PET scan results
 

Dear friends,

I had a PET scan Monday that shows no new cancer activity PLUS--the liver lesions are gone, and lung nodules are now too small to count. The threshold for evaluation by PET is 5mm.

The tumor in my breast is stable. What's showing up might just be inflammation, or necrosis.

So, apparently, I am now NED. I am unspeakably grateful and happy about that.

I've asked my oncologist (a research fellow at Harvard) to give me an opinion about surgery. As we've been discussing in another thread, there are pros and cons for surgery for people who present at stage 4. All the studies are retrospective, and most predate Herceptin (and don't even take HER-2 status into account.)

Re: PET scan results
 

Brilliant news, you have made my day!

Ellie

Re: PET scan results
 

Wonderful News! Yay!!

Re: PET scan results
 

Great news Amy - thanks for sharing.

all the best
caya

Re: PET scan results
 

Thank you, God!

Re: PET scan results
 

Amy,
Glad to hear your news.
Amelia

Re: PET scan results
 

Awesome news

Re: PET scan results
 

Great news.. Congratulations. This will surely light up the holiday season :)

Re: PET scan results
 

That is fantastic news Amy! Long may you dance with NED!

A questions for you - I had a PET back in July - which was what showed my secondaries - but since then I have 6 weekly CT as I am on a drug trial. My scans are showing stable in my lungs (The largest they are measuring is 8mm but there are innumerable small mets), partial response in my axilla node (reduced 50%) and my skin met looks like a scar now. I have the option to do a PET (through a friend) as PET scans are not funded for BC patients in Australia. This would show if the cancer is active while the CT cannot show that - it might just be scar that they are looking at. I am a little reluctant as I already get radiation pumped into me every 6 weeks for my CT scans and my treatment wouldn't change anyway - I would stay on the trial. I saw you said that 5mm is the tolerance for the PET - when I spoke to my friend he said the PET will pick up metabolic activity on the end of a pin. Just wondering if you can add anything with your experience of PET. I feel like this treatment is really working and am bamboozled as to why the CT is showing no change in my lungs.

Your news has made my day!
Amanda x

Re: PET scan results
 

Extremely happy for you Amy
Merry Christmas
Jenny xx

Re: PET scan results
 

Thanks for sharing the wonderful news!

Re: PET scan results
 

Amy, that is fantastic news, may NED be your partner forever!

Dawn

Re: PET scan results
 

Amy,
Your news is just wonderful.
I am thrilled to read your post.
Continued Blessings.

Jean

Re: PET scan results
 

Amy,

An early Christmas present for you! May you be forever NED. I am very happy for you.

Hugs,

Kris......

Re: PET scan results
 

Hey everybody,

Thank you for your warm and loving responses. It means the world to me. Yes, I hope to keep dancing with NED. In any event it's great to get some ground to stand on.

Amanda--about the 5mm limit. That's just what they told me. I don't know much about PET scans. My oncologist did tell me they're lower radiation than CT, and, of course, they can tell the difference between necrotic and active cancer tissue.

Thank you all for being here, for paying attention, for offering experience, strength and hope. I love you all.

Re: PET scan results
 

Amy,
Yay! I'm soooooo happy for you! No one deserves it more!
Be well!
Denise