones in the extremities on this site.

    It's probably just a sprain. Still you should get it checked out. Not sure an Xray will show if it's a met on the bone. Nuclear bone scan is usually the test to find/confirm mets to the bone (CT first then nuclear bone scan). Perhaps someone else can say whether the Xray will show it?

    Best to you,

    Todd

    Thanks Todd! The x ray shows

    Thanks Todd! Your post is very informative and helpful.....The x ray shows no mets.....You are right!

  • Jan4you
    Jan4you Member Posts: 1,330 Member
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    Thanks Todd! The x ray shows

    Thanks Todd! Your post is very informative and helpful.....The x ray shows no mets.....You are right!

    First of all, I want to say I

    First of all, I want to say I am sorry for ALL you are and have been enduring. Glad you came here for support and information.

    As my oncologist told me, an xray is like a sketch and not helpful at all.

    Do you have a orthopedic doc to see? They could rule in/out what is wrong with your ankle.

    Keep us informed, if you like, and we'll be here for you.

    Gentle hugs, Jan

  • Djinnie
    Djinnie Member Posts: 945 Member
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    X-Rays and Bone Mets!

    Quoted from Cancer.org:-  'Regular X-Rays may show signs of the cancers spread to the bones. X-Rays are often among the first tests ordered if a person with Cancer is having bone pain or other symptoms.

    Ther are two types of bone mets..

    In Osteolytic or Lytic Mets, the Cancer cells dissolve some of the minerals in the bone, making an area of the bone less dense. If the Cancer has destroyed enough of the bone these changes appear on X-Rays as a darker hole in the grey-white bone image.

    Osteoblastic or blasted Mets cause anarea of the bone to appear denser and sclerotic. on X-Rays these mets show up as spots that are whiter than the bone around them. This is seen more commonly in Cancer such as prostate and breast'.

    So a regular X-Ray appears to show signs of bone mets, although a nuclear bone scan would show earlier signs.