Need Help!

[Angela]

Had PET that showed a spot on my right 9th rib. Had an x-ray of rib that said "not clearly seen" Yesterday the doctor said the only way to be sure it was cancer was to remove part of the rib and exam it because a bone scan can also show a false positive. He didn't recommend doing the surgery because it is not important to catch cancer early if it is a reoccurrence. He does not want to add the heavy chemo until we have too. I am currently on herceptin, nothing else. The PET also showed 2 enlarged lymph nodes on the left side near my neck. His statement...they were just enlarged. Maybe I just don't have a clear understanding of what a PET scan can and can't show. If this were you would you sit back and wait?

Also, for anyone with knowledge on PET scans. The doctor told my mom that this scan would be from the top of my head to the tip of my toes. But there was no mention of my brain at all in the report. We know I have 2 very small tumors left in my brain. Does a PET scan show brain tumors?

[Bill]

Just bumping this up for Angela

[Sheila]

Angela
First of all, I would never take "bone mets" (if that is what it is) lightly. Make sure they did a RIB xray, and not just a normal chest xray...ribs do not show up definitively on a chest xray. As far as the enlarged lymph nodes in your neck, what area...some here have gone from mets to those nodes to brain mets, which you have already had. An brain MRI is the only way to clearly see size shape and location of brain mets....sounds like you need another opinion to see what treatment another BREAST oncologist would recommend.
Hope this helps!