Pet Scan results

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funnyguy
funnyguy Member Posts: 89
edited March 2014 in Colorectal Cancer #1
Question for the more experienced members on the board.

Is it somewhat normal to have reconnection (anamostasis) segment lite up during a pet scan?
I'm curious because I am ~1 year out from removal of tumor and have never really had a 'normal' scan. One of my docs says it's because I had pre-operative radiation and also scar tissue. Has anyone else experienced This?

Recent colonoscopy is clean.

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  • valley
    valley Member Posts: 94
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    Hi

    This has been the norm for my husband diagnosed Jan. 06 stage 3 rectal cancer. He had radiation and chemo before his resection which was May 06 followed by 4 months of chemo because of lymph node involvement 10 out of 28 positive nodes. He finished his chemo on 10-02-06. December 1st he had a follow up cat scan which concerned his oncologist tiny bubbles in anamostasis area. They were worried about a preferation. Because of this he had a pet scan and barium enema. We also went to his surgeon who said this sometimes happens and it should be fine which it was. The pet scan however did also lite up in this area which resulted in sigmoidoscopy for a biopsy which came back negative for cancer but inflammation due to radiation. Every 3 months he has a pet scan and still shows activity in this area. He has had 5 biopsies. All have been fine again radiation and scar tissue. His last sigmoid was in January which showed some improvement (healing) His pet scans are now 6 months instead of 3. Next one scheduled for May. His colonoscopies have otherwise been clean. Has your doctor mentioned anything about a biopsy?

    keep me posted

    val
  • funnyguy
    funnyguy Member Posts: 89
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    valley said:

    Hi

    This has been the norm for my husband diagnosed Jan. 06 stage 3 rectal cancer. He had radiation and chemo before his resection which was May 06 followed by 4 months of chemo because of lymph node involvement 10 out of 28 positive nodes. He finished his chemo on 10-02-06. December 1st he had a follow up cat scan which concerned his oncologist tiny bubbles in anamostasis area. They were worried about a preferation. Because of this he had a pet scan and barium enema. We also went to his surgeon who said this sometimes happens and it should be fine which it was. The pet scan however did also lite up in this area which resulted in sigmoidoscopy for a biopsy which came back negative for cancer but inflammation due to radiation. Every 3 months he has a pet scan and still shows activity in this area. He has had 5 biopsies. All have been fine again radiation and scar tissue. His last sigmoid was in January which showed some improvement (healing) His pet scans are now 6 months instead of 3. Next one scheduled for May. His colonoscopies have otherwise been clean. Has your doctor mentioned anything about a biopsy?

    keep me posted

    val

    the results are still preliminary, so I haven't spoken with the surgeon yet.

    But what he and the oncologist have said so far is consistent with your statements. Very common to be from radiation and scar tissue.

    so it will be a couple more days before a conclusive reading on the pet scan.

    thanks for the perspective.
  • Moesimo
    Moesimo Member Posts: 1,072 Member
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    I also had an area that lit up on a pet scan. It has been determined that it is scar tissue. It does show up on the cat scan also, but it has not increased in size and has not changed. It is now stable,

    Maureen