I don't want my wife to get misdiagnosed, advice please

SharonVegas
SharonVegas Member Posts: 189
in Liver Cancer #1
I have colon cancer and I post regularly on the discussion board over there. Got some new news yesterday regarding my wife. She has had right side pain for a couple of months but has been busy taking care of me and with work so she put off seeing a doctor. She got an ultrasound yesterday and the ultrasound guy said she had a 1 1/2 inch cyst on her liver but not to worry because it looks like a liquid filled cyst which is pretty common. She searched the internet and assures me that it's common. I was misdaignosed for about a year before the doctors found my colon cancer. I don't want her to waste precious time getting the run around. Does anyone have any advice on what she should ask her primary care doctor to test for? I have my regularly scheduled appointment with my oncologist on Tuesday and we are going to get us thoughts. Call me parinoid but I don't want to make the same mistake twice.
Thank you all for your advice,
Ron (my wife is Sha hence SharonVegas)

Comments

  • XtremediverHCC
    XtremediverHCC Member Posts: 63 Member
    #2
    Have them check her AFP level
    AFP is accurate only 50% of the time, however, if it is elevated then the likely hood of liver cancer is high. I have had liver cancer (HCC) twice now and both times my AFP levels were normal. Liquid filled cyst are common with the liver and is probably an accurate diagnosis. Ultrasounds are great for this type of problem, however if their is any suspicions of liver cancer then a MRI is much more accurate (and costly) but the diagnosis is also more accurate. Good Luck.
  • SharonVegas
    SharonVegas Member Posts: 189
    #3
    XtremediverHCC said:

    Have them check her AFP level
    AFP is accurate only 50% of the time, however, if it is elevated then the likely hood of liver cancer is high. I have had liver cancer (HCC) twice now and both times my AFP levels were normal. Liquid filled cyst are common with the liver and is probably an accurate diagnosis. Ultrasounds are great for this type of problem, however if their is any suspicions of liver cancer then a MRI is much more accurate (and costly) but the diagnosis is also more accurate. Good Luck.

    Thanks Xtreme! She will get
    Thanks Xtreme! She will get the AFP blood test next week. We talked to MY oncologist unofficially and he recommended CT scan with and without contrast. Her primary doc agreed to order CT with contrast which was approved by insurance. Her primary doc feels that doing CT with and without contrast is too much exposure to radiation. We will ask the radiology clinic to perform without contrast also and just pay cash for that. I'm sure they will give us the "cash" rate vs the full rate that is charged to insurance and then reduced by 50% when reimbursed :-)

Discussion Boards