Just nervous

  I finished chemo on Sept. 10th and was to start radiation therapy tomorrow however, during the mapping process the radiologist saw some spots that were next to my spine.

I have been treating for breast cancer.  The oncologist called today to tell me that the spots may be cancer.  To say I am put back by this is an understatement.  The scans they took before starting chemo were all negative.  I hurt no where and feel ok.  Just wondering... do all spots mean cancer?  They say they will treat it with antihormone therapy which I was to take anyway.  I am not a quitter and am not assuming that this is an end but I am confused.  All blood work is good.  No pain anywhere.  No side effects from chemo.  No tumor regrowth.  Nothing to suggest alarm except spots that did not show up on a bone scan in March but showed up on this ct scan.  I know this is a rambled mess but I am nervous and know that you all who have been through this understands that completely. 

 

Congrats on finishing chemo! To answer your question: no, not all spots mean cancer. I'm a 15 year survivor, and I've been through lots of scans... bone, CT, and MRI. Something shows up on one, doesn't show up on another, and so on. Bone scans typically pick up on bigger "chunks" of cancer. They aren't great for detecting small spots. And even if something shows up, they do follow-ups with x-rays, MRI's, and bone biopsies to determine exactly what it is. I've never gotten as far as a bone biopsy, but close. Sometimes the way the spots are formed can give an idea of what is going on. I had several hot spots on my ribs once on a bone scan. My onc was out of town, so I went to a different doctor, and she told me I had mets and would have to wait til my onc got back to start treatment, but she could give me pain meds. When my onc got back in town, she ordered the more tests. I had x-rays and a chest CT done as follow-up. Two rib fractures showed clearly on x-ray. Two DIFFERENT rib fractures showed clearly on the CT-scan. And the total of 4 fractures corresponded precisely to what showed on the bone scan. Because of the linear nature on the x-rays and CT's, they were sure they were fractures. BTW, the fractures showed on the bone scan, but I didn't start having any pain until the day AFTER the bone scan! I would be asking how they know for sure this is cancer. Did you have a large tumor, lots of nodes involved, particularly aggressive cancer???

I'm sure you are a nervous wreck! I don't mean to be offering false hope here, but that has been one of my several experiences with "it could be/ it's not."

Hugs....
BEV