mets question?

[Alice]

I had a abdominal ct last week because of pain in left pelvic region. It showed a 1 cm lesion in the liver which I know could be anything including a cyst. It cought the lower part of the lungs where it showed multiple 5 mm densities in the periferal lower lung lobes of both lungs. Does anyone know if this could be a precurser to mets? These tests were ordered by my GP I go to my onc next week and I want to be prepared to ask the right questions. Any suggestions would be helpfull.
Thanks, Alice

[Patty H]

I really hate to respond to this message, because it doesn't sound good. When you have already had cancer and you GP is sending you to the oncologist, I'm guessing this is mets. My breast surgeon ran a follow up ct on me. A couple of days later I got a call from my oncologist. My breast surgeon had called him. I knew if I was being sent to my oncologist there was a reason. I wish you the best and please let us know what you find out. Patty H

[Sherryg683]

It's not necessarily cancer, densities in the lungs can be anything, environmentally caused. I still have a couple of tiny densities in my lungs that have never lit up for Cancer on a PET, the ones that did light up went away after two doses of chemo. I'm sure your GP is just doing what any GP would do considering your history..send you to a specialist, doesn't necessarily mean the worst. Wait until more tests or biopsies are done. They should follow this up with a PET/CT..sherryg683

[chrisy]

Alice, I'm sure you're very frightened, who wouldn't be! I agree with Sherry. You need more information, some additional scans and biopsy. Try not to panic - while this could be mets, it is not necessarily so. No need to borrow trouble just yet! Finally, keep in mind that although a mets diagnosis is our worst fear, it is STILL treatable and many on this board are living with this diagnosis and are NED.

I think the main question(s) for your oncologist visit would be:
What additional tests do I need to determine if this is mets...and what are my next steps

Take it one step at a time.

Good luck to you - I hope it's nothing...chris

[Ceesun]

Yes, I am in agreement with Sherry on this. I had a single nodule in my left lung that only barely lit up and did turn out to be mets-since it was a single-- lung biopsy confirmed it. I was on herceptin and am now on Xeloda and Navelbine with the herceptin. Hang in there,the waiting is so very hard, but as my nurse said this may just be a little blip that can be taken care of. God Bless. Ceesun aka Cathy

[Alice]

Thank you all for your responces I appreciate them very much.

I guess the problem now is that I expected my scans to show nothing, and that I was just being paranoid and proving the stats right. Now it shifts to haveing to prove the densities are nothing and the symptoms are all in my head, which I was hopeing against logic, as I was with my lump, that they were. I just dont know how to feel right now I just want it to all go away! Sometimes I dont have it in me to fight. I will fight tomorrow. With a vengence!!!

[chrisy]

Alice,
Boy, I know that feeling! Of not knowing what you feel and wanting it all to go away...
Take it one step at a time, and focus on getting the information you need to understand what you're dealing with. You still DO NOT KNOW you are dealing with mets. What showed on the scans needs to be identified/confirmed.
You are right to be concerned, but you will be better able to deal with whatever the results are once you have the information, even if it's not what you are hoping for.

Your symptom I thought was left pelvic pain, and your liver is on the right side...

Take care
Chris

[Alice]

Chris,

This is one reason I was suprised to not get the response I expected! I assumed the pain on my left pelvic region was my left ovary not removed from hysterectomy in 1991. I wanted to confirm that the pain was not due to a malignancy. I have also had shortness of breath which I was attributing to effects of radiation treatment and working too much. I had chest x rays done prior to the ct. these only showed scarring in right upper lung lobe which I would contribute to the rads. With the abdominal ct it showed the liver lesion which could be many things, what suprised me after having the chest x ray was the densities in not one but both lower lung lobes which the rads would not account for. I have tried to not be paranoid for so long I just think it is catching up to me.
Thank you all for being so responsive, Alice