As far as my PET scan results are concerned, I am happy to say I have good news! The two tumors in my neck are gone; there was no sign of them still being there other than some excess tissue. Cancer on my rib in my back had no change compared to my PET scan in July. I have no other signs of metastatic disease, so no new tumors have been detected. 🙂 So, the meds are still working, so we are staying on the current plan.
I am hoping that when I have my next PET scan in 4 to 6 months, the remaining tumor will either be smaller or still have no change. From what I understand, once the tumor is completely gone, I will be in remission, which is the end goal of stage 4 metastatic cancer since there is no cure.
I had my second PET scan on Friday since starting iBrance and Faslodex. I wasn’t nervous about the scan; that part is relatively easy; it’s the uncertainty and having to wait to see my oncologist for the results that is the most difficult part. I also deal with pain during my scan because ever since my first surgery in April 2019, I have had pain when raising my arms over my head, which can become very uncomfortable when I have to stay still in that position for more than a few minutes.
Unfortunately, PET Scans are not as quick and easy as getting X-rays. From checking in to registering, going through the scan process to leaving, I was there for 3 hours. I go alone to the appointments because my husband can’t go back with me while I am being scanned, so it doesn’t make sense for him to be there. He goes with me to my oncologist appointment after my scan, so he will be with me when I get my results. I never know what to expect, so it is comforting to have him with me, no matter what the results turn out to be.
Until I faced breast cancer in 2019, I had never had surgery, a biopsy, a CT Scan, a Bone Scan – Nuclear Medicine, or a PET Scan. I have learned so much in the last three years and eight months about things I wish I had never had to experience. I share as much information as I can with my readers because I want you to not only understand what I have been through and what I am going through now as a stage 4 metastatic breast cancer patient but also to help those who are going through the same journey. It is terrifying when you don’t know what to expect, and you are overwhelmed with information. I try to make it a little easier for those interested in getting the information needed to help themselves through whatever they may be facing or helping a friend or loved one through a difficult time.
What is a PET Scan?
A positron emission tomography (PET) scan is an imaging test that can help reveal the metabolic or biochemical function of your tissues and organs. The PET scan uses a radioactive drug (tracer) to show both normal and abnormal metabolic activity. A PET scan can often detect the abnormal metabolism of the tracer in diseases before the disease shows up on other imaging tests, such as computerized tomography (CT) and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI).
The tracer is most often injected into a vein within your hand or arm. The tracer will then collect into areas of your body that have higher levels of metabolic or biochemical activity, which often pinpoints the location of the disease.
Why it’s done
A PET scan is an effective way to help identify a variety of conditions, including cancer, heart disease and brain disorders. Your doctor can use this information to help diagnose, monitor or treat your condition.
Cancer
Cancer cells show up as bright spots on PET scans because they have a higher metabolic rate than do normal cells. PET scans may be useful in:
Detecting cancer
Revealing whether your cancer has spread
Checking whether a cancer treatment is working
Finding a cancer recurrence
PET scans must be interpreted carefully because noncancerous conditions can look like cancer, and some cancers do not appear on PET scans. Many types of solid tumors can be detected by PET-CT and PET-MRI scans, including:
Brain
Breast
Cervical
Colorectal
Esophageal
Head and neck
Lung
Lymphatic system
Pancreatic
Prostate
Skin
Thyroid
Heart disease
PET scans can reveal areas of decreased blood flow in the heart. This information can help you and your doctor decide, for example, whether you might benefit from a procedure to open clogged heart arteries (angioplasty) or coronary artery bypass surgery.
Brain disorders
PET scans can be used to evaluate certain brain disorders, such as tumors, Alzheimer’s disease and seizures.
Risks
For your PET scan, a radioactive drug (tracer) will be injected into a vein. Because the amount of radiation you’re exposed to in the tracer is small, the risk of negative effects from the radiation is low. But the tracer might:
Expose your unborn baby to radiation if you are pregnant
Expose your child to radiation if you are breastfeeding
Cause an allergic reaction, although this is rare
Talk with your doctor about the benefits and risks of a PET scan.
How you prepare
Tell your doctor:
If you’ve ever had a bad allergic reaction
If you’ve been sick recently or you have another medical condition, such as diabetes
If you’re taking any medications, vitamins or herbal supplements
If you’re pregnant or you think you might be pregnant
If you’re breastfeeding
If you’re afraid of enclosed spaces (claustrophobic)
Your doctor will give you detailed instructions on how to prepare for your scan. A general rule is to avoid strenuous exercise for a couple of days before the scan and to only drink water after midnight before the day of the scan.
What you can expect
The PET-CT or PET-MRI scanner is a large machine that looks a little like a giant doughnut standing upright, similar to CT or MRI scanners.
From start to finish, the procedure takes about two hours to complete and typically does not require an overnight hospital stay. When you arrive for your scan, you may be asked to:
Change into a hospital gown
Empty your bladder
A member of your health care team injects the radioactive drug (tracer) into a vein in your arm or hand. You may briefly feel a cold sensation moving up your arm. You rest and remain silent in a reclining chair for 30 to 60 minutes while the tracer is absorbed by your body.
During the procedure
When you are ready, you lie on a narrow, padded table that slides into the part of the scanner that looks like a doughnut hole. During the scan you must be very still so that the images aren’t blurred. It takes about 30 minutes to complete a PET-CT scan and 45 minutes for a PET-MRI scan. The machine makes buzzing and clicking sounds.
The test is painless. If you’re afraid of enclosed spaces, you may feel some anxiety while in the scanner. Be sure to tell the nurse or technologist about any anxiety causing you discomfort. He or she may give you a drug to help you relax.
After the procedure
After the test you can carry on with your day as usual, unless your doctor tells you otherwise. You’ll need to drink plenty of fluids to help flush the tracer from your body.
Results
A doctor specially trained to interpret scan images (radiologist) will report the findings to your doctor.
The radiologist may compare your PET images with images from other tests you’ve undergone recently, such as MRI or CT. Or the PET images may be combined to provide more detail about your condition.
I hope this explanation of PET scans helps you to understand what is involved and what cancer patients go through as a regular part of their care. Depending on the type of cancer and the treatment plan, most cancer patients are scanned every three to six months. I am scanned every four months because my cancer, in both 2019 and currently, has proven to be aggressive, so my oncologist feels that every three months is too often, but every six months is too long between scans, making both him and me nervous.
I will post again once I have my results, but in the meantime, if you have any questions, don’t hesitate to get in touch with me. Thank you for being here! 💕
Many people have asked me to explain what Metastatic Breast Cancer is and what it means for my future. There are a lot of misconceptions out there as to what a stage 4 MBC diagnosis means. The information below is an excellent explanation, that is clear and easy to understand. I previously posted an article specifically about the Myths and Misconceptions About Metastatic Breast Cancer which highlighted many of the questions that I have been asked since being diagnosed back in March.
Metastatic breast cancer {also called stage IV} is breast cancer that has spread beyond the breast and nearby lymph nodes to other parts of the body. Although metastatic breast cancer has spread to another part of the body, it’s still breast cancer and treated as breast cancer.
The most common breast cancer metastasis sites are the bones, the lungs, the brain, and the liver. The symptoms of metastatic breast cancer can be very different depending on the location of the cancer cells.
Bone Metastasis: Symptoms and Diagnosis The most common symptom of breast cancer that has spread to the bone is a sudden, noticeable new pain. Breast cancer can spread to any bone, but most often spreads to the ribs, spine, pelvis, or the long bones in the arms and legs.
Lung Metastasis: Symptoms and Diagnosis When breast cancer moves into the lung, it often doesn’t cause symptoms. If a lung metastasis does cause symptoms, they may include pain or discomfort in the lung, shortness of breath, persistent cough, and others.
Brain Metastasis: Symptoms and Diagnosis Symptoms of breast cancer that has spread to the brain can include headache, changes in speech or vision, memory problems, and others.
Liver Metastasis: Symptoms and Diagnosis When breast cancer spreads to the liver, it often doesn’t cause symptoms. If a liver metastasis does cause symptoms, they can include pain or discomfort in the mid-section, fatigue, and weakness, weight loss or poor appetite, fever, and others.
Cancer cells can break away from the original tumor in the breast and travel to other parts of the body through the bloodstream or the lymphatic system, which is a large network of nodes and vessels that works to remove bacteria, viruses, and cellular waste products.
Breast cancer can come back in another part of the body months or years after the original diagnosis and treatment. Nearly 30% of women diagnosed with early-stage breast cancer will develop metastatic disease.
Some people have metastatic breast cancer when they are first diagnosed with breast cancer (called “de novo metastatic”). This means that the cancer in the breast wasn’t detected before it spread to another part of the body.
A metastatic tumor in a different part of the body is made up of cells from the breast cancer. So if breast cancer spreads to the bone, the metastatic tumor in the bone is made up of breast cancer cells, not bone cells.
Being diagnosed with metastatic breast cancer can be overwhelming. You may feel angry, scared, stressed, outraged, and depressed. Some people may question the treatments they had or may be mad at their doctors or themselves for not being able to beat the disease. Others may deal with the diagnosis of metastatic breast cancer in a matter-of-fact way. There is no right or wrong way to come to terms with the diagnosis. You need to do and feel what is best for you and your situation.
Keep in mind that metastatic disease is NOT hopeless. Many people continue to live long, productive lives with breast cancer in this stage. There are a wide variety of treatment options for metastatic breast cancer, and new medicines are being tested every day. More and more people are living life to the fullest while being treated for metastatic breast cancer.
While metastatic breast cancer may not go away completely, treatment may control it for a number of years. If one treatment stops working, there usually is another one you can try. Cancer can be active sometimes and then go into remission at other times. Many different treatments alone, in combination, or in sequence are often used. Taking breaks in treatment when the disease is under control and you are feeling good can make a big difference in your quality of life.
So a few days ago, I had my monthly oncologist appointment to chat with my doctor, have my blood checked, and get my Faslodex injections. I know that my doctor worries when his patients lose weight, so I was quick to tell him that my hubby and I have been doing Keto for the last three weeks. He was both happy and relieved to hear the news because it explained my 7lb loss since my appointment a month ago. Overall I am feeling much better, and a lot of it is thanks to Keto. Eating fresh food 95% of the time has made a big difference in my well-being. It takes a lot of planning, and it has easily doubled our grocery bill, but we are not eating out, so the cost increase is really only due to the ridiculous price of food.
I have been posting pictures and recipes on our Facebook page, M&M Bistro Recipies, for a few years, and now I am adding some of the Keto recipes we have recently discovered as we change our lifestyle to a healthier way of eating.
As far as my bloodwork is concerned, it is a little worse. My white blood cell count dropped a little more from last month, so my ANC dropped as well to 1.3, and it should be at 1.5 or higher. There is no need for significant concern at this time, but if it continues to drop, I may have to change to the weaker dose of iBrance, which would be from 100mg to 75mg. There isn’t anything I can do to help my white blood cell count rise, so we will wait and see where it is in September and go from there. My red blood cell count is lower, but that only affects my energy level, which has not been the best but is improving thanks to eating healthier.
I have had quite a few people reach out to me recently to ask me questions about my experience over the last 3 1/2 years concerning going through breast cancer, being cancer-free, and then having cancer return. I am always open to helping others through such a difficult and confusing time as it can be with a breast cancer diagnosis. With that said, please do not hesitate to contact me, and as always, thank you for being here.
A few days ago, I had an appointment with my radiation oncologist. I hadn’t seen her in over two years, so it was nice to see her, but I wish it had been under different circumstances. After we caught up on where we had been, I was finally able to show her the pictures from our vow renewal ceremony, so that was nice, and what we had been doing; we discussed my cancer.
Unfortunately, since the CT of my neck came back clear, she has to wait for the results from my PET scan. She needs to see the exact size and location of the tumor to figure out if she can treat me or not. If there is even the slightest part of the tumor in my previous treatment area, she can’t put me through radiation. I didn’t know that you couldn’t radiate the same area more than once, so we must have clear images to compare from 2019/2020 to today. My PET scan is tomorrow, Friday, and I am going back to my oncologist next Tuesday for the results.
So after my initial appointment, my doctor asked if I could come back in an hour to do some plotting with the tech. I didn’t need to be anywhere, so I said I could come back, no problem. When I came back, they took me to the CT room, measured a few coordinates, and went ahead and marked me with stickers in case I could have radiation soon. When I laid down on the table, my doctor came over and felt where the tumor was, and she said, ” it seems like it is very superficial; that might be why the CT scan didn’t see it.” I hadn’t thought of that being the reason for the clear CT, but it makes sense.
Next, they had me put both arms over my head, which is the position I will have to be in for the radiation treatments. It has been almost three years since my first surgery in April 2019, and it still hurts to have my arms up over my head for any length of time. I have gained a lot of mobility back since that first surgery but not 100%. Because of the pain I am in when in that position, they will make molds for me to rest my arms in so the pain and pressure will be decreased, making me more comfortable. When I put my arms up, my doctor felt the tumor again and said it had dropped slightly in location, taking it closer to the area where I had radiation before; this is not good if I want radiation to be the primary treatment to get rid of the tumor.
So, now we are waiting for my PET scan and the results. What will happen if I can’t have radiation? I am guessing that I will have to have surgery to remove the tumor, but after that, I am not sure. I will be asking my oncologist about that when I see him on Tuesday next week.
So I guess if there can be any good news that goes along with having cancer again, that would be the good news I received today.
There is a spot on one of my ribs in the nuclear medicine bone scan. I am confident that it is from when I fractured my rib ages ago. We need to be sure that it is from my fracture and not more cancer, so I have a PET scan scheduled for next Friday. Something odd is that the CT of my neck came back clear, yet that is where the tumor is located; the CT couldn’t find the tumor that I can feel, crazy! My other CT came back clear, so the cancer is isolated to my neck. I will have to go through radiation, so I have an appointment with my radiation oncologist next Tuesday. She will determine how much radiation I need and if I will need surgery after radiation.
After radiation, I will be put on a new inhibitor because the one I have been on for the last two years didn’t work other than possibly keeping the new cancer from spreading. I will also be going through chemotherapy again, but this time, it will be in pill form, not by infusion, and for at least two years. But the good news is that I will not lose my hair while on the chemotherapy drug.
As far as my diagnosis, I have the same cancer I had before, invasive ductal carcinoma, breast cancer stage 3c. Because the tumor is nearby where the cancer was in 2019/2020, in the lymph nodes in my neck, and it has not spread to my organs, it is still considered breast cancer. Oddly enough, the tumor is on the same side of my body this time as well.
All in all, I am very relieved! I will update you after my next appointment.
