Hi Everyone,
I had a PetScan done on Tuesday last week. It came out great and most of the tumors are gone. I was so relieved. However, I have developed a very small node on my lung. The doctor isn't too worried about it and will be watching it for my next scan. I am not sure if I should be worried or not. It wasn't on my first scan. Dr. says it can't be cancer because I have been on chemo and it is probably just a small infection that is in the process of healing.
Has anyone else had something like this? Will it go away, or is it mine to keep forever?
Kristi-
I've looked for an answer for you but can only come up with useless speculation. Although presumably if it's an infection that's healing then, short of scar tissue, I would imagine it's not yours to keep forever, but in any event, if it's not cancer and it's not causing problems, that's all good news. Who knows, maybe it's a false positive and won't show up on the next scan.
Are you worried that this is some pulmonary effect of the bleomycin?
I had a sort of reverse experience from what you describe. My first-ever CT showed small, white spots in my lungs, which were thought to be cancerous by the non-oncologists who first reviewed it. My oncologists, however, stated that it was "not cancer" upon first looking at it (stating that it was most likely scar tissue). He was correct -- the spots were non-cancerous, and never much changed. This kept me from being stage IV.
A PET scan, of course, is very valuable in determining whether anything is malignant or not, spotting "hyper-metabolic" (fast-growing) cells. If the PET (as determined by a radiologist) says "non-cancerous," then I suppose it is non-cancerous.
As I described in several threads over the last months, I continue to have serious shortness of breath, induced by bleomycin. I have "generalized bleomycin toxicity." I am told that it involves no fibrosis.
I would appreciate hearing from anyone with belomycin-induced toxicity, which occures in about 10% of all bleomycin recipients.
My doc is saying that it will resolve itself, since I am only seven months since my final infusion, and the toxicity can persist for as long as two years, I have read.
Hi Ross and Don,
My oncologist doesn't think it is lung cancer and doesn't think it is related to Bleomycin toxicity. Although, I am a little worried about toxicity. My dr. is giving me routine chest x-rays/scans/echo's to stay on top of every possibility. I am hoping it is just a little scar tissue on my lung and will go away without any procedures. My breathing has been okay, a little short, but I think in my normal range. I am still walking about a mile each day and am trying to use that walk as my baseline for breathing.
I really appreciate your advice and council. Chemo is tough stuff!!!