Bone Biopsy

BBK
BBK Member Posts: 53
edited March 2014 in Breast Cancer #1
Can anyone tell me about this? Procedure? Pain level? How and why you may have had to have it done? Is it the natural next step after an abnormal bone scan? etc. Thanks, heaps! (I had bc dx in 2002, mastectomy early 2003 with tram flap recon; 4 rounds of AC chemo March to May 2003; and have been on Tamoxifen ever since. Developed hip pain in 2003 -- July -- have been in pain to some degree daily ever since. Now, also have shoulder blade pain and rib pain, thus a bone scan for me...) Now, wondering if it could be bone mets. Thoughts? Advice? Thanks again.

Comments

  • KathiM
    KathiM Member Posts: 8,028 Member
    #2
    I'm sorry, I don't have any experience with this. Did you say they will start with the bone scan? Has it already been done? I always found that the best thing to do when I was nervous about something is admit it to my treating doc. They seem to respond better, and go into greater detail about a proceedure. Also, the doc's nurse was ALWAYS sympathetic with all of my proceedures.

    Hugs, and please keep us posted!
    Kathi
  • BBK
    BBK Member Posts: 53
    #3
    KathiM said:

    I'm sorry, I don't have any experience with this. Did you say they will start with the bone scan? Has it already been done? I always found that the best thing to do when I was nervous about something is admit it to my treating doc. They seem to respond better, and go into greater detail about a proceedure. Also, the doc's nurse was ALWAYS sympathetic with all of my proceedures.

    Hugs, and please keep us posted!
    Kathi

    Yes, I had the bone scan on Wednesday...still waiting for the results. Perhaps the better question would be -- if you have bc mets to the bones, HOW did they definitively diagnose that?! Thanks to anyone who can give some insight...
  • kathydaly
    kathydaly Member Posts: 81
    #4
    BBK said:

    Yes, I had the bone scan on Wednesday...still waiting for the results. Perhaps the better question would be -- if you have bc mets to the bones, HOW did they definitively diagnose that?! Thanks to anyone who can give some insight...

    I have had many bone scans in the past 16 yrs., and know they showed new things over time, broken ribs, fractured tailbone, etc. But she had my original scan from '91 to compare them too. So was this your 1st bone scan , or does she too have comparisons. I have no knowledge of what the bone biopsy is like, I'm sorry. I thought though, the gold standard would a pet scan. It sounds like you left that office pretty stunned and didn't think of these questions 'til afterwards. So, I would make a list of them all and call her up for some answers, directly. That's what you're paying her for, her expertise, so it is not an intrusion in any way.

    Having said that, the reason I would end up getting a bone scans would be because I had complained about pain, and the result was that it was due to meds.(tamoxifen).
    You said you were on tamoxifen, as was I for 5 yrs. and so I don't know if that's a possibility for your pain, but try asking her that and also if the biopsy would be the next step if the scan showed changes. If it's possible I would try and hang my hat on the notion that it could be the tamoxifen, at least until you talk to her. At this point though, you probably have a lot of answers to this already.

    Even if the three of us who've responded can't help you directly, know that we are here and concerned about you and praying for the best results, love and ((((huggggs)))), Kathy

    PS------please get back to us and let us know, OK?
  • BBK
    BBK Member Posts: 53
    #5
    kathydaly said:

    I have had many bone scans in the past 16 yrs., and know they showed new things over time, broken ribs, fractured tailbone, etc. But she had my original scan from '91 to compare them too. So was this your 1st bone scan , or does she too have comparisons. I have no knowledge of what the bone biopsy is like, I'm sorry. I thought though, the gold standard would a pet scan. It sounds like you left that office pretty stunned and didn't think of these questions 'til afterwards. So, I would make a list of them all and call her up for some answers, directly. That's what you're paying her for, her expertise, so it is not an intrusion in any way.

    Having said that, the reason I would end up getting a bone scans would be because I had complained about pain, and the result was that it was due to meds.(tamoxifen).
    You said you were on tamoxifen, as was I for 5 yrs. and so I don't know if that's a possibility for your pain, but try asking her that and also if the biopsy would be the next step if the scan showed changes. If it's possible I would try and hang my hat on the notion that it could be the tamoxifen, at least until you talk to her. At this point though, you probably have a lot of answers to this already.

    Even if the three of us who've responded can't help you directly, know that we are here and concerned about you and praying for the best results, love and ((((huggggs)))), Kathy

    PS------please get back to us and let us know, OK?

    Yes, I had my first bone scan in 2003 -- between surgery and chemo. So, they do have an accurate baseline scan to compare to. I've had ongoing, progressive hip pain in my right hip and thigh for about 3 years now. An x-ray done about 9 months ago showed "bursitis." However, the pain is constant, it's not in the joint per se (although some of the pain is), and it's getting worse. this week, I can hardly sit, stand, or walk. Even laying down isn't helpful, and no pain meds touches the pain. Add to that the recent development of pain in my left shoulder blade for no apparent reason, and in a lower right rib for no apparent reason, and that's what cause my oncologist to order the bone scan during my last regular appointment. I do have tamoxifen-induced bone/joint pain in other spots (wrists, fingers, knees...but they're all on both sides.) These other major pains are on one side only, and that concerns my dr. a little more. So, now I wait to get the results. I'm just a little nervous about a return of my cancer...as most of you have experienced that, too. I'm hanging in there...just wondered if there were others with bone mets and what's been done to diagnose and treat them. Thanks for your encouraging reply!
  • kathydaly
    kathydaly Member Posts: 81
    #6
    BBK said:

    Yes, I had my first bone scan in 2003 -- between surgery and chemo. So, they do have an accurate baseline scan to compare to. I've had ongoing, progressive hip pain in my right hip and thigh for about 3 years now. An x-ray done about 9 months ago showed "bursitis." However, the pain is constant, it's not in the joint per se (although some of the pain is), and it's getting worse. this week, I can hardly sit, stand, or walk. Even laying down isn't helpful, and no pain meds touches the pain. Add to that the recent development of pain in my left shoulder blade for no apparent reason, and in a lower right rib for no apparent reason, and that's what cause my oncologist to order the bone scan during my last regular appointment. I do have tamoxifen-induced bone/joint pain in other spots (wrists, fingers, knees...but they're all on both sides.) These other major pains are on one side only, and that concerns my dr. a little more. So, now I wait to get the results. I'm just a little nervous about a return of my cancer...as most of you have experienced that, too. I'm hanging in there...just wondered if there were others with bone mets and what's been done to diagnose and treat them. Thanks for your encouraging reply!

    I went under bone ca here and on pg. 5, there is a heading of bone cancer signs and symptons, might be helpful. And on pg. 6 from someone Angel, the heading any bone cancers met. from breast. I didn't go back any further because I knew I'd forget the pg #'s and headings by the time I'd be back here typing, lol. Big recall problem's here!! lmao

    On pg. 1 there is something too, but don't read that one, survived 5 cancers, not helpful, OK, just trust me on that one, please?

    Huggggs, Kathy
  • AuthorUnknown
    AuthorUnknown Member Posts: 1,537 Member
    #7
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    Forgive my bad English.

    Yours faithfully Dok Manomah.

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