CT Scan-what do you think?

[Guest guest]

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

one month and I came home with a catheter in my liver. It remained

until just before chemo began (about 10-12 wks ago) and I have

finished 5 of 12 Folfox plus Avastin treatments.

I am worried about this. Why can't they see my liver more clearly by

now? Has anyone had anything similar to this?

in

California

[Guest guest]

, I see you getting yourself all worried now!!! Please do not

get so upset. If the onc did not get worried then you should not be

too concerned. But I would call the onc and ask him to explain this

more clearly to you. Hopefully it will ease your fears. I am always

Praying for YOU. Ingrid

>

> 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

> one month and I came home with a catheter in my liver. It remained

> until just before chemo began (about 10-12 wks ago) and I have

> finished 5 of 12 Folfox plus Avastin treatments.

>

> I am worried about this. Why can't they see my liver more clearly

by

> now? Has anyone had anything similar to this?

>

> in

> California

>

[Guest guest]

I apprieciate your knowledge here. Thanks, Ingrid

>

> 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]

The healing area (of the surgical cut) often causes an increased uptake of

the stuff that makes the PET glow. If it is in the area where the liver was

cut, there is a good chance it is just the healing. Your surgeon should

have an opinion about this when he looks at the scan

Marty

On 10/13/2005 1:37:46 AM, colon_cancer_support wrote:

> 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 ha