cancer or no cancer????

Discussion Board Forums General Discussion cancer or no cancer????

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  • #46931
    slittle1127
    Member

    My husband had a CT scan in August of 2009 and it did not show anything. However, we have been told that IF they had done the test WITH contrast, it probably would have shown up and we would have had that earlier diagnosis and perhaps more treatment options. Instead, we lost that year and when the CC did show up on ct scan – they mostly saw a thickening in the transverse colon. It was the liver biopsy that gave us the diagnosis. He has had CT scans since then that show the one large tumor and “innumberable” small ones.

    #46930
    marions
    Moderator

    Minnie…I have learned that the cancer cannot be detected if the nodules presents itself as less than 1 cm in size. The frame of the CT itself measures 1cm in thickness therefore, anything less is not detectable. As Margaret has mentioned often times the scans are misread by the radiologists. I would assume that the original physicians are accurate in their assessment of the presence of the Klatskin tumor. But, then again, this is an opportunity to acquire a second opinion with the physician in Southern California. Keep us posted. This is quite a puzzle. Also, how is your husband feeling?
    All my best wishes,
    Marion

    #46929
    minnie305
    Spectator

    The new doctor has all the records from the other doctors in seattle but I will try to get some clarification if I can. I did hear somewhere that sometimes this cancer does not show up in the various scans. Has anyone else heard that?

    #46928
    gavin
    Moderator

    Hi Minnie,

    This is indeed strange. Did your husband have a CT scan before he was diagnosed with CC and if so, did it show up on that scan? And I do agree with what has been said to you about getting Karl’s 2 doctors to discuss this with each other if possible.

    Also, someone correct me if I am wrong here, but wasn’t it Kris who said that her docs were not able to see one of her tumours from the CT scan, but they all knew it was there from her past surgery?

    I hope you manage to get this looked into as soon as possible Minnie.

    My best wishes to you and Karl,

    Gavin

    #46927
    mlepp0416
    Spectator

    Minnie: I would follow Marions advice and have the two doctors speak to one another, as well as to get his previous scans sent to the second doctor! We all know that mistakes can be made.

    In my husband Tom’s case they told us this past Oct that his cancer had spread to his groin/bladder area and they started him on IV chemo Gem/Cis and three weeks later we were told that the mass was GONE! We don’t believe that there was a mass to begin with that the radiologist read the scan incorrectly. We also had another experience where the radiologist reported that the gall bladder was intact w/no gross abnormalities (his gall bladder had been removed two years prior), and also that a kidney stone was gone, when in fact it was still there and had to be surgically removed.

    So, scans are misread all the time and I would certainly seek another opinoin or at least have everything reviewed!!!!

    Go with God,
    Margaret

    #46926
    marions
    Moderator

    Minnie….Is your husband still on Gemzar treatments? I am puzzled by the fact that the Klatskin tumor is not visible on the scan and would ask the physician to clarify this. Also, did you have Karl’s medical records transferred to the present oncologist in Southern California? If not, then you might ask the Seattly physician and the current physician to speak. I am confused right along with you and would follow up on this.
    All my best wishes,
    Marion

    #46925
    nur1954
    Spectator

    Minnie – Is there any way you can get previous scans from your husband’s previous doctor? How is his overall health? I agree with Lainy….time for another opinion. I feel bad for you….what a rollercoaster…..keep us posted. – Nancy

    #46924
    lainy
    Spectator

    Minnie, I am so sorry but I have never heard of this before. Guess the only thing I can offer is to go to one more doctor for one more opinion and see what he says. Did he have an MRI and PET Scan? Is this ONC versed in CC? What about his LABS? I would be going crazy too. That is not the way you expected to spend your winter! Please let us know what you decide to do.

    #4643
    minnie305
    Spectator

    I am so confused. Has anyone else had the experience of being diagnosed with CC and then it doesn’t show up on susequent CT scans? My husband was diagnosed by an ercp and several other scans and tests last May and now we have a new doctor in So. calif. (snowbirds), and it seems the cancer doesn’t really show up on the scans, except for some enlarged lymph nodes, so they now say that because of the blood tests and lymph nodes they “presume he has cancer”/ Well that’s all he needed to hear and now I have heard him on the phone telling people he might not have cancer. He has two stents and at one point was scheduled for surgery last summer and then because of infections all the time, they postponed it and then told him it had spread too far according to their cat scan. Now we are in another location wth new doctors and they can’t see it on their cat scans. I think I’m going to go crazy!!!! Is it true that sometimes it just doesn’t show up?

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