My CT scan results

JanJan63

So I got my results today from the ct scan a couple of weeks ago. Not bad news but not good news, either. I wish they'd say I'm NED or that they can find no signs or something more definitive than what they say. It never seems to be a 100% answer and its hard to keep getting answers that are non answers. It's much better than getting bad news, of course, but this gray area that they alays come up with is so exhausting.

So, I had three spots on my left lung. After a PET scan two were thought to most likely be cancerous but they were not 100% positive that they were. So they got radiated just in case. Spot number three was not cancer.

CT scan number one showed that the two probable cancer spots were dealt with, the onc called the radiation "a great success". But spot number three had possibly grown a tiny bit, they weren't positive.

Latest CT scan showed that spots one and two may have grown a tiny bit but the edges do not indicate cancer, they might be scars that have increased in size. Spot number three may have grown a tiny bit, they're still not sure. And, I have an adhesion that is surrounding my whatever it's called that is the tube that goes into my kidney or one kidney, not sure now. My kidney levels are good in my latest blood test but the adhesions is starting to choke off the tube. So I'll have to see a urologist and may have to have a stent put in to keep it open. I'll have another ct scan in a couple of months and they'll see if the spots are still growing and if a stent is required for the kidney.

They still won't call me NED so I can't say that I am. So, not the news I was terrified it would be but I'm foolish enough to hope that one time I'll go in and they'll say they can't find any cancer or any indication that I have cancer. I'm so grateful but I feel like a jerk for wishing for more. This is about as good as it gets. Cancer is the neverending story.

Jan

kristasplace

I totally understand!

Oh, that lovely, gray area! They do it all the time to me, too! Usually because I'm shocking them with shrinking my own mets, but it's still frustrating that they WON'T SAY IT!

I've had spots on my liver that they won't say whether or not they're worried about them; they come and go, so they think they're...shoot...chemobrain. Can't think of the word for it, and I'm too lazy to look it up right now. lol. They're basically benign tumors. I don't worry about them, whatever they are.

I know it's invasive and painful to get lung biopsies, but you can always insist. At least that would take the guessing game out of it. I am happy it isn't bad news. I guess we just have to take the "no news is good news" approach and not stress out about it.

By the way, I've never had a doctor deem me NED, either. They consider us "incurable", at least that's what my doctors have said. They're really careful about the terms they use, usually.

I hope you're able to relax with the news you got. The spots may not have grown at all, and if they have, it's such a small amount, it could be like they said, scar tissue expansion. 

Hugs,

Krista

mokomapa

Gray area

Jan,

'I'm take that as being pretty good news. I too had the dreaded spots on the liver on some of my early CT scans but after a few they determined they were not cancerous.  Hang in there and focus on the positive.  

Tom

zx10guy

The reason the docs won't say

The reason the docs won't say for sure at this moment is the changes seen probably falls within the error margin of CT scans.  Remember all a CT scanner is doing is taking samples or slices of images of your body.  Depending on the resolution and how closely spaced the slices can be, will dictate how much might be "missed".  Also the position you are in the scanner and any slight variation of the angle of the organ/region will impact how the image is seen.  The docs will probably want to see another scan to see if there are any further changes.

I had one CT scan where two hemangiomas (confirmed via biopsy and PET) in my liver showed probably growth.  The radiologist did not it could be just the angle and positioning of my body which caused the change in size.  My oncologist also noted that.  Next CT scan showed no further changes.

JanJan63

Thanks for the support you

Thanks for the support you guys! I'm feeling better about it today. My cancer hasn't spread. I need to just focus on that and be happy. Why am I being a whiner about not getting an 'all clear' from the oncologist? I think I'm just analytical that way and I want definite answers and with cancer I have to deal with not getting them. This whole gray area thing is not satisfying to me. I want answers. But really, the two radiated spots aren't likely to be cancer spreading and the other spot wasn't supposed to be cancer to start with. This is as good as it gets.

I hope everyone can have these kinds of results. I don't want to hear about anyone getting any bad news. It hurts my heart for them. And it makes me angry. F**k cancer.

Great health to all of us!

Jan