Howard please..Re: Bone scan results...

Kaye301 wrote:

> Okay, as I mentioned I had another bone scan earlier this week.  I should be
> thrilled with the report.  I picked up a copy of the films and the report
> yesterday.  The report reads 3-lines.  It states "small foci of increased
> tracer uptake at L4 and L5, likely due to degenerative joint diesases.  There
> is low likelihood for metastatic bone disease."
>
> I should be writing YES!  I am thrilled.  Why do I feel panicked and sick to my
> stomach.  Believe me I want to believe that.  I am not a glutton for
> punishment.  I am not the martyr type (although you might have a hard time
> believing that from my posts--my guestimate).
> No, the reason I am skeptical because after I had the bone scan I went over to
> the area where the films were on the screen and asked if I could have a look.
> The gal at the screens, was about to do some measuring.  I didn't say a word.
> She began pointing out the darkened areas--on my shoulders and in the L4/L5
> region stating that they were "unusual hot spots."  Those were HER words.  Of
> course she may not have been the radiologist and may have gotten them 'wrong'
> but I do not feel that her take is necessarily 'wrong.'  I would have alot more
> faith in the report if it mentioned the uptake in the shoulder area.  It is
> clearly visible--moreso in the left--the shoulder where I am having alot of
> pain--although it was in both.  The PET scan that I had 3 months ago mentioned
> the uptake in the shoulder activity.  This report said NOTHING about it.
> Those spots have been on my shoulders for awhile.  One research article I found
> reported that 18% of all women who have breast cancer get metastases to their
> shoulder.  One of my shoulders (left) began hurting 13 mos. ago.  It hurt
> intermittently until last August when it same upper arm began hurting daily.
> It is my non-lymphedema arm.  I am not favoring it more.  I still carry my
> shoulder bag on my lymphedema arm--it just doesn't feel 'right' to use other
> one and it always fell off other one (I have narrow shoulders).
> In my wanderings to other support groups--many have written they have had a
> single hot spot and have been treated for bone mets.  I am guessing that what
> is going on here is that our HMO is looking to find multiple hot spots before
> treating.  There is no other way to justify what might be going on.
> Remember when I asked my oncologist how arthritic activity was differentiated
> from bone metastases.  He did not answer my question.  His response was it
> didn't matter in terms of long-term survival if one treated for 3 years or if
> one waited for a year and then treated for two.  That's bullsh&%, and is
> contradictory to what the latest research is showing.  What is true, though, is
> that if they don't identify mets early there is no way to say that early
> treatment can't help.
> I would like to get a copy of the cassette that the bone scan video is on.  I
> do not know if that is possible or if the hospital or institution has exclusive
> 'rights' to  that.  I am again feeling so dissed and frustrated.  I would have
> felt alot better had their been some mention of it in light of the fact that I
> saw it with my own eyes, the technician called it an unusual 'hot spot' and
> pointed it out to me, and it was reported on the PET scan...

crosspost to sci.med.diseases.cancer