dumb question?

[Mytwins02]

Dumb question..How can they tell if the cancer is gone and the nodes that were crazy enlarged and lit up on PET if the only do a CT? This will be my first scan since the end of my treatment.

[kate93105]

Dear Mytwins02,

First I want to say that there are no dumb questions, especially when it comes to learning about cancer. The more you know, the more you will understand about your disease of course.

I have had many CT Scans and MRI's. Only one PET scan in my 4 years + of cancer treatment. It is my belief that the CT and MRI scans relate a lot of information about our cancer than we think. I am having the CT and MRI next month. If all goes well, there is the chance I can stop Keytruda for good or at least get a break from immunotherapy cancer treatment.

Along with the scans it is major important that you are getting blood draws on a regular basis. I have blood labs done every 3 weeks. Both of these are vital to our recovery. Your doctor can see if you are healing or if it is at least slowing down. I would trust the CT Scan unless you want a second opinion. Sometimes second opinions can make us feel more comfortable about the results. I fully trust my oncologist and believe she is giving me the best of care!! My oncology nurses are the greatest. I feel blessed to have such a team as they.

I wish you the best and good results for your testing too. You will be in my prayers!! Blessings to you!!

My best regards,

Kathie

[Mytwins02 in reply to kate93105]

Thank you. You have provided info that does make me feel better. Best wishes with your upcoming scan.

[scifiknitter Blogger]

Many oncologists (most?) feel that they actually see more on a CT. PET images are fuzzier and less defined. They now know where those lymph nodes are and they will be looking for them on the CT. I have several nodes being closely followed by CT.

The other issue is that PET scans are much more resource extensive and expensive tests. Insurance companies only like to pay for them at initial staging, when they are helpful for seeing if and where the cancer has spread. After that they are rarely used by most doctors. They can be useful in looking for recurrence in patients who are officially NED (no evidence of disease).

[Mytwins02 in reply to scifiknitter]

Thank you that all makes sense.

[Spainy in reply to scifiknitter]

If you are lucky the insurance company pays for PET for staging. Aetna would not and made me undergo several more CTs. I had to fight and appeal their decision for a year before I got it done.

[ThePurplePlace in reply to Spainy]

I have Aetna too and have only had ONE Pet Scan since my diagnosis and that was done at the time of my diagnosis for staging etc. (March 2015).

They do cover all my CT Scans and MRI's, however they all need "prior approval" unless of course, it's an emergency. I'm not a huge fan of Aetna, but it's what we have and the only option offered by my husband's employer, so we are stuck with them.

It really bugs me that they have so much control over my healthcare? UGH!

[Denzie Moderator Volunteer]

The others have given you great information. Remember these radiologists, with lots of experience can often tell what's scar tissue or cavitated mass.

I'm excited by the forward movement in liquid biopsies. It's something you should keep an eye on.

[Mytwins02 in reply to Denzie]

Hum? I need to research liquid biopsies. I had blood work before my bronchoscope and the dr said it was like a liquid biopsy

[PegD]

My oncologist prefers PET/CT scans for me as I have a reaction to the contrast dye they use for regular CT's and need to pre-medicate with steroids and benadryl before hand which is very very hard on my stomach. The PET/CT is much easier on me. I've just had my 4th PET/CT and I feel that I get the best of both worlds.

[Nay2018]

Mytwins02, I too have wondered about the precisiveness of CTScans.

[Spainy in reply to Nay2018]

Nay, all of my scans and surgery are at a state teaching hospital that has high intensity CT scans and low dose CT scans. I had the high intensity when they were trying to confirm what they found incidentally and prior to a biopsy. They advocate low dose when they get people in for basic lung screening.