Radiologist's Report - Suspicious for Bone Metastasis

Cervical cancer post treatment and side effects
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I thought I'd write in case anyone else goes through something similar as my experience shows that what the results of scans, etc, show up as being suspicious of something sinister may not always be the case.  I am now two and a half years in remission since the end of my treatment.  I was Stage 2B (the tumour had spread to the parametrium), grade 2, squamous cell, 3.8cm tumour with no lymph node involvement.  I had 25 radiotherapy treatments, 4 chemo (cisplatin - should have been 5 but could not tolerate more than 4) and three brachytherapy.  Six months after treatment, I had severe low back pain and was diagnosed with insufficiency fractures.  The pain lasted for three months and then got better.  All scans since that time showed NED until a few months ago when, following a MRI scan, I was told that there was something abnormal in my left iliac bone which didn't look typical for insufficiency fractures.  I then had to have a full body bone scan but this still did not give a definite diagnosis and the radiologist's report said "suspicious for bone metastasis" which was very scary.  I then had to have a bone biopsy which, thankfully, showed that there was no cancer and I was therefore diagnosed with further insufficiency fractures but the strange thing is that I had no pain this time.

The worst part of it was the amount of time from learning of the suspected metastasis to the reassurance that this was not the case which from the time of the MRI followed by bone scan and then biopsy and waiting for the results of the biopsy amounted to almost four months!  To say this was stressful was an understatement but I read so many books during that time to keep my mind off things and generally kept myself busy.  We do not have enough radiologists in the UK which accounts for some of the delay but it is not easy to have to wait so long.  However, as you can imagine, I am extremely relieved that it was not the worst case scenario.

Anyway, I just wanted to post this in case anyone else has to go through the same thing.  Whilst I was worrying, I did come on here and did a search for bone scan and bone biopsy, etc, to see if this had happened to anyone else but didn't find anything so at least now, if it does happen to someone else and they do a search like I did, my story might give some reassurance.  x

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Wow, I am so pleased for you that things turned out good. and like so many on here can more than understand the stress and anxiety that goes with waiting and having these tests and scans! Honestly it’s horrendous, and to say you had 4 months of that...girl you deserve a holiday! I had about a month of it and honestly was a nervous wreck. 

Thanks for sharing I’m sure this will help many women in the future have hope 

kelly xx

 

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My scans too show shadowing or something in my left iliac. My oncologist said he’s not concerned. I freaked out a little but since he didn’t I’m trying to remain positive. It’s been showing for 2 years now! He says it’s just from radiation and to not worry so I’m like well, ok..

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Thanks for this, just waiting on bone scan results so good to be prepared for different outcomes, glad it all worked out Emily x 

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Hi
A very similar thing happened to me at my first year post treatment appointment consultant said everything looked good on scan no sign of cancer but looked like i had developed some small pelvic fractures so he was going to have senior radiologist look at them as i may need to take some medication to strengthen the bones. Consultant called me a week later to say that it wasn’t pelvic fractures as they were not the right shape they were more cylindrical in shape and could be cancer that has spread to bones. I was booked for a nuclear medicine whole body scan. Results everything normal no sign of cancer. The only plus was i didn’t have to wait long for results had scan on the Friday and consultant phoned me on the Monday!!

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Yes! I posted something similar post treatment. I had a bone abnormality too in my hip and oh my word, I was inconsolable and thought that was it for me - it was so so stressful.
It turned out to be a bone island after I had a PET and nothing cancerous. Such a relief. The radiographer said people have so many weird abnormalities in their bodies and bones and ita only until you do all these investigations that you realise and 9/10 times it’s nothing of concern.