question???

MelanieT
MelanieT Member Posts: 186
edited March 2014 in Colorectal Cancer #1
Hey everyone:) Chris hit number 6(half way mark) this round.. The Dr said he wants to do a chest xray, CEA, and CMP blood work up.. Isnt a CT or PET scan more reliable or if something comes back on either of those then they will set him up for the others?? Sorry i just get confused of what shows what. Also he had several blood clots back in Aug. the last 3 weeks he says everytime he coughes, sneezes or hicups his lungs are killing him. Is that normal this long after blood clots?? Thanks for everyones input in advance, you all know exactly what to say and i love ya for it:)

Comments

  • geotina
    geotina Member Posts: 2,111 Member
    #2
    Hi Melanie
    My hubby George did not do any CT scans while on the chemo. Our onc waited until he finished the 12 treatments. Every month though they did the big blood work thing, CEA, etc. so waiting until completion of the first 12 treatments is not unusual. I'm sure others will weigh in on this. Tina
  • Kathryn_in_MN
    Kathryn_in_MN Member Posts: 1,252 Member
    #3
    makes sense
    The Xray is less invasive than CT or PET. If what he suspects is a problem shows up, they can follow up with CT or PET or MRI if needed.

    I did have a CT last week - and I did have a PE. My onc had scheduled CT and appt with cardiologist due to my ongoing chest pain and other issues. So in the end I am glad I got it - but I was much happier when my next test was ultrasound. I get worried about all the contrast and radiation. Any time we can use something that doesn't need contrast or radiation, I think we should try that first. So Xray before CT makes sense to me.

    Blood workups to rule out problems too - that makes sense.

    I have a PET next week (after my 4th tx) but that is because of unresolved earlier scans. Otherwise I would not have any till much later. I don't think it is common to have PET during most treatments unless spreading/growing is suspected, or to rule out something unresolved from earlier.

    Good luck to you both. I hope they find the cause of his pain and it is not anything serious.
  • lisa42
    lisa42 Member Posts: 3,625 Member
    #4
    xrays, CT, and PET/CT
    Hi,

    I'm surprised your husband's Dr. is ordering just an xray, although I have heard of some others who's Dr.'s have done the same. My Dr. always told me that an xray will only pick things up that are fairly big. A CT is definitely more sensitive in picking up the smaller stuff. A CT and/or Xray will not tell you if there's more metabolic/cancerous activity. For example, I recently had a PET/CT. The CT that's within the PET is a little bit lower level than a regular CT, but definitely better than an xray. My PET/CT results showed that my lung nodules (all under a centimeter- probably would't have even shown up on an xray & I have a lot of them)- but the Ct showed my lung nodules stable in size, meaning they hadn't grown in size since the last scan. If we had only done the Ct, we would have thought everything was fine. My CEA had been rising steadily lately. The PET portion, however, showed "increased uptake" (metabolic/cancerous activity) since the last scan. It also showed new metabolic activity in my liver, wheras nothing at all showed up in my liver on the CT portion of the scan. I really think a PET/CT is what he should have done. I know different drs. have different opinions on this, but you might run by him the example I just gave you how we wouldn't have known that anything new was going on in me if we had only just done a CT (and especially not if we had done an xray- I've actually never even had a chest xray in the 2-1/2 yrs I've had cancer- it's always been either a CT or a PET/CT & most of the time it's been the PET/CT).

    Best wishes- I do hope and pray that it shows nothing. I'd push for more than just an xray though- unless the tumors/nodules are well over a centimeter, it really won't be of any help at all.

    Lisa
  • KATE58
    KATE58 Member Posts: 299
    #5
    lisa42 said:

    xrays, CT, and PET/CT
    Hi,

    I'm surprised your husband's Dr. is ordering just an xray, although I have heard of some others who's Dr.'s have done the same. My Dr. always told me that an xray will only pick things up that are fairly big. A CT is definitely more sensitive in picking up the smaller stuff. A CT and/or Xray will not tell you if there's more metabolic/cancerous activity. For example, I recently had a PET/CT. The CT that's within the PET is a little bit lower level than a regular CT, but definitely better than an xray. My PET/CT results showed that my lung nodules (all under a centimeter- probably would't have even shown up on an xray & I have a lot of them)- but the Ct showed my lung nodules stable in size, meaning they hadn't grown in size since the last scan. If we had only done the Ct, we would have thought everything was fine. My CEA had been rising steadily lately. The PET portion, however, showed "increased uptake" (metabolic/cancerous activity) since the last scan. It also showed new metabolic activity in my liver, wheras nothing at all showed up in my liver on the CT portion of the scan. I really think a PET/CT is what he should have done. I know different drs. have different opinions on this, but you might run by him the example I just gave you how we wouldn't have known that anything new was going on in me if we had only just done a CT (and especially not if we had done an xray- I've actually never even had a chest xray in the 2-1/2 yrs I've had cancer- it's always been either a CT or a PET/CT & most of the time it's been the PET/CT).

    Best wishes- I do hope and pray that it shows nothing. I'd push for more than just an xray though- unless the tumors/nodules are well over a centimeter, it really won't be of any help at all.

    Lisa

    In 4 1/2 yrs, I've never had
    In 4 1/2 yrs, I've never had a regular xray. its always
    ct scans or pet/ct scans every 3 months. I get blood work if I'm on chemo,
    every 2 weeks,but my doctor has not done a cea in 3 yrs,it doesn't work on me -
    always looks normal.
  • scouty
    scouty Member Posts: 1,965 Member
    #6
    Makes sense to me
    I have developed an allergic reaction to the CT IV contrast and have been getting Xrays and MRIs for the last 2 years

    With the recent questioning of too many CT scans and their associated radiation exposure, it doesn't bother me at all. Some doctors think we get CT scans too often in the US.

    Has your hubby's CEA been a good indicator for him (for some it doesn't ever register)? If so that is probably the best test he can have. With his blood clot history and coughing issues the Xrays make even more sense to me. CT nor PET scans will show those kinds of potential problems.

    I'd also like to recommend you get the email address of his oncologist so you can ask questions like this and all the others you think of after you leave the office. Get the address and USE it. My oncologist is MUCH better with email than the telephone and I also have a hard copy of what he says.

    Lisa P.

    PS. It may also be an insurance company or expense issue and all the more reason to ask his oncologist so you know exactly what you are dealing with.

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