Mets to ribs and spine confirmed. - The Roy Castle Lu...

The Roy Castle Lung Cancer Foundation

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Mets to ribs and spine confirmed.

MissyD1 profile image
6 Replies

Hi all

I spoke to my mums CNS today and he confirmed that the uptake on the PET scan indicates cancerous deposits on 2 of my mums ribs and also the base of her spine. We don't know for sure that it is from the lung cancer or previous breast cancer but the specialists are going with it is more likely to be lung cancer. There is no cancer elsewhere which we are grateful for.

My mum has an appointment to discuss radiotherapy next Monday and will also have chemotherapy as a firstline treatment then possibly immunotherapy. Unfortunately her lung tumours did not have any gene mutations but these new areas may so she could be eligible for this treatment too which has given us some hope as everything online indicates that the prognosis for lung cancer bone mets is very short.

We really are shocked and overwhelmed that this has happened so soon after complete surgical resection of her tumours as we were lead to believe that she had a very good chance of cure.

Sending positive thoughts and blessings to everyone affected by this awful disease x

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MissyD1
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6 Replies
Esme85 profile image
Esme85

Hi,

I'm sorry to read that the PET scan has confirmed cancer but it is good to hear that you are still keeping positive and focusing on one thing ahead at a time.

My mum also has lung cancer with bone mets (rib, hip and thoracic spine) and I had so many supportive messages from members of this forum, encouraging me in effect to take the prognosis as a statistic rather than necessarily applicable to my mum as people are not statistics.

Sending you and your mum positive thoughts.

Esme x

MissyD1 profile image
MissyD1 in reply toEsme85

Thank you Esme85 and sorry that your mum has a similar diagnosis. That's a good point about the prognosis, it was so disheartening to read those figures.

Has your mum started treatment?

Debbie x

GlynnBar8 profile image
GlynnBar8

I am so sorry to hear this Missy. After other specialist doctors looked at the CT scan and thought nothing was worrying, I wanted the oncologist to be wrong in his opinion. I think the oncologists do look with extra vigilance because they are pretty much at the end of the line and can't just pass you on. It does seem a crazy situation to go from an early stage finding of a relatively slow growing cancer to stage 4 in a matter of months. The stage is only a number, so try and forget about it, your mum is still your mum and she is still the same person as she was before this nightmare started. I am sure that you now know more about lung cancer than you ever wanted to know. Use the knowledge to keep supporting your mum and that the right options are considered and and decisions wisely thought through. I am sure that you now have the courage to question doctors and challenge opinions. I hope a plan gets put in place soon and that it gives a good outcome.

Best wishes

Glynn

MissyD1 profile image
MissyD1 in reply toGlynnBar8

Thank you Glynn. All the best to you too.

Debbie

RoyCastleHelpline profile image
RoyCastleHelplinePartnerAsk the NurseRoy Castle

Dear MissyD1,

I am so sorry to hear about your mums metastases especially after her recent surgery. Hopefully she will respond to the treatments on offer to manage her symptoms when she sees the oncologist next Monday.I am not sure if you have information on chemotherapy and radiotherapy but have added a link from the Roy Castle website explaining both treatments.

roycastle.org/how-we-help/l...

If you would like to talk to someone after you see the Oncologist please don't hesitate to call the nurse led Helpline Freephone:0141 358 7200.

Kind regards,

All the support team at the Roy Castle Helpline

MissyD1 profile image
MissyD1 in reply toRoyCastleHelpline

Thank you Roy castle helpline x

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