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09-17-2006, 06:27 AM
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#1
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Senior Member
Join Date: Aug 2006
Location: Sheboygan, WI
Posts: 2,582
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PET Scan
Good Morning Everyone,
After reading many posts I see that a PET scan isn't standard procedure. I always thought everyone had a PET scan (or some type of scan) before treatment began to see if cancer had spread.
I'd like to ask how many of you had a PET or some other type of scan to determine if cancer had spread before beginning treatment? I did. I had a PET scan (no mets found) and an MRI of both breasts (cancer in right) to see if possible cancer in left breast and if more in right breast. The answer was "no" to those questions.
Have a wonderful day all.
Mary Jo
__________________
"Be still and know that I am God." Psalm 46:10
Dx. 6/24/05 age 45 Right Breast IDC ER/PR. Neg., - Her2+++ RB Mast. - 7/28/05 - 4 cm. tumor Margins clear - 1 microscopic cell 1 sent. node No Vasucular Invasion 4 DD A/C - 4 DD Taxol & Herceptin 1 full year of Herceptin received every 3 weeks 28 rads prophylactic Mast. 3/2/06
17 Years NED
<>< Romans 8:28
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09-17-2006, 06:34 AM
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#2
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Senior Member
Join Date: Dec 2005
Location: Walnut Creek, CA
Posts: 438
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Marejo,
I had no scans before I started treatment. I was stage 1, node negative, so that may have been the reason. Since then I have had a bone scan and a brain MRI, with contrast. Both negative, thank the lord.
Hugs,
Karen
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09-17-2006, 07:03 AM
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#3
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Deceased
Join Date: Oct 2005
Location: Chadds Ford, Pa
Posts: 206
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Hi Mary Jo,
I was stage IIA on diagnosis and had a MRI of both breasts but no scans. I did not have a CAT or PET scan till about 18 months later when I found two small lumps on my sternum that turned out to be cancerous. Then I got scans as baseline, followed CAT scans through 6 months of chemo, got PET and CAT scan at the end of treatment. These scans are expensive and lots of things may look suspicious on CAT that turn out to be scar tissue. The PET will confirm active disease, but I think most oncologists do not do them unless they strongly suspect active metastatic disease.
Donna
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09-17-2006, 07:46 AM
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#4
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Senior Member
Join Date: Sep 2005
Location: Maryland
Posts: 30
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My imaging doctor told me that I had a small cancer, but that my cell type could be problem. (She had looked at two of the core biopsies in her lab, before giving me the big news.)
During the following 4 days, my imaging doctor had me fully staged with full-body PET, CT, MRI - abdomen & brain. My Oncologist and team thought I would be a Stage I or II. He stated that Metaplastic BC was rare, and even more rarely HER2. I sensed he thought that she was going a bit overboard.
Well, I am glad she went overboard. With staging complete, I was diagnosed in Stage IV, and treated as such from day 1.
I have a really good team working on my cancer. However, I think the world of Dr. J.
Best Wishes,
__________________
Margo
Diagnosed 08/2004 @ 45; Metaplastic Breast Cancer (MpBC)
Stage IV, HER2 3+, ER-/PR-, Met to Liver
08/2004 - Neo-adjuvant Taxotere/Carboplatin/Herceptin (TCH) - 4 rounds.
09/2004 - Herceptin - Weekly.
11/2004 - Liver RFA, followed w/TCH - 2 rounds.
12/2004 - Lumpectomy, axillary node dissection, followed w/TCH - 2 rounds.
05/2005 - Radiation - Breast, shoulder, neck (left side) - 35X
09/2005 - Developed severe osteoporosis - Boniva - monthly
04/2008 - Herceptin - Every 3 weeks (changed from weekly).
05/2012 - Mets: 3 new liver and 2 lymph nodes.
06/2012 - Start 16 rounds Navelbine and Herceptin weekly.
11/2012 - Liver resection, RFAs (8), lymphadenectomy (2), cholecystectomy.
12/2012 - Herceptin and Letrozole.
05/2014 - Mets: 5 aortocaval nodes & 1 mesenteric.
06/2014 - Herceptin/Perjeta/Taxotere - 6 rounds.
10/2014 - Herceptin / Perjeta - Open ended
04/2015 - Progression: Porta hepatic node, 2 aortocaval nodes.
05/2015 - Exploratory surgery treating progression, 12 nodes removed.
07/2015 - Restart Herceptin / Perjeta
01/2016 - Progression 8 nodes.
02/2016 - Starting T-DM1 (Kadcyla) - Open ended.
07/2017 - Progression.
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09-17-2006, 07:55 AM
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#5
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Senior Member
Join Date: Sep 2005
Location: Ontario, Canada
Posts: 752
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Hi;
I think it's standard here in Canada to have scan's initially once diagnosed. Following my surgery but while waiting to see oncologist for the first time I had a bone scan, abdominal ultrasound, and chest x-ray. By chance the mri was schedulated after seeing the onc (which took 6 weeks following surgery which again, is the standard length of time) and the onc found a second tumor during my first visit. Following my chemo, radiation etc. my oncologist had me re-staged and all the tests redone. So far so good. I have also had a brain ct since then too.
Cathy
__________________
Cathy
Diagnosed Oct. 2004 3 cm ductal, lumpectomy Nov. 2004
Diagnosed Jan. 2005 tumor in supraclavicular node
Stage 3c, Grade 3, ER/PR+, Her2++
4 AC, 4 Taxol, Radiation, Arimidex, Actonel
Herceptin for 9 months until Muga dropped and heart enlarged
Restarting herceptin weekly after 4 months off
Stopped herceptin after four weekly treatments....score dropped to 41
Finished 6 years Arimidex
May 2015 diagnosed with ovarian cancer
Stage 1C
started 6 treatments of carboplatin/taxol
Genetic testing show BRCA1 VUS
Nice! My hair came back really curly. Hope it lasts lol. Well it didn't but I liked it so I'm now a perm lady
29 March 2018 Lung biopsy following chest CT showing tumours in pleura of left lung, waiting for results to the question bc or ovarian
April 20, 2018 BC mets confirmed, ER/PR+ now Her2-
Questions about the possibility of ovarian spread and mets to bones so will be tested and monitored for these.
To begin new drug Palbociclib (Ibrance) along with Letrozole May, 2018.
Genetic testing of ovarian tumour and this new lung met will take months.
To see geneticist to be retested for BRCA this week....still BRCA VUS
CA125 has declined from 359 to 12 as of Aug.23/18
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09-17-2006, 08:42 AM
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#6
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Senior Member
Join Date: Aug 2006
Location: Franklin, MA
Posts: 131
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I had a bone scan, MRI's and CT scans when I was diagnosed, but never a PET scan. It was determined not to be necessary since the other scans clearly showed the mets to the bones and liver.
My CT scans can no longer differentiate between scar tissue and remaining cancer in the liver, so I will be having my first PET scan tomorrow...apparently, the glucose stuff that they give you for a PET scan "sticks" to fast growing cells (ie cancer cells), but doesn't stick to scar tissue. Needless to say, I'm in a slight panic that other spots will come to light...but so far, all news I've received in 2006 has been positive and has shown that everything is shrinking, so I am hoping that the positive news streak will continue!
Colleen
__________________
Diagnosed 10-03-2005 (34 wks pregnant, 38 yrs old)
Lumpectomy Nov-2005. 10/18 Lymph Nodes impacted
Mets to liver, spine & femurs (thus being stage IV right from the get-go)
ER-, PR-, HER2+
Taxol/Herceptin/Zometa started Dec-2005. 11 cycles of Taxol.
Sept-2006: PET/CT scan of mets to liver, spine and femurs - Stable. Activity in R breast & mediastinum (not seen in prior scans).
Navelbine (3 wks on/1 wk off) as of Oct--2006 & continued Herceptin (every 3 wks) & Zometa (every 6 wks)
Jan-2007: PET/CT Scan - Stable. Continued Nav. through March-2007, then Herc./Zom. only after that.
June-2007: PET/CT Scan - activity in mediastinum. Back on Navelbine as of July-2007.
Scanned Quarterly since Oct-2007 - a few small scares, but otherwise stable due to continuing weekly Navelbine, Herceptin and Quarterly Zometa.
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09-17-2006, 08:56 AM
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#7
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Senior Member
Join Date: Sep 2005
Location: Stockton, NJ
Posts: 4,179
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I was diagnosed Stage IIA. I did not have any scans done even with a positive node and being Her2+. I changed doctors after the first 10 months and my new doctor wanted a bone scan and CTs of the chest, abdomen and pelvis as a baseline. A few months later (due to this board), he also let me get a brain MRI. He says its up to me if I want these repeated and how often (he does not recommend more than once a year if there are no symptoms but said he would do them every 6 months for the first 5 yrs if I want). I have not made any decisions in regard to the body scans but told him I do want a brain MRI at least once a year.
Morale of the story - I think if you are Stage 2A or less, a doctor may not advocate scans which can be a mistake in Her2 disease.
Kind regards
Becky
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09-17-2006, 01:33 PM
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#8
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Senior Member
Join Date: Oct 2005
Location: Saratoga Springs New York
Posts: 136
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scans
After my surgeries and before chemo, I had a bone scan, MRI and CT scan. At the last minute I had a PET scan just to be on the safe side and it showed liver mets. The PET scan was the only scan that picked it up. I have had PET scans every 3-4 months since. It has been about 2 1/2 years. Sally
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09-17-2006, 02:09 PM
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#9
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Senior Member
Join Date: Oct 2005
Location: Payson, Arizona
Posts: 96
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Scans at Diagnosis
Hi:
On my first visit and before Chemo my oncoligist order MRI's of the chest, abdomen and pelvis, a bone scan and a muga scan. The muga scan was to see if I would tolerate A/C as I was almost 59 at the time of my diagnosis. I had repeat scans to follow up on what was thought were two liver cysts and spots in my lung which were determnined to be mucus plugs which I get from Herceptin. I also had a PET scan at the time my liver enzymes and CA 27-29 went up. It was later determined that the Nuelasta caused the spike in these lab results.
Barb
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09-17-2006, 03:05 PM
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#10
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Senior Member
Join Date: Jan 2006
Posts: 58
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It's standard procedure in my onc's office.
Before beginning treatment, I had a PET scan as well as a CT of the chest, abdomen and pelvis. This is how we discovered that, instead of being stage II as we thought, I was stage IV.
Seems to me that it only makes sense to do these scans so that the staging is correct. That's why my onc always does them, no matter if they think from the start you are stage I or stage IV.
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09-17-2006, 05:09 PM
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#11
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Senior Member
Join Date: Sep 2006
Location: Houston, Texas
Posts: 624
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My surgical oncologist did a catscan before my initial surgery. When I was transferred to the oncologist, she ordered a petscan and a bonescan, which then indicated that I was Stage IV. I just had a repeat petscan and catscan after 3 months of treatment. I will find out the results on Thursday. I am also now thinking of asking for a MRI.
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09-17-2006, 05:11 PM
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#12
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Senior Member
Join Date: Jun 2006
Location: san luis obispo, ca
Posts: 1,150
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pet scans
I had a PET scan, Muga scan, Bone scan, MRI of both breasts, biopsy, and a brain scan before any treatment was started. I was stage 3b, lymph node involvement (actually a stage 4 because of skin mets). I have PET scans every 3 to 4 months and have been in treatment for 2 1/2 yrs. No mets to liver, lungs, brain, bones so far. God bless all of you wonderful women, thank you for your support. Love, Vickie H
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