Arthritis vs. Bone Mets
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I know this is an old thread but I found it very interesting. I am having a bone scan tomorrow and of course I am very nervous. I had one about 16 months ago when I was diagnosed and it was negative but it did show arthritis to the knees and hips and some disk disease in my lower back.
Now I am having joint/muscle/bone pain and it is very bad in my hip. I recently finished my herceptin. I think the pain is from that but my doctor says that is not a side effect of the herceptin. I think it is. Tomorrow is the scan and I will find out. I hope they don't make me wait too long for the results.
My MOther died of BC that went to her bones so I am very freaked out about it.
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Shadow good luck with your bone scan. I want to reassure you that I also had bad hip pain - the scan showed arthirtis but nothing else - a visit to a good orthopedic doctor helped. He gave me a shot of cortisone and physical therapy. My hip always bothered me a little - but Arimidex really made it so much worse. Now it hardly bothers me any more. I also have some disc problems in my lower back - but that doesn't bother me either (I think swimming has helped with that for many years). Anyway - just wanted to let you know my story in case it helps you get through your scan.
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Good luck shadow. I was petrified before mine too. It of course led to an MRI because it seems like all tests beget more tests. Turns out years of being very physically active and tamoxifen have combined for some very painful arthritis. Hopefully things will be fine. Only breast cancer could have you thinking, thank goodness I only have severe arthritis pain
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shadow: I am really concerned as well. I have 4 mri's this week, bone scan and cat scans. I broke my toe the day before my reconstruction surgery last month. The xray showed a lesion. Now I am freaking that I have bone mets. I also have arthritis in my hips, knees, feet and neck. I am going back to the orthopedic at the end of the month because my left hip hurts so much since I had taxol. I had right hip replacement in 2009 and it is also hurting me.
does anyone know if you can get mets as early as 4 months after your chemo treatments? I stopped chemo in August. I will get my results on the 20th but I just called the doctor and said I don't want to hear anything until after xmas. I want to be at peace this holiday
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Yes, unfortunately, a second cancer with different stats (ER/PR etc) can be growing and not affected by the current treatment. But if that's what it is, I'd go out and buy a lottery ticket if I were you!
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Hi,
I just had a bone scan and the results are arthritis in the knees and a little toe and "a lot" of inflammation in the joints. My question is wouldn't inflammation in joints be called arthritis? Is there a chance this inflammation could actually be cancer? I'm 41 and don't really have a lot of joint pain. Also this inflammation wasn't there on bone scan 2 years ago.
Any advice?
Thanks!
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Inflamation in the joints could be arthritis, bursitis, infection, previous damage, muscle stress, etc. Unless they see a change in the actual bone itself - like a bone growth - they don't say arthritis.
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Could inflammation also mean cancer?
Inflammation strikes me as a very non-helpful "finding." It raises more ?s than it answers. My guess would be a follow up scan in a year is in order, or earlier if pain, etc. I know my dr's will just expect me to move on and forget this scan, but like I said, I don't think it gives any answers.
Thanks.
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Inflamation would NOT be cancer. It's all good. Take a deep breath and do it again in a year. Inflamation would most likely be a much larger area than a tiny mets would be. That's why it's a general finding.
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Thanks barbe!
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Hope people will still respond to this thread. After my initial Dx, saw surgeon, then oncologist, then had a CT and bone scan. Today I find out I need a PET scan, they have found "something" in my hip and left shoulder. The nurse didn't go into great detail on the phone. In the past month and a half, I've had a mammogram, sonogram.two biopsies, an MRI, scheduled for an MRI biopsy, had the CT and bone scans and now scheduled for the PET scan.
What is starting to get to me is that, at age 52, I've been relatively healthy my whole life, and I still feel FINE. No pain in my shoulder, and occasional hip pain which goes away with Tylenol (I am allergic to aspirin & ibuprofen). My dad had arthritis, so I always assumed any joint pain after a day's work was mild arthritis. I mean, normal aches and pains are a part of the 'maturing' process. I've never had pain that kept me up at night or from working.
I guess I'm starting to feel overhwelmed.
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One more thing to add. I've been appreciative and grateful about my life for many, many years. Have felt very blessed and often stopped and given God thanks for all he's given me. At the moment, I don't see how any of that helped me! It's been a long winter.
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Ah, Divine, welcome to the world of hesitation, testing, inconclusive, and growing old! I can't believe you are getting a PET scan! My surgeon told me I'd have to be a celebrity to get one!
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Interesting comment, Barbe, I will tell myself I'm getting the "star treatment" next week while I have the scan......lol.....altho reading the various posts on BC.org, there seem to be many other (non-celebrities) here who get the scan.
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OH, your are Toronto OHIO. I thought you were Toronto, ONTARIO!!!! They save our PETS for celebrities......
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Lol, yes, along the Ohio river, the "lesser" Toronto--a town of about 5,000 people. And hey, tho I'm just beginning my journey with this disease, I think anyone dealing with it should be treated like a celebrity!
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Divine - so sorry you must go through all the testing - altho I think it speaks volumes when you say you feel fine - they can't test for attitude! I felt the same way during my dx/testing phase, and all I can really say is that the waiting is the hardest part. I wish you all the best for good results.
Barbe - must thank you for the wealth of info that you are. I haven't posted for a long while, but have been going back through threads and your breadth of knowledge is amazing. Thank you!
Peace and strength,
Grakenmom
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HI all - currently being treated for past year for OsteoArthritis, Fibro, osteoporosis - all things I developed after Chemo in 08 - using Tramadol is helpful, but not for my feet! Anywho...getting along well and now nervous for my next test tomorrow...I dread the Oncologist office, any Doc's truth be told. I hope you are all well - I don't get to post much. I am 2 years NED and I want to stay that way! : ) Just a little jitters before my bi-yearly (every 6 months) test. Be well all!
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Good luck tomorrow! Let us know how it goes.
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Thank you Barb! Can you tell I am nervous - I am reading all the posts here on the site - checking for symptoms...I suppose we all do it occassionally. I am sure all will be well. Thanks again.
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Since reconstruction I have had terrible rib pain. Had injections 2 times for costcoconditis -sp. Now they say I never had it! They sent me for a Pet Scan yesterday and I got a phone call from the Doctor himself saying you had uptake in your T10 this can cause pain in your rib. You think it going front to back and it really is coming from your back to the front. Then he says you need a MRI immediatly. WHY would I have a Pet Scan first???? What is the MRI going to show the pet scan didn't????? Could it be arthritis or do I just need be prepared for mets?
ANYONE please help with my questions.....I am a mess tonight!
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I think you should prepare for the worst, but expect the best.
Referred pain can be very confusing to know where it starts from. Front to back, back to front, who cares! It hurts!!
If they know it's T10, you could have a herniation. That seems pretty specific. Now they need to know WHAT is causing your uptake. I'd be nervous......but that's why they don't even do PETs here. Then you need a second test anyway, and they're known for their fasle positives!
Good luck sweetie, keep us posted. You're in my prayers for it being arthritis or herniation.
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Thank you Barb for your reply.
If they were sure it was arthritis I don't think they would get me inta a MRI so quickly do you???
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Yes they would!!! They need to know WHY you have the uptake. I lit up like a Christmas tree on the bone scan and it was ALL put down to arthritis.
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They aren't sure; that's the point.
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I was having severe hip pain both sides, right worse, could not put weight on right leg for a few days. I have brain mets secondary to Stage 3 breast ca, so dr ordered bone scan. He called & said there was uptake in both femurs and area on skull, but they may be from brain surgery. Today went to oncologist and he said get an xray because the uptake in fairly symmetrical in femurs which is more indiciative of arthritis per his experience. Now appt to radiology oncologist on hold until they determine what the heck it is, however, pain is vastly improved with rest, Vicodin and heat, so maybe it is arthritis? They just did blookwork today so I don't know any levels, but I was wondering the exact same thing. How will they tell for sure?
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ljkishbach,
First off I do not want to worry you...and I am not a doctor nor am I even in the medical field. I'm just a stage IV bc patient that has had to fight to get answers the last 5 1/2 yrs. I was 1st dx stage IIIA, Her2/neu, 3+++ with pos nodes. My first baseline PET/CT showed uptake in both hips. But since I was newbie to bc and trusted my onc's and doctors I believed what I was told. The PET/CT report recommended that hips be checked out to rule out mets to hips. I tried everything to get them to do whatever it takes but was told the uptake can be from so many different things. They really did not believe it was from the bc. I even requested a bone biopsy and my onc went on to scare me by telling me how painful they are and how I'd be on crutchs for a long time. After I got through my 6 cycles of TCH the uptake at that time in hips was gone. So my onc told me it was nothing to worry about.
Jumping ahead to save time...it was cancer all along in my hips! They just didn't want to run tests or do anything. I had an HMO and doctors are suppose to keep costs down. So they will do the least expensive tests and send you on your way. My PCP warned me that I better learn to be VERY pro-active or I didn't stand a chance. He's been right! (HMO's are all about "Profit over Patient" unfortunetly.) Much later I started having the hip pain again..both sides. Again...told it's nothing..don't worry about it. Sent for x-rays. X-rays showed nothing...or so they said. (Again...jumping ahead I demanded an MRI (nicely)...and got one!) MRI showed I had an almost 4 cm mass in right femur that no doubt had been growing since my first baseline PET/CT. I was walking around with an impending fracture that could of been very dangerous had I not gotten it fixed BEFORE it broke. So to be on the safe side...don't let your onc, or other doctor's ignore this. You know how you feel...and you deserve answers so that you have peace of mind. These doctors have no idea what goes through our minds once dx.
Your biggest question is...how will you know for sure if there is cancer there or not? Don't believe their x-ray...that's for sure. MRI will show everything. But they will be reluctant to do that because MRI's are expensive. So be proactive..don't let them sweep this under the rug. I get so fed up with doctors ignoring our concerns. If your pain is just arthritis...then you have a right to know for sure that is what it is. And an MRI will do that for you. Chances are it's not cancer. After what our bodies are put thru it's no surprise we have many aches and pains. Especially hip and back. So just tell them you want answers and the only real way to do that is by MRI. Hang in there...I know it's not easy. Sending positive thoughts for a clean scan.
Chelee
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ljkishbach, Chelee gave you good advice! Please let us know how your testing goes, sweetie!
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