New with questions

Not everything that lights up is a tumor. Recall how PET scans work: 1) you starve your body of sugar for a day; 2) your body gets fed a radioactive sugar; 3) cells that are dividing rapidly take up the radioactive sugar faster and to a greater extent than normal surrounding tissue.  So you get a "signal".  Since many tumors divide rapidly, a signal can indicate a tumor.  But tumors are not the only cells that divide rapidly.  For example, my shoulder joints light up big time because I have severe bursitis (inflammation).  I have a lesion in my mouth that lights up...Not a tumor.

You are just going to need to wait for the biopsy results to see whether or not this is a recurrence.  Hopefully not, but if it is, seeing a lymphoma specialist is definitely the way to go.  Good luck with it.

PETs are not absolutely diagnostic of anytihng. They assist the radiologist and hematologist to assess what might be glowing - normally after a CT scan finds any masses. Your liver always glows a deep red and it is used as a control or baseline. Your brain also lights up. So, the PET finds your liver at work and your brain's cogitive activity. That is no indication of cancer at all - only normal metabolism. Does healing light up? Yes. Does simple inflamation? Yes. As well as other things. It can be many things and for that reason is no cause to panic.

Anaid2160 said:

Update. I had my appointment
Update. I had my appointment and spot is not lymphoma. Thank you for encouragement. I go again in 10 weeks for ct with contrast. I hope to stay in remission. At what point do ports get removed?

Anaid, port removal varies considerably depending on several variables.

An oncologist will recommend that you keep it if there is liklihood of relapse soon. The oncologist bases this assessment in turn on several other variables, such as the strain of the cancer, and how well the cancer responded to therapy.  Various blood test results from the draws pulled before chemo is begun are also linked to liklihood of remission holding or failing, but these are just statistical indicators, and do not say for certain what will transpire with any given individual.

Further, some doctors individually just have differing views of when to remove the port, and some cancer centers may also have guidelines. So there is no one, easy answer.   My doctor had my port removed as soon as my last PET was done, whereas the same group of doctors had my neighbor, who also had advanced lymphoma, keep his port in for two years after he entered full remission.

And also, doctors to some extent will consider the wishes of the patient.

In general, I would not rush the issue, and follow the doctor's guidance.  It is easier to keep a port than have one removed and then later have another installed.

max

A lot less to worry about. As to the port, you can simply discuss that with your hematologist. Your call, but doctor can help you make an informed decision.