CAT Scan results

JDuke
JDuke Member Posts: 438
edited March 2014 in Anal Cancer #1
Got the results of the CAT scan taken Monday to show the effectiveness of the stereotactic radiation to my liver met. Scan showed shrinkage. RadOnc was happy. Said it was just what she was expecting and that it will continue to shrink for the next 4-5 months. Well that was the good news. Unfortunately, that was followed up with not so great news. When they did a PET scan in Feb. to see if I was a candidate for a resection, they noticed a thickening in the pleura of my left lung. The response was, this is of no real concern to us at this time. Well now that the liver has been treated it has moved up on their importance scale. It is about 2cm in size and I have been scheduled for a PET scan tomorrow and a consult with a Thorasic (?) surgeon on Friday. Dr. Hoffe (RadOnc) had already spoken to the surgeon and they decided he will do a VAC procedure to obtain a biopsy. This is apparently some sort of laproscopic procedure that will also allow him to look around while he is in there. Dr. Hoffe seems to think there is a good likelyhood that it is cancer. Anal cancer, new cancer, who knows. I am refusing to go there until I have to. Perhaps it is NOT cancer. So, that is where I am tonight. I am bouncing back and forth between being grateful for the success of the liver treatment to feeling like I am losing my breath with anxiety about the lung thing. I know you all can relate. I HATE feeling this way. I feel like I jumped back on that damn emotional roller coaster and it is out of control. I will get a grip, but right now, I am feeling very vunerable. Thanks for listening. I will keep you posted at things progress.
Blessings to all,
Joanne

Comments

  • mp327
    mp327 Member Posts: 4,440 Member
    #2
    Hi Joanne
    I'm sorry to hear that not all your news was good, but the fact that the liver tumors are shrinking in size is one positive thing to celebrate. I am glad they are fast-tracking you to the PET scanner tomorrow to find out what is in your lung and that you are already set up with a thoracic surgeon for biopsy. Let's hope that that's all you'll need him for and that everything comes back negative. I will be keeping you in my thoughts and prayers and hope that you will let us know what you find out. I would tell you not to worry, but I know that's impossible. So, I will just remind you that many of us are keeping you in their thoughts and prayers, including me.
  • lizdeli
    lizdeli Member Posts: 569 Member
    #3
    Pleura thickening
    Hi Joanne,
    Glad to hear that the stubborn liver spot is shrinking! Good news. I'm not convinced that the lung spot is something to worry about yet. As we age we get these spots and there are many auses of Pleural Thickening besides cancer. Infection, past and present, etc. I've copie and pasted some info on it. Also, did it light up on the other PET or they just noticed it? If it didn't light up, it could be nothing more than a benign spot.

    Pleural thickening can occur as a result of any inflammation occurring in the lungs. In addition to asbestos exposure, this may stem from any of the following:

    •Bacterial pneumonia
    •Pleural effusion (excessive fluid in the pleural space)
    •Infection
    •Tuberculosis
    •Tumors (both benign and malignant)
    •Rheumatoid lung disease
    •Radiation therapy
    •Chemotherapy
    •Lung contusions
    •Pulmonary embolisms (blood clots in an artery of the lung)
    •Drugs
    •Lupus

    Keep us posted and we will keep you in our prayers.

    Hugs,
    Liz
  • z
    z Member Posts: 1,414 Member
    #4
    lizdeli said:

    Pleura thickening
    Hi Joanne,
    Glad to hear that the stubborn liver spot is shrinking! Good news. I'm not convinced that the lung spot is something to worry about yet. As we age we get these spots and there are many auses of Pleural Thickening besides cancer. Infection, past and present, etc. I've copie and pasted some info on it. Also, did it light up on the other PET or they just noticed it? If it didn't light up, it could be nothing more than a benign spot.

    Pleural thickening can occur as a result of any inflammation occurring in the lungs. In addition to asbestos exposure, this may stem from any of the following:

    •Bacterial pneumonia
    •Pleural effusion (excessive fluid in the pleural space)
    •Infection
    •Tuberculosis
    •Tumors (both benign and malignant)
    •Rheumatoid lung disease
    •Radiation therapy
    •Chemotherapy
    •Lung contusions
    •Pulmonary embolisms (blood clots in an artery of the lung)
    •Drugs
    •Lupus

    Keep us posted and we will keep you in our prayers.

    Hugs,
    Liz

    Joanne
    Joanne,

    That sounds like great news with your liver radiation results. Liz, I'm so glad you posted that information, I had no idea. With all the chemoradiation anal cancer patients have been through, it would make sense that our lungs would get irritated. I hope thats all it is, is an irritation. I'll be thinking about you Joanne and hoping your lung is just irittated. I wish you well. Lori
  • mtnmama
    mtnmama Member Posts: 10
    #5
    z said:

    Joanne
    Joanne,

    That sounds like great news with your liver radiation results. Liz, I'm so glad you posted that information, I had no idea. With all the chemoradiation anal cancer patients have been through, it would make sense that our lungs would get irritated. I hope thats all it is, is an irritation. I'll be thinking about you Joanne and hoping your lung is just irittated. I wish you well. Lori

    jduke
    great news for you on the shrinking front and I echo the remarks of others here, wishing and praying for the best,
    Christine
  • SueRelays
    SueRelays Member Posts: 485
    #6
    HI Joanne
    I've been thinking
    HI Joanne

    I've been thinking about you and wondering how you were doing.
    Just want to share....just in case....I did have 1/5 of my lung removed, in addition to a liver resection, after treatment for anal cancer. They caught it while it was small, which is key....and the surgery was not too bad. I also have a friend here at work that went through the same....you would never know (except those little scars they leave behind :) )....that either of us has been through what we have. I do get a little tired more now, but that's it! If it is, which sounds like it could be several other things, you will just add this to your "I survived this too" list!!!!
    Very happy to hear about the liver!!!!
    Look forward to an update. I know waiting is just the worse!!!!
  • duckyann
    duckyann Member Posts: 159
    #7
    SueRelays said:

    HI Joanne
    I've been thinking
    HI Joanne

    I've been thinking about you and wondering how you were doing.
    Just want to share....just in case....I did have 1/5 of my lung removed, in addition to a liver resection, after treatment for anal cancer. They caught it while it was small, which is key....and the surgery was not too bad. I also have a friend here at work that went through the same....you would never know (except those little scars they leave behind :) )....that either of us has been through what we have. I do get a little tired more now, but that's it! If it is, which sounds like it could be several other things, you will just add this to your "I survived this too" list!!!!
    Very happy to hear about the liver!!!!
    Look forward to an update. I know waiting is just the worse!!!!

    Joanne,
    I am happy to hear
    Joanne,

    I am happy to hear about your liver too....I will also keep you in my thoughts and prayers about your PET scan for your lungs. I truely hope it is benign. Please keep us updated.

    Take care
  • cbs6931
    cbs6931 Member Posts: 63
    #8
    Happy for the good news and hoping for good results!
    Happy for the good news on your liver! Also hoping that the PET and procedure will show nothing to worry about. Sorry you are having to go through all of this. You are in my thoughts and prayers :)

    Cathy
  • Sundanceh
    Sundanceh Member Posts: 4,392 Member
    #9
    Hi JoAnne:)
    Don't mind if I stop by, eh?

    Great news on your recent liver procedure. I'm sorry to hear about the spot in your lung - you know I had 2 just 6-months ago - and the PET lit them up and all indications were it was cancer too. As you might remember, they were about 2.7 cm each in size - they turned out benign.

    So, what I'm saying is that despite a CT showing continual growth, and a PET that lit up and said Hi, in the end they were both benign.

    Of course, 3 months later, a new spot showed up 6" further from the other ones - CT scan done a couple of weeks has showed it has grown 2.5 times the original size - it's approximately the size of a "ping pong" ball right now - and still growing.

    I would definitely be concerned - it might not be cancer - I don't think mine is again either - but even if a benign tumor keeps growing big enough, it must be dealt with.

    I'm hoping that this VAC procedure goes well for you. Another thoracic procedure is called VATS - video assisted thoracic surgery - it's exploratory as well.

    And you know about me and DaVinci:)

    Just wanted to stop in and wish you well - you're doing the right things - very proud of you.

    -Craig

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