Hi,
So yesterday I finally got my 3 month results, the good news is that there is no longer evidence of the disease on my cervix or lymph nodes. The not so good news was that an area of concern showed up on my PET scan on my bowel. My oncologist says it is really small around 8mm but she cannot say whether it is cancerous or just an inflammation. I am so worried now in case it has spread to my bowel. I will now have to wait for them to discuss my scans at the next MDT so more waiting and worrying. I feel like I'm starting the whole process again. Has anyone had anything similar?
Clare x
Hi Clare,
We are probably all full of little pockets of inflammation like that, that wouldn't usually be picked up at all. In fact, as I understand it, PET scans are usually done for staging before treatment and aren't particularly useful so soon after treatment has finished as they pick up all sorts of stuff which is actually meaningless rubbish.
You will have to wait for the MDT and see what they decide. I would guess they will follow you up a bit later with a CT or MRI scan. You may have to be patient which is incredibly tough.
Try and focus on the good news if you can, its most likely to be all good.
Karen
Hi Karen,
Thank you so much for your response. I just felt really disheartened after hearing the good news and then this. I had an MRI scan a couple of weeks before the PET and nothing came up on that but I believe the PET is more accurate and cancer cells react to the glucose injection.
I just hate all the waiting and not knowing.
Hope your doing well
Clare xx
Pet scans aren't more accurate. They look for different things that's all . MRI picks up soft tissue abnormalities really accurately. The PET picks up areas of high glucose activity but that can just as easily be inflammation. It's horrible for you not knowing which it is but I am sure you can imagine that inflammation is really common after treatment.
If It is a recurrence. it's not the end of the road. More treatment would lie ahead but it's tiny and beatable.
Try and occupy yourself as best as you can. We all hate waiting.
Karen
