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Some scan results
Thankfully, so far everything seems okay in terms of the cancer, but there's a new development.
On Friday I had a bone scan, but the results are not in yet. However, on the Wednesday before I had a PET/CT that showed in both images: a "heterotopic calcification lateral to the left proximal femur with mild metabolic activity, probably representing an inflammatory process." The standardized uptake value, or SUV, was 2.5. In many cases, lesions that register only metabolic activity at 3.0 and above are reported. The calcification would account for my hip pain, which is located in the upper part of the "bump" of my thigh. My lateral knee also hurts, but that was not in range of the PET/CT.
The bone scan will give more information about the heterotopic calcification, and also indicate whether I should be concerned about anything that was outside the range of the PET/CT.
My oncologist's nurse who gave me the results, said my oncologist wants me to take an inflammatory drug like ibuprofen for a week and to take it easy. Depending on the results of the bone scan (that is if nothing points to cancer), she is going to recommend an orthopedic surgeon. And I intend to get more information about this.
Needless to say, I'm grateful that there appears to be no cancer thus far.
Heterotopic calcifications (not to be confused with heterotopic ossifications, it seems) is the development of bone in the soft tissue, ligament or tendon of bones -- I think. They seem to range from congenital/genetic types resulting in severe deformity starting at a young age, to much less serious types -- I think. So, it appears that my bone is not involved, although it could be, and a bone scan might indicate that.
The cause? Direct trauma to the site of the calcification is the first cause given, but heterotopic calcifications can also appear without a traumatic incident. And that would be in my case. Injuries to the spinal cord and traumatic brain injury were also cited as causes of the development of calcifications outside those areas, and I believe that my craniotomy would fall into this category.
I'm keeping my fingers crossed and praying that the bone scan will not show any cancer and/or other calcifications, and I'll let you know.
Joan
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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!!
Last edited by Joan M; 01-09-2011 at 06:39 PM..
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