Re: CT Scan-what do you think?

[Guest guest]

I had folfox 6 and went throught with minimal side effects. Even for me the

liver enzymes were elevated and peaked about halfway through. With the surgery

and chemo your liver has been through a lot. I was worried my liver enzymes

were cancer related but luckily they were not. It is not unreasonable for

liver images not to be clear at this time. CEA is a tumor marker for colon

cancer. All tumors do not give off CEA but liver tumors are much more likely to

give of CEA than not. Your CEA history should help. Nothing is that easy as

folfox 6 can elevate CEA in some people. Some studies have shown large

incteases

in CEA during folfox 6 which later came back to normal with no cancer.

Bottom line is with no CEA increase no reason to have bad thoughts. If CEA is

up

it may be from cancer, folfox or some other benign cause.

[Guest guest]

Hi :

My CEA levels have never been elevated, even before surgery. This is my CT

CONTRAST SCAN report (together with a PET scan). I am concerned that it is

so unclear that they cannot tell if I still have cancer in the liver.

Shouldn't my pictures from the scan be clearer now?

In a message dated 10/12/2005 4:33:22 PM Pacific Standard Time,

asorr55555@... writes:

I had folfox 6 and went throught with minimal side effects. Even for me the

liver enzymes were elevated and peaked about halfway through. With the

surgery

and chemo your liver has been through a lot. I was worried my liver enzymes

were cancer related but luckily they were not. It is not unreasonable for

liver images not to be clear at this time. CEA is a tumor marker for colon

cancer. All tumors do not give off CEA but liver tumors are much more

likely to

give of CEA than not. Your CEA history should help. Nothing is that easy as

folfox 6 can elevate CEA in some people. Some studies have shown large

incteases

in CEA during folfox 6 which later came back to normal with no cancer.

Bottom line is with no CEA increase no reason to have bad thoughts. If CEA

is up

it may be from cancer, folfox or some other benign cause.

[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

[Guest guest]

Far from being a doc but do a lot of research and with a technical

background read tons of abstracts. I would be unhappy the contrast CT along with

the

PET did not give an absolute answer but not all bad. Using the half full

theory the best scans cannot tell you that you have a problem. Unfortunately

with

no elevated CEA and the fact that CTs and PETs are damaging to the body you

may have to wait a while for definite answers. I hate to say that as I am not a

good waiter and typically demand answers now.

As a side note- My wife and I talked with some friends tonight. The man had

colon cancer five years ago. Skipped colonoscopy last year and this year has a

problem. Has 5 cm mass and after CT and PET does not know what the problem

is. The reason he does not know is he did not ask. He does not know his CEA

level. said doc said something about chemo but did not know what kind of chemo

he was talking about. Local surgeon who is not board certified. People - get

a good board certified surgeon and try to keep up with what is happening. I

made a lot of imput to my treatment plan and insist on when and what blood

tests and scans are done. As individuals we can track and graph our data when

docs do not have time to monitor things that close. I love my onc but I watch

everything he does.

[Guest guest]

In a message dated 10/12/2005 8:08:54 PM Eastern Standard Time,

asorr55555@... writes:

I love my onc but I watch

everything he does.

Very good advice....

Lots of hugs and prayers, Donelle

Caregiver to Glenn

[Guest guest]

, I too had problems with my Pet and Cat scans. They are so

vague and did not show the tumor I had in scar tissue. Which was

found by accident because of an emergency surgery to undo scar tissue

that had twisted my intestine and caused a blochage.

Yet it caused the surgeon to operate on my right lung for a nodule

that ended up being non cancerous. I find the scans to be way to

vague. Is it not fustrating??? Ingrid

>

>

> Hi :

>

> My CEA levels have never been elevated, even before surgery. This

is my CT

> CONTRAST SCAN report (together with a PET scan). I am concerned

that it is

> so unclear that they cannot tell if I still have cancer in the

liver.

> Shouldn't my pictures from the scan be clearer now?

>

>

> In a message dated 10/12/2005 4:33:22 PM Pacific Standard Time,

> asorr55555@a... writes:

>

> I had folfox 6 and went throught with minimal side effects. Even

for me the

>

> liver enzymes were elevated and peaked about halfway through. With

the

> surgery

> and chemo your liver has been through a lot. I was worried my

liver enzymes

> were cancer related but luckily they were not. It is not

unreasonable for

> liver images not to be clear at this time. CEA is a tumor marker

for colon

> cancer. All tumors do not give off CEA but liver tumors are much

more

> likely to

> give of CEA than not. Your CEA history should help. Nothing is

that easy as

> folfox 6 can elevate CEA in some people. Some studies have shown

large

> incteases

> in CEA during folfox 6 which later came back to normal with no

cancer.

> Bottom line is with no CEA increase no reason to have bad

thoughts. If CEA

> is up

> it may be from cancer, folfox or some other benign cause.

>

>

>

>

> [Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

>

>

>

>

>

>

>

>

>

>

>

[Guest guest]

As I said in my previous post (I read the answer to your note beofre I read

the note), my PET showed a similar story. The surgeon was totally confident

that it was the healing of the surgical site.

FWIW

Marty

On 10/13/2005 12:51:53 AM, colon_cancer_support wrote:

> Hi everyone:

>

> I need your opinion on how concerned I should be about my recent

> scans. I am reading the report now of my CT scan wtih intravenous

> contrast. Here is the language in the report that concerns me:

>

> " Poorly marginated and poorly defined soft tissue along the posterior

> surface of the right lobe of the liver adjacent to the surgical site

> is noted. This is not seen with certainty on either comparison study

> and is histologically indeterminate. Differential considerations

> include recurrent/residual tumor, postinflammatory change, or

> postsuregical change. Further followup will be necessary. "

>

> My colon and liver resection were done May 18, 2005. They removed one

> 3.9 cm. tumor from the liver and I was told they got everything. I

> had an abscess on the liver that put me back into the hospital for

[Guest guest]

Marty:

The fact that you had a similar showing on your Pet scan is helpful. I am

so worried about this. I can feel the stress in my body. It is the fight or

flight adrenalin surge that is going through me. Last night, I took a

sleeping pill at 1:30 to get to sleep. I am really frightened that this liver

of

mine hasn't healed and cannot be seen clearly in the Pet. Have you had a

clear liver scan?

In a message dated 10/13/2005 9:25:53 AM Pacific Standard Time,

grogclan@... writes:

As I said in my previous post (I read the answer to your note beofre I read

the note), my PET showed a similar story. The surgeon was totally confident

that it was the healing of the surgical site.

FWIW

Marty

On 10/13/2005 12:51:53 AM, colon_cancer_support wrote:

> Hi everyone:

>

> I need your opinion on how concerned I should be about my recent

> scans. I am reading the report now of my CT scan wtih intravenous

> contrast. Here is the language in the report that concerns me:

>

> " Poorly marginated and poorly defined soft tissue along the posterior

> surface of the right lobe of the liver adjacent to the surgical site

> is noted. This is not seen with certainty on either comparison study

> and is histologically indeterminate. Differential considerations

> include recurrent/residual tumor, postinflammatory change, or

> postsuregical change. Further followup will be necessary. "

>

> My colon and liver resection were done May 18, 2005. They removed one

> 3.9 cm. tumor from the liver and I was told they got everything. I

> had an abscess on the liver that put me back into the hospital for

[Guest guest]

No clear scan, but the docs say " NED "

The PET works by the uptake of glucose (sugar), which is increased in

rapoidly growing cells. This is the situation in a healing wound, like

where they cut out a chunk of our liver.

The fact that your doc called it good news is what's important, no? Try and

relax, without digging TOO deep. (easier said than done)....

And come to Israel!!! (You are smarter than your son)

Marty

On 10/13/2005 10:30:32 PM, colon_cancer_support wrote:

> Marty:

> The fact that you had a similar showing on your Pet scan is helpful. I am

>

> so worried about this. I can feel the stress in my body. It is the fight

> or

> flight adrenalin surge that is going through me. Last night, I took a

> sleeping pill at 1:30 to get to sleep. I am really frightened that this

> liver of

> mine hasn't healed and cannot be seen clearly in the Pet. Have you had a

> clear liver scan?

>

>

> In a message dated 10/13/2005 9:25:53 AM Pacific Standard Time,

> grogclan@... writes:

>

> As I said in my previous post (I read the answer to your note beofre I

> read