Bone Scan?

[Russell's Mom]

Any info on TC and need for a Bone Scan would be appreciated. Tonight at work we admitted a patient with unsuspecting fracture due to mets to bone, previously undetected. (I don't believe the primary was TC) The orthopedic surgeon shared his thoughts and I left with a strong indication that I should push on with bone scan as a request. (We discussed the pros cons and "cost" to the care facility.) Both of the doctors that we have seen did not order, I believe based on the fact that there are no symptoms ie: bone pain. Also, I understand the basic progression of how the cancer spreads. But.....if there is a risk that there is bone involved, I want to understand how to find it and what to do about it. Being that Russell went in (numerous times) and the first was before the practitioner could even feel the lump.....we are not going to miss the undetected again! Again, the cancer was allowed to grow for over a year from his intitial four visits!!!!! So, any info on the rate of metastatic growth and bone occurance would be appreciated. Thank-you, Sharon, Russell's Mom

[Alucard]

My doctor ordered a bone scan yesterday

Hello,

I had a bone scan yesterday but I don't know the results yet. The doctor ordered it because I had a strong pain in my chest (I have right lung mets). I will let you know what the output is as soon as I get here again.

Oh and by the way, this is the first time I actually feel pain when the doctor touched between chest bones, ribs, whatever. The pain was just inside but now it's everywhere from my neck to the back of my head and my chest.

I am not even sure we're talking about the same subject anyway, too much painkillers here. hehe

Al

[IowaBrian]

this seems to be the best I can find on Bone cancer itself http://www.medicinenet.com/bone_cancer/article.htm
it is a good read I have seen a couple cases of it in my line of work all were children with the sarcoma type if i remember I known there are different types so to say it was starting in the bones or not I don't know I only can go by the death certs that I get and I see a lot of them in a year so it is hard to remember all of them. If they found cancer in the bone I don't know why they wouldn't want to do the scan to make sure there isn't a hot spot somewhere else.
Brian

[Russell's Mom]

thank-you

Great start...thank-you!! Al, hope everything is negative!!! Anyone with info on the expected rate of metastasis with TC? Sharon

[IowaBrian]

I would think Mets would be 50% or less since so many cases are cured with the I/O I would think they would treat it as it did met and look for it anyway, you can't just assume that it didn't. I will try to find so number on met with TC.
Try this link good luck with it

http://seer.cancer.gov/cgi-bin/csr/1975_2003/search.pl#results

Brian

[Russell's Mom]

thanks

Thank-you!
This does get confusing. This may take some time to find the answers. Waiting on the other side of the $ for care gets a little frustrating. I can remember working as a nurse when the doctors were allowed to investigate in order to prevent. Now they have to fix after they find. I could go on for a while with my thoughts and frsutrations! We are in round 4...tired tonight, thanks again, Sharon

[dadmo]

Sharon:
Hang in there, you only have a few days to go. The relief on Friday will be amazing. When Nancy and I brought Jason home after his last treatment we cried, in private, like baby's. It felt great.

[Russell's Mom]

thanks

Day 5 of round 4. 5 meds later and the vomiting is under control!! Very few brain celss working right now....I cried watching the last few drops of the IV infuse. Still have two weeks of Bleo, then CT for teramoma!?! Tomorrow I will sleep in. I did speek with the Urologist who did not think the bone scan needed to be done. Still waiting to talk with the people that I work with. I am so proud of my son, it is beyond words!!!!!! thank-you, Sharon

[Russell's Mom]

latest info

From our urologist and 2nd opinion oncology....no need to do a bone scan and the CT is still the scan of choice post chemo and pre-operatively. The PET will be used post-op if needed. This is consistent with original information, but outside opinions stir up questions. (I think that is a good thing!!) I am still uncertain how often TC jumps its boundaries. I will have to trust at this point. Somewhat difficult to settle into in our situation, but there have been many good people along the way. Sharon