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Joan M · 11-23-2010, 07:09 AM

Michka,

Hopefully, nothing will come of this and it's just a false alarm.

It's not clear to me either why the doctor is ordering a CT angiography. Have you seen a copy of the report? Perhaps there would be an explanation as to why your doctor wants to do the procedure. The report would give the radiologist's impression and their recommendation for follow up.

I had the procedure in May 2009 because I was coughing up blood due to a fungus that developed in the cavity recreated by a lung RFA in August 2008 to ablate a 1 cm recurrence of a met (a year before I had a wedge resection when the cancer first spread). The development of the fungal ball was a rare occurrence (the fungus was a common garden variety type, which I must have inhaled while gardening after the procedure). The procedure inserted little coils to shore up bulging vessels. Unfortunately, in my case, it didn't work, and I ended up with a thoracotomy to cut out the fungal ball. But there was no cancer, so I guess the RFA worked, and I was happy. The procedure I had was painless and there was zero discomfort afterward. I was half asleep, but awake enough to hold my breath when asked a few times.

Joan

11-23-2010, 07:09 AM	#16
Joan M Senior Member Join Date: Oct 2007 Posts: 1,851	Re: Need support Michka, Hopefully, nothing will come of this and it's just a false alarm. It's not clear to me either why the doctor is ordering a CT angiography. Have you seen a copy of the report? Perhaps there would be an explanation as to why your doctor wants to do the procedure. The report would give the radiologist's impression and their recommendation for follow up. I had the procedure in May 2009 because I was coughing up blood due to a fungus that developed in the cavity recreated by a lung RFA in August 2008 to ablate a 1 cm recurrence of a met (a year before I had a wedge resection when the cancer first spread). The development of the fungal ball was a rare occurrence (the fungus was a common garden variety type, which I must have inhaled while gardening after the procedure). The procedure inserted little coils to shore up bulging vessels. Unfortunately, in my case, it didn't work, and I ended up with a thoracotomy to cut out the fungal ball. But there was no cancer, so I guess the RFA worked, and I was happy. The procedure I had was painless and there was zero discomfort afterward. I was half asleep, but awake enough to hold my breath when asked a few times. Joan __________________ Diagnosed stage 2b in July 2003 (2.3 cm, HER2+, ER-/PR-, 7+ nodes). Treated with mastectomy (with immediate DIEP flap reconstruction), AC + T/Herceptin (off label). Cancer advanced to lung in Jan. 2007 (1 cm nodule). Started Herceptin every 3 weeks. Lung wedge resection April 2007. Cancer recurred in lung April 2008. RFA of lung in August 2008. 2nd annual brain MRI in Oct. 2008 discovered 2.6 cm cystic tumor in left frontal lobe. Craniotomy Oct. 2008 (ER-/PR-/HER2-) followed by targeted radiation (IMRT). Coughing up blood Feb. 2009. Thoractomy July 2009 to cut out fungal ball of common soil fungus (aspergillus) that grew in the RFA cavity (most likely inhaled while gardening). No cancer, only fungus. Removal of tiny melanoma from upper left arm, plus sentinel lymph node biopsy in Feb. 2016. Guardant Health liquid biopsy in Feb. 2016 showed mutations in 4 subtypes of TP53. Repeat of Guardant Health biopsy in Jana. 2021 showed 3 TP53 mutations, BRCA1 mutation and CHEK2 mutation. Invitae genetic testing showed negative for all of these. Living with MBC since 2007. Stopped Herceptin Hylecta (injection) treatment in March 2020. Recent 2023 annual CT of chest, abdomen and pelvis and annual brain MRI showed NED. Praying for NED forever!!