Thoracic CT results
I have been losing weight over the past year or so unintentionally. I was dx with Type 2 diabetes in 2020. I mildly changed my diet and I’m on Metformin. I have been heavy my entire adult life and have been on multiple diets where I would lose up to 20 pounds then gain it back. I have lost 35 pounds, 15 pounds since September. I have had intermittent discomfort in right upper abdomen. My new Onc, old one retired, was not really worried but ordered chest and abdomen CT and bone scan. Bone scan was normal. Abdomen was normal. Pretracheal lymph node was “Mediastinum: A 0.7 x 1.3 cm upper pretracheal lymph node (2:16) is new“ and my lungs “There is a new subtle focal ground-glass opacity in the left apex on image 93 of series 8, and increasing subpleural thickening laterally in the left apex”
My onc is not overly worried, she thinks my weight loss is from changes in my antidepressants, but ordered a repeat CT for August
My gut is telling me it’s Mets it’s ok, I’ve been waiting for it Rather know as early as possible. But I also think it could be a fluke. What does your gut say? Thanks m
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Impossible to say for sure of course, but I'd be wanting a scan a lot sooner than August. A MRI or PET, not another CT. I have mets in my mediastinal nodes and pleura that weren't discovered until my pleural cavity started filling up with fluid.0
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Although I value the gut feelings that people experience, overall it’s a poor diagnostic tool. If it eases your mind, please consider a second opinion especially since you haven’t established a relationship with your new mo.In the end when peoples gut feelings turn out to be right they declare, “I knew it !”. When it turns out to be nothing or nothing major they say, “ Thank goodness!”. Take that for what it’s worth and take care.
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I would want a PET earlier than august, so you can see the level of FDG uptake in that mediastinal node. I was 11 years from stage 1 dx when I had some symptoms (not any rapid weight loss ). I had to really fight for a petscan which showed more than one thoracic lymph nodes with high metabolic rate. I've done well on treatment! Nothing has "lit up" for close to 2 years which is a relief. Hopefully, a pet will show nothing notable in metabolic activity and like exbrnxgirl said, everyone can say a collective "Thank goodness "!
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Thanks everyone. I would have liked to get a PET but this onc and my last one just don’t order them. Since she is doing another CT I feel like waiting until August is best to see a change. I was really just glad she didn’t want to wait 6 months. I know that our guts are not good diagnostic tools. I just think the lung changes along with the large lymph node are significant. The last cold I had was in December. No Covid. I will get a second opinion depending on what happens next
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melgirl, if it puts your mind at ease, I have never had a PET scan and I’ve been at this stage IV business for over five years. My MO, who I trust implicitly, uses CT scans, bone scans (although they are a bit useless for me) and MRI if there is something funky going on that needs a closer look or is soft tissue related. From what you have said, I think a rescan in August is very reasonable. It’s hard to jot let our imagination run wild and think the cancer is galloping but the reality is that it’s a reasonable amount of time to see if there are changes. Hope this is helpful
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Thank you so much! Yes that makes me feel better. I think August will be good. I have appointment for August 15 and I see my onc the next week. I have a fun summer planned so I think I will be able to keep my nerves at bay, sort of anyway!!
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