ct results - a little confused?-anyone?

hopefulone
hopefulone Member Posts: 1,043 Member
edited March 2014 in Colorectal Cancer #1
So we got the results of hubby's ct last week. Everything is "stable" , no more shrinkage , but no progression either, which is I guess "good news" at least that's what I prefer to think. Onc says maybe time to check with someone about liver mets options, since chemo is keeping it in a "holding pattern" right now, which we plan on doing. We are having ct put on cd to be reviewed elsewhere. But I'm a little confused. He has 5 mets supposedly, the largest is about 1.3 cm
and 2 more that are 9 mm and 2 that are 4 mm. Onc says the little ones might be "dead" and just appear on ct" but there is no way of telling since a PET only picks up under 1 cm ? and CT doesn't show if active. So what the heck ??? You mean to tell me the little ones could be dead, but we just won't know? This is a bit difficult for me to comprehend, because I can't believe there is no way to tell. Anyone have any thoughts on this? ( apparantly they are too deep in liver and too small to biopsy)
Also thanks to all who responded to my post. God Bless.
Diane

Comments

  • apache4
    apache4 Member Posts: 272 Member
    #2
    I won't be any help because I have the same questions. After 15 treatments I have been stable for about six months now. Still getting the 5-fu, Oxaliplatin, Leuvoricain and Avastin. I have tumors too numerous for them to count with the largest being 3cm. I would also know if some of them have died, etc. I will follow this thread...I am also asking my onc. more questions Monday. I figure that maybe they don't know either :) I was diagnosed in May of 2006.
  • dash4
    dash4 Member Posts: 303 Member
    #3
    A great source to understand all your options with the liver is www.upmclivercancercenter.com. The doctor on the site is the one that did a liver resection and ablation for my husband in 12/04. Although he has had a reoccurence, there is still nothing in the liver. I know they have many more options now with liver mets that are inoperable. If you have any questions - let me know. Good luck. You are in my thoughts and prayers.
    Dash
  • jams67
    jams67 Member Posts: 925 Member
    #4
    I had 3 mets, and one didn't show up until they were doing the surgery and used ultrasound on it. The surgeon had checked the CT and PET before surgery and found 2 in the left lobe but was not expecting another in the right. He removed all of the left lobe and part of the right. I'm now NED for the last 2 years. Just be sure you have a surgeon who knows a lot about livers.
    Jo Ann
  • robinvan
    robinvan Member Posts: 1,012
    #5
    Diane,
    I've had liver resection, right lobe (Oct 2004); and RFA to treat a small recurrence in "caudate lobe" (Mar 2007). I think it sounds really positive that they want to look at liver options now. You're husband will want to get to a good liver surgeon with resection and RFA capacity. Sometimes they can do a combination resection/RFA. Check out the site Dash referred to. It has good info on the options.
    I hope a surgical option works out. Be Hopeful!
    Rob
  • Monicaemilia
    Monicaemilia Member Posts: 455 Member
    #6
    Hi Diane: I just had a PET scan done and apparently tumours under 1 cm are not always detected. I have two nodules in the lungs that do not light up, and they figure it is because they are too small. I´m going to be optimistic and think that they don´t light up because it is not cancer.

    Definitely get a different opinion. I had to travel across the globe, but I will be having surgery in the next couple of weeks to resect. Worse case scenario will be radiofrequency ablation, two things my surgeon in Canada would not do. Take heart, and don´t give up. Monica

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