Tag Archives: oncology

Radiology Report from CT Scan – 2016-10-27

Carcinoid Cancer, Health, , , , ,

This log should encourage everyone to get copies of their CT Scans,  MRIs, octreoscans, GA68 scans, and all reports on scans and procedures and test results.  You will often find things that your doctor doesn’t mention.  In the past, when I was with an HMO, my oncologist never went over the radiology reports with me and there were a number of things that I needed to know as well as things she should have known but did not pick up on.

I reported on the positive results of my meeting with Dr. Liu in the post Stability, Carcinoid Cancer 2016-10-27.  At the time, we did not have the actual written radiologist’s report. It is worth understanding that with chronic disease like neuroendocrine, we get many scans and radiologists typically compare previous scans to the present scan.  In this case, October’s scan was compared to the scan from October last year (2015).

That radiology report about the CT scan came to me in the mail Saturday and I was amazed and very happy to read it!

  • Neuroendocrine cancer – No lesions found in liver (Dr. Liu and I did find a lesion in our meeting and that had not grown, not sure why the radiologist did not) but the previous report had shown 5 or 6 very small lesions. They have shrunk to invisibility!
  • Urinary bladder, kidneys, ureters – all normal.  This is important because I have struggled with urinary bladder cancer recurring for about three years now.
  • Everything else – normal!  Still no sign of the primary tumor.  Wish we knew where that little bugger is!

This is HUGE!!! From six visible lesions to one is unexpected, the monthly Sandostatin LAR injections (and of course my good living, Hah!) must be effective.  Of course caution is in order, this is a radiologist that has never seen my scans before.  Also, even lesions too small to see can start to grow again, in fact, it is said that the primary tumor generates microtumors that seed everywhere else.

But this is an even better CT scan report than I thought at the time of meeting with Dr. Liu.  I am certainly really happy and ready to go forward with hope.

All of you who have our disease: Get copies of your scans and reports about scans and test results.  At least try to read them.  It will teach you things and may have good news.

May we all have the best possible outcomes,

Cy

 

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Stability, Carcinoid Cancer 2016-10-27

Carcinoid Cancer, Health, , , , , ,

My specialist Dr. Liu and I were concerned that perhaps my thyroid function was not good. Since Sandostatin injections can impact that and also ten years ago a nodule was noticed on my thyroid and not really followed up since then, I had an ultrasound last week and the “nodule” was still there. That worried me a lot.
There was also the possibility that my Carcinoid disease was progressing which is always a worry for those of us with the disease. I have been having more episodes of chills in the evening and occasionally night sweats.

Dr. Liu believes the “nodule” is cancer but has not changed significantly in ten years and the test for thyroid function are good.  His recommendation is to revisit it in six months.  He told me that conventional wisdom is usually to remove the thyroid but that he doesn’t agree when it is this slow growing.  I am good with that. The less surgery, the better.

With blood tests and with a CT scan, there is no indication that the carcinoid has progressed.  The small tumors in my liver have not changed and blood tests give no indications of change.

Obviously, I am overjoyed.  It has been 3.5 years since my liver surgery and the carcinoid has been pretty stable.

Other good news is that the new GA-68 scanner will be used for patients starting next week!  I will probably get it in the spring to insure that carcinoid tumors have not spread to any other areas of my body.

My back is still a painful problem.  I have degenerative disk, arthritis and DISH (Diffuse idiopathic skeletal hyperostosis – tendons hardening to calcium).  I have tried a chiropractor and it’s no help. Hopefully today’s CT scan will give my PCP some clues.  I have been attending hot yoga classes for the last eight weeks and that gives me some relief for a day or so, but the pain can still be pretty bad.  I think we will be looking at injections in the spine soon.

No news about solutions to the urinary bladder cancer problem as of yet.

 

Namaste,

Cy

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